i i Holidays Fat Tuesday The last day of Mardi Gras is today. As you read this. the biggest and largest parties of the year are now taking place in New Orleans. Scores of parades and other celebrations will occur all around the world. This day before Lent is your last chance to indulge in any delights that you may be giving up. Crafts on campus A couple days after Air drying is generally the best method to use for small flowers such as baby’s breath, yarrow and hydrangea. Tie these flowers in bunches and hang upside down for several weeks in a warm, dry place with good air circulation such as an attic or unused %% 959')? 0 64 9?; closet. To dry flowers with thick heads like zinnias and roses. use a drying agent such as borax, white cornmeal, silica gel (available at crafts shops). The flowers are less likely to mildew and will hold their colors better. Just follow the directions on the container! in about a week's time. the flower petals will be dry and crisp. Gently pour off the agent and remove the dried flowers. Flowers also can be preserved by pressing them between heavy books or bricks. But keep in mind that while orange and yellow blossoms will retain their vivid color, most blues, purples and pinks will fade, it s / ( \ - '2. ‘j*\/ (y ’t, \ 3 ‘ / and reds will turn a muddy brown. Lay each plant between two layers of paper towels or waxed paper (best for fine or delicate flowers). and put under a heavy. flat object such as a book. Place in a warm, dry place. It will take about four weeks to press the flowers but the enjoyment will last for months. J\/ — Source: http:/lpss.uvm.edu/ ppp/articles/ presflow.htm - RON NORTON Tomorrow’s weather # to 2.3 It's not as nasty as it could be, but expect some bad stuff come Thursday as the rain and cold move in. Kentucky Kernel VOL 8104 ISSUE #101 ESTABLISHED IN 1892 INDEPENDENT SINCE 1971 News tips? Call: 257-1915 or write: kemelcpopnkyedu l I A - ---- Goo-Onto---" February 16, I999 century, tec nology - et the best of u AStory ”junk VANDERHOFF atLAM.Pll$--E.D.ITQR, TUESDAYKBNTUCKY KERNEL f you‘re reading this on your lunch break. the countdown to the millen- nium on the homepage of UK‘s Year 2000 Project might read 318 days. 12 hours. 0 minutes and 51 seconds. The numbers dwindle by the second as the project office over- sees the compliance of campus computers to what many refer to as the millennium bug _- a dis— ruption in computers based on the premise that they will be un- able to cope with the rollover of years to a new century. Opinions vary as to the ef- fect Y2K will have on a world that has become dependent on computers. said Doug Hurley. as- sociate vice president for Infor- mation Systems. Hurley describes three schools of thought in regard to the matter: those who don't think anything will happen. those who think the end of the world will happen. and moder- ates who anticipate problems. but nothing catastrophic. “(Y2K) is a serious issue and all departments at UK need to take it seriously." Hurley said. “There's a lot of information and test tools to fix the problem, though, and the departments are taking the time to look at their equipment." Rick Willmott. the project manager. said the office has set March 1 as a deadline for most campus system upgrades. The project has gathered test plans from departments and are in the midst of tabulating them. he said. The project office plans to complete testing of the sys- tems by April 1. Tomorrow the project offi- cers will meet to update depart— mental coordinators on Y2K compliance and address solu- tions to the bug for personal computers. Willmott said. The project meets with de- partmental coordinators every four months. he said. Officials prioritized all the campus cont- puter equipment and systems. The first priority. called crit- . '-“-W-.—MI--nuv .- . ical. includes life and safety sys- tems such as security and fire alarms and core systems that contain important information such as personnel. accounting. purchasing and student records. Hurley said. If these systems failed. he said. the entire University would be shut down. The second priority. called major. would affect colleges and departments. and the third pri- ority. called minor. would most- 1y affect personal computers. Hurley said. ”We should be able to get through this with minimum dis- ruptions.“ Making Big Process of time: Student finds wildcat injured, stranded on highway road; feline finds refuge By Michael Downs STAFF WRITER Wildcat pride and Big Blue spirit have risen to a new level by one campus employee. After hearing of Big Blue. the real and injured wildcat be- ing rehabilitated at Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge. a donation of $200 was issued by David Mul- berger. manager at UK Book- store. The donation was given on behalf of the bookstore as a chal- lenge for other businesses and individuals in the community. “Hopefully they‘ll (the refuge) get community support. Not just from campus. but from the rest of Lexington as well." Mulberger said. The wildcat was found in- jured on Highway 461 by Josh Lowery near his home in Rock- castle County on Jan. 24. Lowery said the animal was unconscious when he picked it up and took it home. Lowery named the animal and kept it for four days before turning it over to refuge. He wanted to keep the animal. but friends and family had other ideas. “A lot of people were skepti- cai." Lowery said. His girlfriend. Christina Stamper, had been keeping it in their spare bathroom. but Stamper decided Big Blue‘s time was up when he left his mark on it one night. She was looking for places to care for the animal when she discov- ered Wolf Run. The refuge is owned and 0p— erated by Shannon Ferguson --...