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Thursday, November 8, 1973
University Daily Kansan
KANSAN comment Editorials, columns and letters published on this page reflect only the opinions of the writers.
A Small Town Dies
A small town cries for help. But it isn't heard, Instead, America hears the call of the fife, bugle and drum, the challenge to pride. And the small town dies, year by year, until nothing remains.
More than a decade ago Marion, Kan., first cried for help. Two years later America committed herself to landing a man on the ground where they were brought no help to the town, but Vietnam came tumbling down.
Five years later man landed on the moon. Another four years passed and America left Vietnam.
And what action was taken for the small, descaled town? Nothing but the appropriation of $180,000 in "pre-planning" funds. And how did these pre-planning "cover" our hearing if it two hearings, an environmental statement, six colored maps and a false sense of security.
During this time the town's problem hasn't abated. Three times the town has been flooded; millions of dollars have been lost.
The town and its 2,500 brave residents are still waiting. All
that's needed is a mile-long ditch and diversion channel around the town. Then the flooding would end; the town would survive. And the city would receive a rocket booster or of a day's load of bombs dropped over Vietnam.
How long will it take? How many times must the small town face drowning before something is done?
The project of putting a man on the moon was complicated and costly. The project of flood control the ground is neither complicated nor costly.
Given the opportunity to save lives, to preserve a small town and the different life style it represents, the United States chose to send a man to the moon and to fight a major war. The materially helped any American except perhaps military and aerospace contractors.
After 14 years and three devastated floods, the government has developed only preliminary blueprints.
Blueprints don't hold back much water.
—Eric Meyer
By MIKE QUINN
Frisbee Fun But No Naval Weapon
In June 1986 U.S. Navy Project N01644-4C
0662 begin the Naval ammunition dept
in Crane, Ind., and the government and
aeronautics products division of Honeywell
lc, in Hopkins, Minn., began their research
on the microanalysis of the self-suspended flare."
The team determined that a Frisbee could not be used as military hardware.
About $757,000 later the two groups had run exhaustive tests using a subsonic wind tunnel, a CDC 6600 computer terminal, a Siemens computer terminal, a computer terminal, several cameras, a semiautomatic motion analyzer, consultation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Notre Dame University and another team. The team determined that a Frisbee could
That's right. A Frisbee—the round plastic toy that costs $1.59 at the corner store and is put out by Wham-O Manufacturing Co. of San Gabriel, Calif.
"Wham-O's feelings were mixed about this program," a company spokesman, Goldy Norton, said. "Primarily, the Frisbee is a fun thing. We weren't overly thrilled with the idea of its being used as a weapon. Very honestly, from the company's standpoint, our primary market is the 16- to 20-year-olds who play the antiwar generation. If the Frisbee were adopted as an article of war, it wouldn't help us any."
But the Pentagon, which did not notify the company of its plans, was not to be denied. A Navy spokesman said it now cost about $50 for each intermediate-length flare parachuted from an airplane. The Navy was looking for a cheaper, more efficient way. Flares are to illuminate battlefield areas at night and have a peace time
application in such missions as search and rescue.
So in Crane, Ind., the Frisbee testing began and eventually resulted in a 207-page report. (It may be purchased for $3 from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Va., 22151. Ask for publication AD 74017.1.)
The testing of the Frisbee, as well as clay pigeons and other circular objects, was divided into three general areas. The actual research was done between June 1980 and June 1970 and the report was published last year.
The objective of the research, according to the report, was "... to develop an air-launched flare concept that would utilize gyroscopic stabilization of the case of a disk-shaped flare to retard the descent of intermediate-term illumination and provide intermediate-term illumination without parasitic weight and volume of conventional parachute flares."
In an "acknowledgement disclaimer" at the beginning of the report, it noted: "It is recognized that the name 'Frisbe' is a copyrighted trademark of the Wham-O Corp. Therefore, the more precise and clearer the name of the copied configurations studied herein would be the terms 'Frisbe-like configuration', etc. However, in the interest of brevity and clarity, especially on figures, this report will define the word 'Frisbe' to mean 'Frisbe-like configuration'. Therefore, 'solid Frisbe' would refer to a 'Frisbe-like composition' that top is domed similarly to the 'Frisbe' for those bottom surface is filled in flush, etc."
