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UI in the News

May 2008

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Current News Highlights

UI study shows firm handshakes helps land jobs (Business World, May 9)
Smartening up and smiling are key tactics for job seekers, but a simple well-delivered handshake could trump them both, according to a new study. Research by the University of Iowa found applicants with a firm handshake are far more likely to get the job than candidates with a limp grip. "We found that the first impression begins with a handshake that sets the tone for the rest of the interview," said researcher GREG STEWART, associate professor of management and organizations in the Tippie College of Business, in a statement. This article also appeared in the TIMES OF INDIA and REUTERS INDIA.
http://www.bworldonline.com/BW050908/content.php?id=082

Whelan: highly educated mothers role models for men (Times of India, May 9)
If a man's mother is highly educated, chances are the woman he marries will have a similar education, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Iowa found that nearly 80 precent of high-achieving men who were sons of mothers with college degrees married women with a similar education. And 62 percent of men whose mothers had graduate degrees tied the knot with a graduate degree holder. "These young men look up to their mothers as role models. They grew up in a family where their mothers were educated women," said sociologist CHRISTINE WHELAN, who conducted the study.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Layout/Includes/TOI/Artwin.asp?From=Archive&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOIM/2008/05/09&EntityId=Ar01707&ViewMode=HTML&AppName=1

UI study cited in article on depression in moms (OhmyNews International, May 9)
According to researchers, postpartum depression affects as many as one in five women, particularly during the first year of motherhood. A study by the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA revealed that low-income women are much more likely to suffer from postpartum depression than wealthier women. OHMYNEWS INTERNATIONAL is a citizen journalism site covering issues around the globe.
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?article_class=4&no=382531&rel_no=1

UI study: intelligent men choose wives like their moms (GQ Magazine UK, May 8)
It's previously been suggested by some brave (or foolish) individuals that all women turn into their mothers, but now it seems that intelligent men choose wives that resemble theirs. According to Reuters, researchers at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA found that 80 percent of high-flying males whose mothers had college degrees married women with the same level of education.
http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/daily_news/default.aspx?sid=52344

UI research cited in article on treating vascular depression (KMPH, May 7)
Vascular depression is a recently recognized type of depression that usually develops in patients older than age 60. The condition is associated with loss of blood supply to the brain. A team at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA found that vascular depression can be treated with an experimental technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). This article originated in HEALTHDAY NEWS and appeared in six other media outlets. KMPH is a FOX affiliate based in Fresno, Calif.
http://www.kmph.com/Global/story.asp?S=8283375

Study: men with well-educated moms seek well-educated wives (Jezebel.com, May 6)
The old adage that men marry their mothers has some truth to it, according to researchers at the University of Iowa. They discovered that "If a man's mother is highly educated, chances are the woman he marries will have a similar education." Sociologist CHRISTINE WHELAN, the co-author of the study, said "For an increasing number of these men ... when they make their own choices about someone who they think will be a good wife in the future or a good mother, they go back to their role models." JEZEBEL is a women's blog that features "celebrity, sex and fashion without airbrushing." Note: some content on this site is for adult audiences.
http://jezebel.com/search/%22university%20of%20iowa%22/

UI's Porter testifies on mortgage companies and servicers (WGGT, May 6)
Mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp., which is under investigation for inflating certain borrowers' fees, acknowledged Tuesday that it has made errors and pledged to take steps to improve its operations. KATHERINE PORTER, a professor at the University of Iowa, testified to a Senate panel that mortgage companies and servicers have improperly sought repayment for attorneys' fees and other costs without fully disclosing or documenting the fees. WGGT is a FOX affiliated based in Washington, D.C.
http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/Business/Detail?contentId=6478235&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=4.3.1

Durham explains "The Lolita Effect" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 4)
University of Iowa journalism professor GIGI DURHAM discusses how marketers' efforts to create lifelong consumers have contributed to sexualization of young girls in the media. Her book, "The Lolita Effect: The Media Sexualization of Young Girls and What We Can Do About It" is featured in the package. Please note: The full article is only available in PDF format. Clicking the link below will download the PDF and/or launch your PDF software, such as Adobe Acrobat.
http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2008/may/Lolita_Effect_AJC.pdf

