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Show n ns d Sun Advocate d mi 4B Tuesday, October 3, 1989 Solar trailblazing With less fanfare than it merited, a solar-powere- d automobile recently crossed the United States. Sunlight was the only fuel used during the d 3,200-mil- e journey by the vehicle. The auto has only three wheels. Almost its whole top is a solar panel, and the driver, looking out a bubble" in the middle, must sit with his feet far out 270-poun- one-passeng- er front. Even so, the car, the Solectria," set a new solar designer-drive- r, power distance record. Its James Worden, is working on two designs aimed at the commuter market, a basic version to sell for about $12,000 and a sports version at $20,000. It is anybodys guess whether he can come close to a viable product. The obstacles are big enough, including how a driver can stay warm in the dead of winter. Still, Worden is young and determined, and his goal is that everyone can drive to work and back in a solar car." It is an intriguing vision. Daylight does not pollute. It is plentiful and free. As internal combusion engines become more mystifying, with recirculated exhaust gases, quad valve configurations, and repair cost exhaustion, the idea of an d number grows uncomplicated, more appealing. Worden may or may not realize his dream. In any case, it is gratifying to know that imaginative, inventive minds such as his are still at work in America, still chasing rainbows along with the sun. ld fuel-injecti- solar-powere- Reprinted from The Indianapolis Star. AIDS turnabout life & other trivialities Unexpectedly successful trials of the anti-virdrug AZT have raised hopes that AIDS may one day become a treatable disease instead of an inevitably fatal infection. At the same time, AZTs promise will impose major challenges for the nations health-car- e system, adding potentially hundreds of thousands of new patients for whom there was no treatment in the past. AZT is not a cure. But the drug showed in recent tests that it is possible to intervene effectively early in the course of AIDS infection. Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan has stressed that the latest trial results provide hope for the millions of people worldwide who are infected with the HIV virus. It is apparent that AZT can delay the onset of the disease in people who are infected with the virus but as yet show no symptoms. Furthermore, the drug can halt progression of the infection in patients who are only mildly infected with AIDS. Largely because of the increasing success of early intervention strategies such as AZT, the Gay Mens Health Crisis, New York Citys largest private organization providing AIDS services, has reversed a long-hel- d position and endorsed widespread voluntary testing for the AIDS virus. The organization joins a growing nationwide shift among groups formerly opposed to testing on grounds that doctors could do nothing for those who test positive. AZTs successes have now refuted this rationale. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the lead, federal agency in the AZT trials, stresses that it is vital that people in high-ris- k categories be tested, even if they show no symptoms. The HIV virus can infect a patient for years before outward symptoms are apparent. About 40,000 Americans with AIDS are using some 95 different drugs to fight the AIDS virus or related diseases. The success of AZT in delaying the progression of the disease strengthens the case for compulsory reporting of new infections and more aggressive contact tracing, on an anonymous basis, 'of sexual partners and needle al sharers. But the wider use of AZT will add additional financial strains to the health-car- e system. Supplying an AIDS patient with the drug now costs up to $8,000 a year. Until a cure is found for AIDS, it is obvious that early detection holds promise of delaying the spread of the disease. As new medical discoveries bring ever more hope for prolonging lives and assuring a more normal existence for AIDS patients, the benefits of reporting, tracing and voluntary testing become more obvious all the time. LETTERS, GUEST COLUMNS INVITED. In fairness to all, the following rules apply without exception : Writers must include a full signature, address and telephone number for verification. Unless the author can be established, the letter will not be published. Please keep letters short and accurately stated. A desired length is three hundred (300) words. Preference will be given to letters. short, typewritten (double-spaceNo more than one letter per month will be printed from an individual. Letters are subject to editing for space and clarity and should not violate libel laws. Those deemed not in good taste will not be considered. Effort will be made to return letters unacceptable for publication to the author. d) Quash on expression student would be considered truant. Many parents supported the walkout. One mother said she could tolerate her daughter walking out: I could tolerate my daughter getting a better education. I could even tolerate picking her up at the jail, if it came to that. Another p&rent said she didnt believe Leonard had the right to do what he did. She said she planned