The first approach tried placed an aluminum Frisbee in a wind tunnel. It was held in place by a piece of metal. "The results of these tests correlated fairly well
'1984' Language Marks Watergate
WASHINGTON—What is interesting about Watergate language is the insight into the whole way of thinking in the White House. George Orwell, when he wrote his book "1894" a quarter of a century ago, forewarned how important the use of language would become as a means of controlling thoughts and attitudes.
The most striking characteristic of this Waterstress is its acceptance of government as being essentially a machine, a complex piece of engineering, rather than a collection of people. Mechanical metaphors abound. There is constant "input" of information; and the staff frequently talk of themselves as "condits."
By ANTHONY SAMPSON
Now, 11 years before Orwell's deadline, the elements of his "newspeak" can be traced through transcripts of the Watergate hearings (now being published, in a series of big green paperbacks, by the U.S. Government Printing Office).
Much of the language in the hearings transcript seems designed to convey the invisibility and the normality of the extraordinary events that were going on, and thus to provide euphemisms, drained of any moral connotation. Such, for example, is the phrase "surreptitious entry," the euphemism for burglar. Hugh Sloan, the treasurer of the Committee for the Reflection of the Disclosure Act, the Olden Liberty organization the Watergate bugging, with "increments . . . in the form of currency."
H. R. Halderman, the former White House chief of staff, described how he tried to operate a "zero defect system." The mechanical verbs, like operate, terminate and evaluate, enhance the impression of a computer center, or the ability that there was no personal responsibility, that the staff were simply cogs in a machine.
The euphermisms often achieve their effect through the use of technical-sounding words and expressions.
better in the phrase, "My statement is inoperative."
Another recurring feature of Waterspeak is its sports metaphors, which likewise can imply that actions have no moral repercussions and that teamwork must always be put above individuality. The game is what matters, and any expression of doubts or fears in John Caufield's James McCord will be "falling up the game-plan."
The references to team players, ballgames or "coming aboard" all suggest the unquestioning spirit of men following rules that someone else had laid down for them.
This equation of politics with sports is not confined to the Watergate scandals. It can be noticed all over American politics in both parties. There is nothing intrinsically worrying about politicians-comparing candidates or about the parties undoubtedly need some team spirit. And presidents need a great deal of loyalty from their staff.
Sports references are noticeable, too, in political reporting by the media—not surprisingly, for many of the top political writers, such as James Reston of the New York Times, were originally sports reporter from Capitol Hill from the sports field.
But the recurring emphasis on sports and the "name of the game" does sometimes lie in the means and that the political game is becoming so ruthless and preoccupying that its participants fail to notice when—as they do with a game—it escalates into an unacceptable game.
President Nixon himself has always been fond of sports language. When he was at college, he played basketball and the college football team. He never made the first team, for he was too small and too uncoordinated. But he was profoundly influenced by his football coach,
Years afterwards, in his self-exeveling book "Six Crises," Nixon described how
Actions Speak Louder
another's remarks are best explained in his own words. As he is an "inate Republican and an incurably rural Kansan," his words are easily understood.
I am writing this letter in response to Eric Laukowski, who appears in the Kannan, Nov. 8.
10ay the American citizen's distrust has been kindled by such incidents as the Russian wheat deal, the equally shady milk deal, Spiro Agnew's resignation, the ITT case, the White House tape, the dismissal of President Obama, the incidents that plague the American citizen and feed the distrust in the Nixon administration.
Readers Respond
Millions of Americans rallied behind Richard Nixon and stuck with him through thick and thin. Now even his staunchest coats were dislissimated, dissatisfied and discouraged.
Are these facts grounds for suspicion or are they "media-mongered rumors" subject to dismissal by a paranoid annotate and an innate Republican journalist?
To the Editor:
Meyer, like our President, too easily disappointments. The media for his own political disappointments.
ordered the document shredded and disposed of
The first duty of the President is to preserve, protect and defend the Conduct of Foreign Affairs on behalf, and his performance to carry out his plea, Mr. Nixon might just as well have
Thomas Securitty
Shawnee Mission sophomore
Thomas DeCoursey
As the report noted, "The results of the Hurricane Mesa tests were somewhat spectacular and unexpected." What happened was that the circular objects tended to fall off when fired from the launcher. Their path was erratic, and could not be controlled.