Other Recent News Highlights

Solid handshake key in job interviews, study shows (Reuters, May 8)Smartening up and smiling are key tactics for job-seekers, but a simple well-delivered handshake could trump them both, according to a new study. Research by the University of Iowa found applicants with a firm handshake are far more likely to get the job than candidates with a limp grip. "We found that the first impression begins with a handshake that sets the tone for the rest of the interview," said researcher GEORGE STEWART, associate professor of management and organizations in the Tippie College of Business.
http://in.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idINIndia-33471820080508

Study links weight issues to dementia, Alzheimer's (Daily Mail, May 7)
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., and the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, found obese people had a higher chance of dementia. Dangerously overweight subjects were 42 percent more likely to develop dementia. When it came to Alzheimer's disease, obesity pushed up the risk by 80 percent.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id

Study: Mother is role model in son's choice of wife (Reuters, May 7)
If a man's mother is highly educated, chances are the woman he marries will have a similar education, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Iowa found that nearly 80 percent of high-achieving men who were sons of mothers with college degrees married women with a similar education. And 62 percent of men whose mothers had graduate degrees tied the knot with a graduate degree holder. "These young men look up to their mothers as role models. They grew up in a family where their mothers were educated women," said sociologist CHRISTINE WHELAN, who conducted the study.
http://in.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idINN0647129420080507

UI team identifies treatment for vascular depression (WATE, May 7)
A team at the University of Iowa found that vascular depression can be treated with an experimental technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. "These findings suggest that this new method of treatment may be particularly useful for these late-life onset depressions and that even greater response rates might be achieved by utilizing more pulses of magnetic stimulation," said DR. ROBERT ROBINSON, a professor of psychiatry. WATE is an ABC affiliate in Knoxville, Tenn.
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=8283375&nav=menu7_2

Porter: mortgage companies improperly sought fees (San Jose Mercury News, May 7)
Mortgage lender Countrywide Financial, which is under investigation for inflating certain borrowers' fees, acknowledged Tuesday that it has made errors and pledged to take steps to improve its operations. But KATHERINE PORTER, a professor at the University of Iowa, testified that mortgage companies and servicers have improperly sought repayment for attorneys' fees and other costs without fully disclosing or documenting the fees. The Associated Press story also appeared on the Web site of THE SACRAMENTO BEE.
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9179099?source=rss

UI research shows handshakes matter in job interviews (China Daily, May 7)
If you're seeking employment, get a grip. A firm handshake is key to landing a job. A new study led by GREG STEWART, associate professor of management and organizations at the University of Iowa, put 98 students through mock job interviews with businesspeople. Students who got high handshake marks were also rated most hireable. This story also appeared on Yahoo News.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2008-05/08/content_6670473.htm

Porter testifies about loan fees (Seattle Times, May 7)
KATHERINE PORTER, a professor at the University of Iowa, testified to a U.S. Senate panel that mortgage companies and servicers have improperly sought repayment for attorneys' fees and other costs without fully disclosing or documenting the fees. In some cases, companies have sought to foreclose on homes even after borrowers have discharged their debts through Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which allows debtors to keep their homes while working out payment plans for their debts. "The upsetting reality is that the current bankruptcy system routinely forces borrowers to pay bloated amounts and permits mortgage servicers to misbehave without serious consequence," she told the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on administration oversight and the courts. The ASSOCIATED PRESS article appeared in the LOS ANGELES TIMES, NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, HOUSTON CHRONICLE and many more media outlets.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004396947_countrywide07.html

Treatments for vascular depression under development (Daily Advance, May 7)
New treatments for a type of depression in the elderly related to blood vessels -- called vascular depression -- are under development, and researchers have discovered why some patients with this condition fail to respond to current medications. A team at the University of Iowa found that vascular depression can be treated with an experimental technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). They found that rTMS led to better remission rates than standard medication treatment, and that increasing the number of magnetic pulses significantly improved remission rates. "These findings suggest that this new method of treatment may be particularly useful for these late life onset depressions and that even greater response rates might be achieved by utilizing more pulses of magnetic stimulation," ROBERT ROBINSON, a professor of psychiatry, said in a prepared statement. The newspaper is published in Elizabeth City, N.C.
http://www.dailyadvance.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/agng/615210.html

Obesity linked to Alzheimer's disease (Daily Mail, May 7)
Obesity can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease by up to 80 percent, researchers said. Cutting the prevalence of obesity in the population could help prevent people progressing to the stage they suffer dementia, they added. The experts, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., and the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, found obese people had an increased risk of all types of dementia. The newspaper is based in Great Britain.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=564569&in_page_id=1770