to talk to an attorney and planned to go to the school board with her concerns. Many teachers, although scared to say so publicly, were also in total support Of what the students were planning. One teacher told his students that they are aclults and they should be able to express themselves. Apparently Mr. Leonard doesnt ences and each By STEVE CHRISTENSEN Sun Advocate editor Carbon High School officials put a major roadblock in the way of the education, improvement movement in this state last Friday. Principal Larry Leonard told students on the verge of a school-wid- e walkout, I cant force you to do anything you dont want to do. He then attempted to do just that. In support of the teachers walkout the previous Monday, students at CHS planned their own walkout for Friday. However, as the bell rang a voice came over the intercom instructing everyone to go to the auditorium. Students were then told if they staged a walkout, there would be consequ that. Not only did he tell the students there would be consequences, he went outside after the assembly and demanded students return to class. Two purposes of our educational system are to teach students to be adults and to teach them about the system in which they live. Perhaps Mr. Leoriard needs to be reminded, this is Amerifch, the land Of the free not a communist, repressive believe society. Perhaps better advise to the students would have been: if you believe in what youre doing and you have a plan that will have a positive impact on the education system, carry it out and live with the consequences. If this is nothing more than a lark go back to class and learn the meaning of life. mike royko Slats misery: back to school and then hed write to the bricks on rats. hed tell Mrs. Grobnik that he It would be like that until had everything from a stoteachers, urging them to not the last day of freedom. Then, machache to leprosy; from a rerunning some of his past be finks. columns.) back dreaded Nobody knowing that time had run sore throat to plague. going He school Slats. to more than Once he sat up half the There are times of misery in out, hed sit in the alley all and stand life of couldnt kid. the thumbing being cooped up day, brooding night gulping quart after Taking a any comic but his books, free to wild all day. His quart ofwater. In the morning bath, getting a shot, going spirit through the dentist, getting a haircut. was meant to roam the wide-ope- n not really seeing the pictures. he pointed to his bloated belly But there is nothing worse alleys, neath the smoke-fille- d In the evening, hed go stand as proof his appendix was than knowing that it is the sky, the hot pavement outside the open door of the about to burst. Another time he blew his last week of summer vacation, under his feet. Also, he did not tavern, sniffing the fumes that the long, lazy days with- believe in getting up before until he had enough courage nose so hard that it bled, and he gasped that he was dying of out end are somehow ending. noon. Even as a boy, the sight to stagger over to the schooEven with the joyous possiof people going to work in the lyard and throw a stone convulsions. When that didnt work, he bility of a teacher strike that morning depressed him. That through one more window. could delay the schools openOn the first morning of went in the parlor, slammed is not the way to start a day," school, hed be seized by the his fist against the wall and ing, the kids know it is almost he always said. Slats over. But in late August, desperation and panic of a staggered into the kitchen with his eyes crossed, howling To appreciate how deeply would suddenly change. It drowning man, or of a judge show he had bumped his head his to that he asked end was knew the if as was they suffer, just casually being and couldnt see. remind any youth between 6 near and he wanted to cram as bankbook. (Continued on Page 5B) and 12, or even older, that much living into each day as it Lying in bed and moaning, school starts next week, and would hold. He even looked different. isnt he happy? Then listen to How UieDniled States should view Iran. him moan and whine; look at His normally sleepy eyes In the wake cf ihe. Murder of LL.Col. HigffinSL. the downtumed mouth; see would take on an unhealthy him fling himself about in a gleam. His slack jaw would tighten. His shuffling walk display of grief. became brisk. His pallor Thats why kids are conwould change to a tan. He fused when our political leaders go on TV and say a strike looked terrible. would be a disaster. What is so Staggering out of bed before disastrous, they wonder, noon, hed be on the go all day. about a few extra days of One minute hed be collecting sleeping late and bike riding? old bottles for their deposit. Its that kind of foolish talk Then hed be seen hitching a that breeds distrust of politi- ride on a streetcar, or stealing a comic book from the candy cians in the young. If Slats Grobnik were a kid store. After a round of piggy today, hed be writing letters move up, hed be ready to pitch to the mayor urging him not to pennies until dark. Then to give an inch to union bullies; the roof of a garage to drop (Editors note: Mike Royko is on vacation. In the meantime, we are . |