The Science Library staff wishes to correct the impressions of our library presented by Carol Gwinn in "A Day of the Life" (Kanson, Oct. 29). It is apparent that does not actively use the branch library system and is unaware of the following:
Newman would say: "You must never be satisfied with loser. You must get angry, you must be mad."
Nikon took this message to heart each time he fought back from defeat. But he has also always admired men who were more than willing, men, and who could win more effortlessly.
1. The Science Library is in 660 Malot Hall with access through three doors (east, central and west starways) and two wings in the central and west wings of Malot.
On hand also were a tracking camera to follow the flight, a data camera recording box, a panoramic motion picture camera and timing devices. Along the mess floor were 5-foot, red-and-white-striped tracking poles.
To the Editor:
Science Library
One of this kind is the new vice-presidential nominee, Gerald Ford, the very picture of the sportsman turned politician. He is big, square-aweed and good. At college in Michigan he was a football star, and he has always remained athletic.
3. The science librarian (and the rest of the staff) is available to clarify any points about the library that the library user may not understand, to give tours and to give access to the bibliographies, abstracts and indexes, which are necessary tools for term papers.
At Hurricane Mesa the tests were not to be just throwing a Frisbee off a cliff. The Denver Research Institute designed and constructed a special Frisbee launcher that was to be used in planes if the project succeeded.
2. The Science library doesn't have an automated circulation system, and each member of the staff knows how to check out library materials quickly and efficiently.
If Gwin has any further difficulties with our library, I will be more than happy to help.
The report also noted: "While not successful in producing quantitative data, not too much had been expected, and these tests were not very successful. The qualitative validation of the math models and insight into the dynamic criteria, revealed problems in flare design, gave experience in field testing and data management and led to experience in data reduction."
Mrs. Marna Jo Young Science Librarian
In Congress, where he rose to be minority leader of the House of Representatives; Ford has always been popular, as he coaxes his friends with a big arm around their shoulder.
Nixon certainly had Ford's loyalty, and his popularity, in the forefront of his mind when he nominated him for vice president. He later pledged to support Pauling Ford at the White House, after his dull but manly speech of acceptance—the smaller, more devious, tense figure of Nixon looking up at the big, relaxed figure of Mr. Kennedy, as he suddenly flashback to Nixon's college days.
Ford has all the sporting virtues—loyalty, team spirit, extra-version, self-confidence—and he likes to explain his political tactics in football terms: "I'm an old lineman. I've tried to be a good booster and tackler for the running back who carries the ball." Above all, he has always been loyal to Nixon, the head of the team.
George Orwell, when describing "newspaper" in 1848,"imagined it as a deliberate language of misrepresentation and euphremism, invented in the Ministry of Truth. Perhaps what actually has happened is less obviously alarming, but more subtle. For Watersepka seems to indicate how men are increasingly aware of their language to regard themselves as part of a machine in which individualism is, to coin a word, imperative.
Ford, the quintessential sportsman-politician, would play the game as Nixon wants it to be played. But nothing in his political career suggests that he would think very deeply about whether the game is the right game.
with each other and with preliminary estimates and with some available disc data," the report noted. In other words, not much happened.
Next, the researchers tried a spring-mounted Friisbee, but they found that the spring introduced unwanted test results such as wobbling and swaying. For that matter, the solid mounting did not bring very good results.
In other words, it is desirable to have a large, relatively light disk spun at a high speed and traveling at a low speed through the air.
Then, the project was moved to Utah, but not before the researchers ran a program through a computer. According to their calculations, if a Frisbee was launched at a speed of 50 feet per second from a 2,000-foot cliff, it would be airborne for a more than 20 seconds and would travel forward about 1,000 feet.
In other words, the project was scraped—but every one had a good time while it was done.
In one of its best moments the report noted: "Satisfaction of the precessional criteria represents simultaneous satisfaction of a relatively precarious simultaneous conditional equilibrium condition or coming close enough that the error from equilibrium causes and accelerates slow divergence from a straight flight."
*14 WORLD SURVIVAL, DON'T EVER GET BUT I WISH GOMBORY WOULD FIND OUT WHAT IT IS THAT KNOCKS BREATHING HELL OUT OF US*
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From Page One
UFOs Still Perplex Man ...
