I quess I need a yeast starter? Help for a 2nd time hobbiest

I just made my first two batches of extract beer after a 15 year haitus from the hobby.

I used a liquid White labs yeast in both.  I had never used liquid yeast before.  I was not aware that a starter was recommended.  When I opened the vials, they more or less exploded and only a portion made it into the wort - maybe half, maybe less?

That was 4 days ago.  One batch has just started a slow fermentation.  The second is still stagnant. 

I ordered two more vials of starter.

I do not have any extract left over.

Two questions. 
1 - Can I use simple corn syrup to make the starter?  If so, in what proportions?
2 - Should I assume that the second, not fermenting batch is in trouble for contamination?  Note that I ferment in a Korn Keg

thanks

1. Your better off using DME, 1 cup DME to 1 liter water depending on starter size needed, check mrmalty.com Yeast Pitching Rate    Calculator

2. I would aerate and repitch yeast and see what happens, worst case your out some yeast and DME.

Given that I used all the DME I had with the original kits and there are no supply shops in my area, I am concerned about leaving the wort inactive for the additional 4 days or so necessary to obtain more DME thru mail order.  It has already been a week.  Could I use a cup of plain corn syrup as a substitute for purposes of starting new vials of yeast? (which I already ordered and should arrive today)  Or will corn sugar simply not allow the yeast to start.  I recall using corn syrup as the sugar necessary to restart fermentation prior to bottling (way back when).  I do plan to keg this beer and carbonate using CO2

Thanks

gf,
Do you have any idea why the yeast "exploded".  Did they get too hot?  If the yeast is reproducing there will be a lot of pressure and when open there will be a rapid decompressive "explosion" BUT the White Lab vials should be packaged in sterile liquid and the yeast should be dormant.  I would suggest contacting White Labs (http://www.whitelabs.com/contact-white-labs) and explain what happened.  Next time open the vials VERY slowly and allow any pressure to bleed off slowly. 

At this point instead of trying to use a liquid yeast, I would use a dry yeast.  With current technology the dry yeast are equilavent to the liquid yeast in quality and it should get you up and running quicker.  As a safety net you should always have some dry yeast as a back up especially during the summer.  The heat is very detremental to the liquid yeast in transit.

As far as contamination, if you maintained proper sanitary conditions through out the process and the fermenter is capped with an air lock you should be safe.

Good luck

I was gonna say "Go to the store and get enough dry yeast to get the party started before it gets crashed, and to have some in case you nest adventure with liquid yeast doesn't go as planned," and then I read dharalson's post.

What he said.