Volume 124 Issue 31
kansan.com
Monday, October 3, 2011
Jayhawks have third-quarter blues Three interceptions blow a 20-0 lead PAGES 6-7
RETWEET
Saturday's parade too early for you? See a photo gallery on Kansan.com.
Check it out here: http://udkne.ws/pysphu Don't forget to follow the photo staff on Twitter at UDK_Photo too.
LAWRENCE
ROAD TRIPPIN
DON'T LEAVE YOURSELF STRANDED
CHRIS NEAL
You're driving down a highway late at night when your car begins to shake. A few seconds later, bam! your tire blows out and you frantically try to direct your car onto the shoulder. After maneuvering the car onto the shoulder, you get out to see that your tire not only exploded, it also blew the fender off of your car. Next thing you know, you're hacking your fender off of your car with an axe that a highway patrolman had just so you can put on your spare tire.
This was the story of Saad Syed, a freshman from Wichita, as he made his way back to Lawrence last semester. "It was just a loud pop, and then I just saw my fender fly up and hit my windshield."
Instances like this can happen to you if you don't properly check your car before going on a trip. Syed estimates the total amount to fix his car near $3,000. Would you want pay that kind of money because you forgot a simple tire pressure check? Do yourself a favor and make sure your tires are aired up right. The amount of pressure each tire needs should be printed on the driver's side door or in your cars manual.
Besides just checking the tires before taking off over fall break, there's a whole list of other things you might want to consider before your fun comes crashing to a halt.
For starters, be sure to check your oil and maybe even get it changed. Oil to a car is like blood to our bodies; without it, you're not going anywhere. Jon Rasa, who is in charge of drive train construction for the Jayhawk Motorsports formula race cars, says to change the oil yourself or have a family friend do it instead of a mechanic or car dealership. "If you're going to try to save money, it's easier for you to do it and recycle it at Wal-Mart for free than trying to pay the minimum at a shop and get some crap," Rosa says.
There is also your radiator, which cools your engine while it's running. Be sure that you have plenty of antifreeze to keep it running properly. Without it, your engine will simply overheat and shutdown. Keep in mind, your radiator's constantly under pressure and if it does decide to stop working, don't even think about touching it. You'll know it's hot if your car's temperature
gauge is in the red zone. So unless you want third-degree burns, just turn the car off and let it sit for a while before trying to open the hood or radiator cap.
So what kind of things should you stick in the trunk in case your car decides to break down on you? Jake Mitchell, an employee at AutoZone, says these are must-dos if you plan on road tripping anytime soon.
1. A first aid kit can help you out if you end up hurting yourself while trying to fix your car.
2. Spare parts are a good thing to have if you know of things that might be going out on your car.
3. A few extra quarts of oil are always a good idea, especially if you know your car has an oil leak.
4. A cool engine is much better than a hot one, so carry some extra antifreeze with you too.
5. Always keep a tire pressure gauge in your car. Not keeping an eye on your tire pressure can quickly end your trip.
YOU'VE SEEN IT IN MOVIES BUT DOES IT REALLY WORK?
Movie: Gamer
Prior to going into battle against his fellow inmates, Gerard Butler, the leading actor, drinks a bottle of vodka that he plans to have run through his system by the time he reaches a truck somewhere within the war zone. As he comes across the truck, which doesn't have gas in it, he pees into the gas tank and then drives off. In case you couldn't tell already, this does not work.
Antifreeze is the only thing that should really be put into your radiator to cool off your engine. In "Sex Drive," they try to pee in the radiator to cool the engine. It worked for a whole 10 seconds before the car broke down again. However, some responses to this question of peeing in the radiator in forums on Yahoo! Answers say that this does work, but for how long remains unanswered.
Movie: Sex Drive
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Student authors offer insight, advice on amateur publishing
KELSEY CIPOLLA
kcipolla@kansan.com
While some students refused to shave or looked forward to celebrating the holidays last November, Jason Held, a senior from Minneapolis, wrote a novel. For writers across the country November is National Novel Writing Month, an online contest that challenges participants to write 50,000 words in 30 days.
Held initially had no intention of participating, but other members of the Jayhawk-Writers on Campus group, or J-WOC, convinced him to participate in the arduous contest.
"You have to go in there knowing what your book is going to be about," Held said. "I didn't have a complete outline for it, but I knew what it was about."
His book, "The Write Message," follows a 15-year-old boy who hires a literary agent and pursues a publishing deal while trying to balance high school, the challenges of the industry and familial loss. Select chapters of the protagonist's own writing are also included.
J-WOC teamed up with KU
"We teamed up with Hewlett-Packard a year ago to start this project and they gave us grant money to come up with ideas to encourage printing on campus," said Rachel Barnes, the KU Bookstores custom material specialist. "What we came up with was the book contest."
Bookstores to incentivize competing in the contest. Participants who met the 50,000 word minimum would have a chance to publish their book.
After months of editing and revising, Held's book was finally ready for publication. The Print-
On-Demand center, which allows students, faculty, and community members to print and bind their own works, helped produce "The Write Message."
"We were serving as a small scale publisher for him," said Barnes. The bookstore also coordinated selling the book in the store and through Amazon.
Julie Honn, outreach and communications officer for J-WOC and a senior from Lenexa, said Held's success is encouraging to other student writers.
"It shows that it's achievable, to achieve that balance and achieve
Although the novel was published last April, Heid is still shocked to have actually published a book.
that dream." Honn said. "That's what everybody who writes does it for, that I hope somebody reads this son.eday."
"It's a really strange feeling," he said. "I almost couldn't believe it, but I knew it was my story. I knew I wrote it. I had spent months on it."
Held will discuss his book today at 5 p.m. at Jayhawk Ink inside the Kansas Union. There will also be a panel discussion with other
CLASSIFIEDS 11
CROSSWORD 4
Edited by Josh Kantor
CRYPTOQUIPS 4
OPINION 5
Student Author Reading Jason Held will read from and discuss his new novel "The Write Message."
student writers about students' writing experiences.
SPORTS 12
SUDOKU 4
Monday October 3, 2011
5.00pm - 6.30pm
Ticket Cost: Free
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2011 The University Daily Kansan
Don't forget
Don't forget to floss! October is National Dental Hygiene Month.
Today's weather
Forecasts done by HI: 85
University students. For LO: 43
a more detailed forecast,
sema page 2A.
B
Last call for jean shorts.