Zeller added a third reason for so-called "haps" of UFO sightings. He said public given to one sighting might cause others to report that they had seen UFOS.
clustered. If allens were surveying our planet, more than one person would see
Scientists, however, shouldn't automatically discount claims like those of the Pasagalà fishermen who claimed that they had gone aboard a flying saucer, Zeller and
"They had some kind of a frightening experienced person who would be to be rigidive to what they said."
MODERN-DAY UFO lore started in 1947 when Kenneth Arnold, a pilot, reported seeing a string of disk-shaped objects as he flew over Washington.
But sightings can be traced back to some of years, according to some specialists.
Barry Downing wrote in "The Bible and Flying Saucers" that Biblical accounts of
The Daily Kanan welcome letters to the students of our school are longer and longer than 250 words. All are written in English, according to space Similitude and the scribe's own style. Students must provide their name, year in school and position others must provide their name and year in school. Certificates can be contacted for verification of attestation.
Letters Policy
"charities of fire," "wheels in the sky," "clouds of heaven," and "pillars of fire" really had been ancient man's imagination of space ships from other planets.
German scientist Erich von Daniken claims that the legends of many prehistoric cultures described visits by creatures from other worlds. According to Daniken, large geometrical patterns drawn by South Africa were really landing stairs for UFOs.
Airborne objects of every conceivable size and shape have been reported over the years. In 1897, at Yates Center, Kan., a farmer complained to the sheriff that a cigar-shaped craft had hovered over his life and little man had snapped up a calf.
Daniken's theories appeared in two best-selling books, "Charlots of the Gods?" and "The Bible."
UFO "flaps" have occurred before, too. In the 1890s people across the country reported seeing a gigantic dirigible-shaped UFO during a period of more than a year. In August 1972, hundreds of people in Kansas reported seeing many types of UFOs.
Two KU professors investigated one prominent Kansas sighting. In November 1971, a farmer deepel Delfoski reported seeing a mushroom-shaped object land and then rise less than 50 feet from where he was standing.
AFTERWARD, THERE was a ring of dark soil where the craft had alleged
landed and the spot reportedly glowed at night.
"We were there about a year after the sighting." Dreschhoff said. "There was definitely a ring structure with a layer of fungus about one inch below the surface." The rings were then found to be shown no unusual level of radioactivity or luminescence that would cause glowing.
Attracted by the interest of a student, Dreschoff and David Grisfe, research associate with the Kansas Geological Survey, visited the site and collected soil
"We didn't find anything that couldn't have been caused by something other than a nibble."
Four KU students said recently that they had seen an unusual light to the northeast of Lawrence in early October. The light was multicolored, larger than a planet as viewed from earth, and blinking, one student said. The four observed the object,
W
This conce ride
H
without being able to identify it, through a low-power telescope.
"WE COULDN'T see any detail, so we
enougget what guess it might be," one
student said.
The object moved randomly over a small area of the sky, he said.
All four professors urged a thorough investigation of UFOs. Zeller suggested a systematic scanning of the skies to search for UFOs.
"Even more important is the psychological problem," he said. "As long as people are made to feel ridiculous, scientists won't get any information."
The recent outburst of sightings has produced reactions ranging from fear to scientific curiosity. Perhaps the most unusual response was that of Bill Jackson, mayor of Palacios, Tex. He declared Oct. 21 as UFO Fly-In-Up and invited flying saucer pilots to sample the town's hospitality. There were no takers.
A joint committee of the Kansas Legislature is expected to decide today whether to recommend a proposed newsman's shield law to the 1974
Legislators to Consider KU Prof's Shield Law
Griff and the Unicorn
by Sokoloff
legislature. The shield law would allow paramen to defend their sources of informa-
tion.
The committee had delayed the decision until today to allow more time for consideration of the law and of an alternative bill suggested by Edward P. Bassett, dean of the School of Journalism at the University of Kansas.
According to Del Brinkman, associate dean of the school, Bassett's suggestions would clarify the language of the bill and extend its coverage to copy editors.
The bill was originally introduced by Sen. Ted Saar, D-Pittsburg.
Brinkman said Bassett's suggestions included definitions of several terms used in the paper, including the bill to cover former newmen and people who receive or process information.
Brinkman said the bill's passage was unlikely, however.
"I would predict that they won't pass the bill out of the committee," he said.
Brinkman said at least 23 states already had some form of shield law.