-._... ------ and Mary Kindred in Jessamine County. A non—profit operation. the refuge takes in abused and in— jured animals. Big Blue fits right in with the refuges lions. wolves. monkeys. cougar and other animals in need of homes. Big Blue was in poor condi- tion when he arrived at the refuge. Kindred said Big Blue was not only injured by the acci- dent. but also was undernour- ished and plagued with para- sites. The cat suffered a mild con— cussion and an injured leg. but the injuries are not critical. said Dr. Mike Griffit. who has been treating Wolf Run's animals since the refuge started five years ago. Kindred expects to keep Big Blue for at least three months so he can recover fully before returning to his natural habitat. She is busy searching for a safe location to release him. Because of both hunting and development. safe habitats are hard to find. The cat had been observed by residents of Rock- castle County prowling near their homes. she said. “It‘s so sad that wild animals are being pushed out into the towns and cities." Kindred said. The term wildcat is a region- a1 name for the common bobcat. Although little is known regard- ing the precise numbers of their population in the state. develop- ment is likely affecting bobcat habitat. said David Maher. As- sistant Professor of Conserva- tion Biology. “Its a safe bet to say where ‘A~eoW¢a-°““ Blue better res W ~ . » . . . («355“ ' .. 3"” . ‘.-‘ Healing talcum bonus I KEPNEL CONTRIBUTOR Big Blue (above), a common bobcat known as a wildcat, is spending time nursing himself back to better health at the refuge under special care. you have urban sprawl and in- tensive agriculture. you‘re going to have a reduction in habitat." Maher said. Maher. who has spent al- most 20 years studying large mammals. said a single bobcat requires between 10 to 20 square miles of habitat. Big Blue has significantly less space than the required 10 to 20 square miles. Be is con- tained in an enclosure that‘s 10 square feet. Kindred said she hopes to build a larger shelter. not just for Big Blue. but for future ani mals. She expects to need $1.200 to The Swt NewSpaper at the University of Kentukv. build a larger shelter. Beverly McChesney. a vols unteer at the refuge. said she un- derstands the need for such a fa- cility. it was McChesney who in- formed Mulberger about the sit~ nation and who prompted him to make the donation. Lowery. a self-described ani- mal lover. said he is glad Big Blue has helped draw attention to the efforts of Wolf Run. "This will make people real» ize there are places to help wild animals." Lowery said. “Maybe it will get people to support them too. Making waves _ UK’s diving, swimming teams host http: www.ky_rnel.com m1 LCC has sights on food New food court gives students eating option By Brandi Belcher CONTRIBUTlNG WRITER Lexington Community Col- lege students can finally get a hot meal without leaving campus. Before the construction of a new food court. the college had limited menu options to offer its 1.200 students. most of whom eat on campus. Soups. salads and sandwiches were basically all that were of- fered at the old Atrium Cafe. Car 01 Raitz. director of UK Food Ser- vices. said food service employees had been working out of “some— thing (like) a closet." where fire codes prevented them from cook- mg. Now the college can offer its students many food options. Rep» resented in the food court will be Block & Barrel Deli. Little Italy. Fourth Quar» ter and Sal- ads & More. l‘ n d e - clared fresh‘ man Sara G u t z m a it said she had never taken the chance We’ve on eating at the college really before the new food been court opened because she able to didn‘t know . if she could ImPFOVe find what she wanted. the R a i t z credited usage James Chap- there man. the col- . ' lege's former Thls president. with finding ShOWS a suitable ex- pansion area What can for the din- ing facilities. The space set aside for the cafe‘s re- vamping had happen if different depart- been used for ments tutoring and storage. work F o o d , S e r v i c e s together, wanted to of- fer basic pop» — Carol Raitz. ular foods at director, the college because the campus is so far from (.‘en tral Campus " We ‘ v e really been able to improve the usage there. This shows what can happen if different departments work to- gether." Raitz said. A new coffee shop. lirounds for Thought. also opened last March. Funding for the construc tion for both additions came from the sale of food and services Food Services receives no money from the state or the l'niversity. Raitz said. Students say they are notic» ing the college‘s latest additions and taking advantage of them. “Every time 1 walk by the cof— fee shop. there are usually people sitting in there. It stays steadily busy." said undeclared sopho» more Laura Landrum. Although the cafe has been in business since October. the grand opening celebration will be from 10 am. to 2 pm. tomorrow at the cafe in the ()swald Building. Free samples and prize drawings will be going on throughout the day. The food court's hours are from 7 am. to 8 pm. Monday through Thursday. and from 7 am. to 2 pm. Fridays. Grounds for Thought is open from 7 am. to t; pm. Monday through Thursday. and from 7 am. to 2 pm. Fridays. Food Services Lexington