Winter
Driving Safety
By Jammie Encelewski, Creative Non-Fiction Writing
Student
The dark, winter
season is upon us and it’s a good time to reflect on driving safety.
The transition between summer roads and winter roads is often hard to
make, but it’s important that we change our driving habits to accommodate
the cold, icy conditions. Be sure to wear your seatbelt and drive with
your headlights on at all times. Adjust your speed to the road conditions
and stay several car lengths behind the car ahead of you. It’s a
good idea to keep a cell phone, emergency items, a flashlight, shovel,
ice scraper, blanket and warm clothes in your vehicle. Also, don’t
hurry to reach your destinations. With the closure of the Ninilchik maintenance
station, crews from Soldotna and Homer are now responsible for maintaining
Ninilchik’s roads, too. This means that your road might not get
plowed as quickly as it has in the past.
If you’re driving
any long distances, check the road conditions either by calling 262-9228
or by logging online at www.dot.state.ak.us/stwdplng/planresc/road_cond.html.
Don’t forget
about your vehicle during the winter months, either! In colder temperatures,
be sure to plug in your trusty ride. This can significantly reduce engine
wear and keeps the air cleaner by reducing warm-up time.
Driftwood
2003
KPC’s
Literary and Art Magazine is
seeking memoirs, poetry, stories, prose poems, artwork, novel excerpts,
and essays from writers and artists.
Manuscript requirements:
Cover
page:
Title, author's name, address, email, & phone number.
All manuscript pages:
Title & page number
Manuscript format: Typed, double-spaced, & stapled.
Limits: 2000 words (prose), 2 pages (poems), multiple entries OK.
Artwork
and Photography requirements:
Cover page:
Title, artist's name, address, email & phone number.
Size appropriate for photocopying or scanning. No pencil or charcoal drawings.
Multiple entries OK.
Send Manuscripts to:
Kenai Peninsula College
Barb Christian, Editor
34820 College Road
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
262-0364
Barb Christian
Present Artwork to:
Kenai Peninsula College
Celia Anderson, Art Editor
34820 College Road
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
262-0361
Celia
Anderson
Soldotna
Gets a Skate Park
Heidi Philips--Creative Nonfiction Writing Student 
Soldotna area skaters are smiling a little broader these days. The Karen
Street Recreation Area announces the opening of Soldotna’s first
official skate park. The Elks State Park, as it’s formally called,
was officially dedicated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 13.
The
park was funded in large part by a donation of $60,000 from the Soldotna
Elks Club. Soldotna city funds accounted for $17,000. Carter Rice is one
of many KPC students who enjoy skating. “It’s a good skate
park!” is his reaction to it. Although the park has already been
graffitied (“SK8 OR GO HOME”) and is spray painted with American
flags, it definitely seems to be appreciated as a positive addition to
Kenai Peninsula recreation.
T’ai
Chi at KPC:
by Laryfred Staats, Creative Nonfiction Student
Many
KPC students have discovered the unexpected benefit of improved grades
when they begin practicing T’ai Chi Ch’uan. Improved mental
clarity and memory are just a few of the advantages that are common when
you learn and practice this exercise.
To see
it done, one would not expect that it is very difficult to do. However,
those that take these classes discover the internal martial art of T’ai
Chi is challenging and rewarding.
When
asked ‘What is T’ai Chi?’ the more advance the student,
the longer it takes to answer. The ‘pat answer’ is; it is
a continuous, slow motion exercise that improves breathing, concentration,
balance, coordination and strength.
T’ai
Chi Ch’uan has its origins in Qigong, Chinese medicine, that dates
back thousands of years. It combines focus, flexibility and strength with
the grace of dance to promote endurance and longevity while reducing stress.
At the instance of the staff and community, I began teaching at both the
Soldotna and Homer campuses of UAA. I planned to make this my last semester
but again at the staff and community’s instance, I found a way to
offer Spring semester classes in both Soldotna and Homer (check course
schedule for dates).
KPC
Electronics Instructor
Authors Textbook on Microcontroller
by Haley Smith, Mass
Communications Student
True, most KPC students
do not spend hours a night wondering how to work Motorola's new microcontroller,
right? Of course not. But for Wolly Barabash's digital electronics students,
this scenario happens too often. To counteract this problem, Barabash
is writing a textbook about how to use the Motorola 68HC12 microcontroller.
The textbook will be targeted towards technicians and beginning engineer
students. The book will teach computer architecture, programming, and
electronic construction and interfacing.
His motivation to
write this textbook came while teaching his British Colombia Institute
of Technology (BCIT) students to use Motorola's new microcontroller. Barabash
"found that all text material was unnecessarily complex. I believe
that I can, through the use of extensive diagrams, show students the internal
working of a complex microcontroller so that they can feel more comfortable
learning it." Barabash is also willing to put in the time to produce
a thorough and educational textbook. "One diagram can take a week
to draw and thus today's textbooks do not have this kind of care and attention
put into them,” said Barabash. “I decided to take the time
necessary to write a good book that puts the fun back into learning for
everyone,” he said.
Barabash began writing
the book in July of 2000 and has a contract with Prentice Hall Publishing
Company. The writing of his textbook was interrupted during his move to
Alaska but he plans to finish the first draft in March of 2003. "My
first priority is to ensure that the students at KPC receive quality education.
The book is my second priority," Barabash said.
Barabash is aiming
for publication in September of 2003 and hopes the book will be used at
KPC in the future for advanced digital courses. Barabash has taught electronics
courses for seven years at colleges in Canada, and he will be teaching
AC and DC physics and digital electronics at KPC next semester.
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