THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2002
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5A
Students take a stab at 'physical chess'
By Adam Pracht
Kansan staff writer
Thanks to the efforts of Brian McDow, stabbing should continue for a long time at the University of Kansas.
McDow, West Des Moines, Iowa, junior, is the president of the KU Fencing Club, and has been working to revitalize the program after leadership and paperwork problems nearly ended the program last year.
Fencing is a sport where competitors use one of three types of blunt sword, épée, saber or foil, to try to score points by striking certain areas of their opponent. The competitors wear protective vests and face masks.
"It's often described as physical chess," McDow said. "It's always a chess match against your opponent. It's mental, it's physical, it's everything at once."
McDow said fencing almost disappeared from the University when last year's leadership didn't turn in the correct paperwork. When he transferred from Iowa State University last semester, he helped to resurrect the club and turned in the paperwork to maintain the club two weeks before the last scheduled meeting for organizations. All organizations have to turn in renewal paperwork and attend at least one meeting.
Ryan Reed, Overland Park sophomore, is the only member of last year's team. He said last year's leadership was too involved academically to commit to the club.
"Only the president came. She was the only one involved," he said. "I never saw the vice president, never saw the treasurer, never saw the secretary."
Reed said that toward the end of the year, the president was called to other commitments and the paperwork was overlooked.
He said he would have been disappointed if his equipment had gone to waste because he enjoys the sport.
Since the club started again in October, membership has increased to about a dozen novice fencers. Last weekend, they went to their first novice tournament. McDow said he was pleased with the results, especially since his competitors had less experience than anyone else at the tournament.
Deborah Dalton, Topeka freshman, took first in the women's foil at the competition. She said that McDow was a good leader and that they wouldn't have gotten too far in the tournament without him.
McDow said that he hoped to leave behind a stable program that would be able to grow. The club has equipment for at least 20 members. He said the club was trying to gain
"It's not the swashbuckling movie that you would expect,but it is fun."
Brian McDow President, KU Fencing Club
greater visibility as a club and plans to host a fencing tournament at the University this fall, and would like to have a fencing demonstration on Wescoe Beach.
McDow said that anyone who was interested should come to practice wearing comfortable clothing, pay the $10 dues and give it a try. The club meets at 6:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 215 in Robinson Center.
He said most people have misperceptions about the amount of work required.
"It's not the swashbuckling movie that you would expect, but it is fun," he said.
"I would say that just about everyone comes in expecting to pick up a sword and be Zorro, but it just doesn't happen." McDow said. "I would say that we lose more fencers to that 'oh, it's work' than anything else."
Contact Pracht at apracht@kansan.com. This story was edited by Sarah Warren.
Contact Pracht at
Brian McDow, West Des Moines, Iowa, junior, is president of the KU Fencing Club. McDow revitalized the program after it nearly ended last year.
CHRISTINA NEFF/KANSAN
Stripe rust survives winter, may threaten Kansas wheat
The Associated Press
WICHITA — Farmers now have more than just the lingering drought to fear as their winter wheat fields begin greening up across Kansas.
U. S. Department of Agriculture pathologist Bob Bowden said Tuesday that stripe rust has survived the winter in Texas, and he puts the risk for Kansas having an infestation as moderately high.
An epidemic of stripe rust last year — the first such outbreak since 1918 — cut yields on infected winter wheat fields from 25 to 50 percent in Kansas, he said.
All it takes is a heavy dew for a few hours for the spores to flourish, even in the current dry conditions now plaguing the crop.
"It already has a start in Texas." Bowden said. "The history is of spores moving from the southern plains to the central plains in the wind. The question is when we will get them."
If there is a lot of movement of spores two weeks from now, Kansas farmers could be making some tough choices about whether to spend the money spraying. Bowden said.
"Putting a rust treatment on a crop that doesn't look very good is a tough decision," he said.
Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service reported this week that drought has so stressed the winter wheat crop that nearly half of it was ranked in poor to very poor condition.
In its weekly crop weather report, the agency said 17 percent of the crop was in
very poor shape and 27 percent was in poor condition. Another 33 percent was ranked as fair. Just 21 percent was in good condition, and 2 percent was reported as excellent.
Sherman County wheat grower Ken Palmgren said that he got eight inches of snow last weekend on his northwest Kansas farm — welcomed moisture given the dry weather conditions this growing season.
"Some of the wheat had already died. The soil was so loose and dry you could pull it out of the ground," he said.
The state will get a better idea of how the crop is doing statewide during the annual winter wheat tour, scheduled April 29 through May 2. Last year, dire predictions for a poor harvest evaporated with late spring rains.
Kansas farmers in the next two weeks are expected to start preparing for spring crops—and that's when many will decide whether to abandon winter wheat and plant something else instead.
Last year, Kansas farmers destroyed 1.6 million acres of their winter wheat crop that was already in such bad shape that it was not worth harvesting.
"It is not too late if we can get some moisture and get perfect growing conditions like we did last year." said Brett Myers, executive vice president of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers. "If the plant is not dead, it can still produce some grain."