UI moves up campus-wide smoking ban (KAAL-TV, May 7)
The University of Iowa is getting ready to go smoke free a year ahead of schedule. The timetable has been moved up because of a statewide public smoking ban that takes effect July 1. In February, UI President SALLY MASON approved recommendations from a task force to ban smoking campus-wide by July 1, 2009. That will now happen a year earlier to coincide with the statewide ban. The TV station serves the Rochester, Minn. area.
http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S435269.shtml?cat=10218

UI's Porter testifies before senate panel (Huffington Post, May 6)
KATHERINE PORTER
, a professor at the University of Iowa, testified in front a senate panel that mortgage companies and servicers have improperly sought repayment for attorneys' fees and other costs without fully disclosing or documenting the fees. In some cases, companies have sought to foreclose on homes even after borrowers have discharged their debts through the Chapter 13 bankruptcy process, which allows debtors to keep their homes while working out payment plans for their debts.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/07/countrywide-admits-to-mak_n_100598.html

Peterson comments on late-night comedy and politics (WTAX, May 5)
RUSSELL PETERSON, a faculty member in the UI's Department of American Studies, talks about his new book, "Strange Bedfellows: How Late-Night Comedy Turns Democracy into a Joke." He says some political comedy can reinforce the cynicism and apathy about the democratic process. The radio station is based in Springfield, Ill. [Note: If the link to an audio clip of the story below doesn't work please copy and paste it into your browser address window.]
http://70.84.248.232/station_files/original_1210004855__.mp3

Peterson comments on politics on talk shows (WAQY, April 23)
RUSSELL PETERSON, who teaches in the UI's Department of American Studies, is interviewed on about his new book, "Strange Bedfellows: How Late-Night Comedy Turns Democracy into a Joke." He comments on how people get political news from talk shows and programs such as the "Daily Show." The radio station is based in Hartford, Conn. [Note: If the link to an audio clip of the story below doesn't work please copy and paste it into your browser address window.]
http://www.rock102.com/upload/audio/russell_peterson_1.mp3

Editorial notes Peterson book (Herald and Review, April 20)
An editorial notes that University of Iowa professor RUSSELL PETERSON, a former political cartoonist and stand-up comedian, recently wrote "Strange Bedfellows: How Late Night Comedy Turns Democracy into a Joke." Peterson said repeated jokes that portray politicians as fools, corrupt, egomaniacs and laughable discourages participation the democratic process. Peterson told the McClatchy-Tribune News Service: "I really do think that this sort of belief, that it doesn't matter, is one of the most damaging beliefs that a democracy can harbor. I don't think comedy invented that belief, but it's one of the most important avenues through which it is expressed." The newspaper is based in Decatur, Ill.
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2008/04/21/columnists/sawyer/1031875.txt

Porter research exposes potential wrongdoing by lenders (NBC Today Show, May 6)
Research by University of Iowa law professor KATHERINE PORTER has found that some lenders may have engaged in wrongdoing that is making the housing crisis worse. This is a video clip. To access the video, scroll to and click on "Are lenders making crisis worse?" under the "video from TODAY" category.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24480566#24480566

Redlawsk: Pressure might be on Clinton to drop out (Bloomberg, May 6)
In the ongoing campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, the economy, especially energy costs, has moved front and center as the two candidates focused their messages for today's primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. Both candidates need at least one victory. For Clinton "the pressure to drop out will be immense if she loses both of these states," DAVID REDLAWSK, a political science professor at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, said.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aZCLxfJBdXHU&refer=home

UI moves up smoke-free timetable (Chicago Tribune, May 6)
The UNIVERSITY OF IOWA is getting ready to go smoke free -- a year ahead of schedule. The time table has been moved up because of the statewide public smoking ban that starts July 1. In February, university President Sally Mason approved recommendations from a task force to ban smoking campuswide by July 1, 2009. That will now happen a year earlier to coincide with the statewide ban.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-uismokingban,0,7921950.story

UI breakthrough is step in fighting staph infections (UPI, May 6)
U.S. scientists say they have succeeded in killing established biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus by using one of the bacteria's own regulatory systems. Although the discovery isn't ready for clinical application, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA researchers said their findings offer insight into a dispersal mechanism for staph biofilms and might help identify therapeutic targets.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2008/05/05/upi_newstrack_health_and_science_news/2957/

UM-Flint chancellor is UI alumna (Flint Journal, May 6)
A profile of Sousan Coultrap-McQuin, new chancellor of the University of Michigan-Flint, notes that she earned her doctorate in American Studies from the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA.
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/05/umflint_chancellor_candidate_h.html