Kansas House tries to fix expensive budget woes
The Associated Press
TOPEKA — Beset by members' doubts about deep spending cuts and besieged by protesters, the House struggled yesterday to write a plan for eliminating a projected $700 million budget shortfall.
In a series of votes, members restored money to the proposed budget for the next fiscal year to lessen the potential cuts in education and social services spending. Members debated budget issues for four hours before adjourning Tuesday evening and resumed their work yesterday.
They did approve, 71-52, a bill making minor changes in the budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. But the big issue is the budget for fiscal 2003, which starts July 1.
The debate centers on a plan by the House Appropriations Committee to balance expected revenues and required spending over the next 15 months without increasing taxes.
But that plan required deep spending cuts in education and social services, including a $303 per pupil reduction in aid to public schools that House members deemed unpalatable. On a voice vote Tuesday, they restored $175 million that the plan would cut, to keep aid per pupil at the current $3,870.
House members yesterday continued to consider an alternative offered by conservative Republicans that avoids tax increases and some cuts in education and social services. It would cover the
shortfall partly by dipping into cash reserves and utilizing extra federal funds.
"What it appears that comes out of this is that there isn't anybody who's willing to cut their way out of this situation," said State Budget Director Duane Goossen, who watched the debate inside the House chamber. "There has to be new revenues."
The possibility of reductions in social services brought about 100 disabled Kansans and activists to the Statehouse, where they chanted outside the House chamber.
challenged outside the House
House Speaker Kent Glasscock, R-
Manhattan, said Tuesday night that members so far appear unwilling to cut the budget sufficiently to cover the shortfall.
we're going to have to
"Ultimately, we're going to have to revisit the issue of tax increases," he said.
The GOP conservatives' proposal to avoid some cuts by using $104 million from treasury reserves was approved on a 65-56 vote Tuesday.
By law, legislators must approve a budget that leaves a balance at the end of a given fiscal year equal to 7.5 percent of spending. The conservatives' plan would leave just 5 percent—only for the fiscal year starting July 1.
Critics said the state shouldn't use a one-time source of money to pay for ongoing government programs.
Think Facilities Don't Count? Look What They Did for Art!
You like to be an artist? It's not so easy. But KU has become a heavyweight in university art circles.The Spencer Museum of Art will soon be 25,and the Lied Center is 10.Both are now marvelous state assets considered to be among America's finest artistic venues.In art, as in science, facilities count.
But success creates challenges. Today, the Spencer cannot display a large portion of its collection, including the works of significant Kansas artists.And the Lied Center cannot accommodate the
range of performing arts inherent in a university community. What's more, the Hall Center for the Humanities has outgrown its quarters. So we're brushing off our building plans.
Through KU First, KU Endowment seeks to raise $500 million by 2004. $28 million will expand facilities for the arts and the Hall Center for the Humanities and will enhance endowments for programs at the Lied Center.
INVEST IN EXCELLENCE
For the arts, it's a sort of
broad-brush approach. Bon jour ba-be
Bon jour, ba-be.
LAWRENCE AUTOMOTIVE
DIAGNOSTICS INC.
842-8605 2888 Four Wheel Dz
Summit House Apartments
Now taking applications for Fall 2002
- 1 BR & 1 BR Loft
Apartment Available
• Water and trash paid
• Walking distance to Campus
• Laundry facilities on site
• Private off street parking
• 24 hr. Emergency
maintenance
Call (785) 841-1429 for details
1105 Louisiana EHO
Mon-Fri 9 am - 6 pm
Sat 10 am - 4 pm
Sunday 1 pm - 4 pm
- Furnished apt. available
Kentucky Place Apartments
Now Leasing 2 BR Apartments For Fall 2002!
- Fully equipped kitchens including microwaves & dishwashers
- Large walk-in closets
- Private parking
- Laundry facilities on site
- Furnished apt. available
- Within walking distance to campus
- Private parking
- Laundry facilities on site
Laundry facilities on site.
For more information call
841-1212 or 749-0445
Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00
Saturday 10:00-4:00
Sunday 1:00-4:00
7th & Florida
NOWLEASING
FOR FALL 2002
Studios,1BR,2BR 3 BR w/2 baths & 4 BR w/2 baths
- Furnished Apt. Available
  * Gas heat & water
* Fully equipped kitchens including microwaves
* W/D in select Apts
* Private balconies & patios
* On-site laundry facility
  * Pool
  * On KU bus route
  * On-site Manager
* 24 hr emergency Maintenance
Models Open Daily!
For more information call
785-841-5255
Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m
Sun. 1pm-4pm.
Now Pre-Leasing for Fall 2002!
- Fully applianced
- kitchen w/microwave
- Laundry facilities
- Private off street parking
- Central Heat and Air
- Walk-in closets
- Garages
- Fireplaces
- Washer/Dryer hookups
- Walk to K.U.
- On-site Manager
- 24 hour emergency maintenance
14th & Mass.
(785) 841-1212
Hours:
9-5 M-F
10-4 Sat.
1-4 Sun.
EHO
---