Story notes UI student loan borrowers (Chicago Tribune, May 5)
A story about a new Iowa law protecting Iowa student loan borrowers notes a recent report that showed that last year students at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA and University of Northern Iowa graduated with an average debt of more than $22,000. Students at Iowa State University graduated with an average debt of more than $30,000, that report said. About 73 percent of students at ISU took out loans, compared to 78 percent at Northern Iowa and 61 percent at the University of Iowa, the report said.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-xgr-culver-loans,0,3904735.story

Dogan is on award-winning research team (Daily Zaman, May 5)
A team of Turkish and U.S. doctors, including A. UMRAN DOGAN of the University of Iowa, has received an award of $100,000 for advances in cancer research related to their work in Cappadocia. Zaman Today is published in Turkey.
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=140934

Art historian attended UI (San Francisco Chronicle, May 5)
An interview/feature about art historian Jane Dillenberger, who has documented Andy Warhol's religious interests, says she studied painting at the UI. "At the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, I studied with the artist Grant Rutledge. That was wonderful -- I was one of his studio assistants when he was working on a mural. At that point, I had no idea that there was such a thing as art history. I'd always been a painter."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/05/05/findrelig.DTL

Rocklin comments on retention task force (Chicago Tribune, May 5)
Officials at Iowa's public universities want to close the graduation and retention gap between white and minority students. A task force has recommended closely monitoring grades of students at risk of failing, and improving the pool of minority applicants to the universities. "We must improve efforts to help more students of color do what is needed to be prepared for college," said University of Iowa Vice Provost TOM ROCKLIN, who served on the task force.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-regents-minorityr,0,4263572.story

Erik Lie says backdating actions are waning (Financial Week, May 5)
Option-backdating enforcement emerged from hibernation last week, as the Securities and Exchange Commission charged two former executives of Monster Worldwide with rigging option grant dates and settled its case against Broadcom. In addition, Pixar's former CFO, now a director at Google, was revealed to be under investigation for backdating. But regulators are now focusing on the credit crisis. "I imagine this issue has mostly disappeared [as a priority among regulators]," said ERIK LIE, the University of Iowa professor whose research in 2005 touched off the investigations into backdating.
http://www.financialweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080505/REG/500788054

Sculptor attended the UI (Deseret News, May 4)
A feature about sculptor JinMan Jo notes that he received his Master of Fine Arts degree from the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695275796,00.html

Lim was at UI on Fulbright grant (Straits Times, May 4)
A feature about writer Christine Lim notes that she was at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA in 1996 on a Fulbright grant. The Straits Times is published in Singapore.
www.straitstimes.com/Lifestyle/Read/Story/STIStory_233683.html

UI Press writer reviews Graham's poetry (Guardian, May 3)
M. Wynn Thomas, author of "Transatlantic Connections: Whitman U.S., Whitman U.K." from the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA PRESS, reviewed the new collection of poems by UI alumna and former faculty member Jorie Graham. The Guardian is published in the U.K.
http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2277615,00.html

UI discovery has heart disease implications (Bioresearch Online, May 2)
A study, led by University of Iowa researchers, reveals a new dimension for a key heart enzyme and sheds light on an important biological pathway involved in cell death in heart disease. "Our results suggest that oxidation of CaM kinase is a dynamic and reversible process that may direct cell signaling in health and disease," said MARK ANDERSON, UI professor of internal medicine and molecular physiology and biophysic. "Because CaM kinase activity is involved in arrhythmias, hypertrophy and heart cell death, this work also provides new insights into a disease pathway in heart that may lead to development of new drugs to treat heart disease."
http://www.bioresearchonline.com/content/news/article.asp?DocID={5730788E-9B8E-4A46-BA99-694B2B9DF912}&Bucket=Current+Headlines&VNETCOOKIE=NO

Holtz was grad assistant at the UI (Lincoln Journal Star, May 2)
Stories about the election of former football coach and current TV sports analyst Lou Holtz to the Hall of Fame note that the UI played an important role in his career. One story starts, "Lou Holtz's first big break in his Hall of Fame career came when he got dumped by his girlfriend. With no good reason to stay in Ohio, he left a job coaching high school football and became a graduate assistant at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA in 1960."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-fbc-halloffame,0,7296675.story

Kutcher once passed out on a frozen river (Sunday Mirror, May 2)
In a feature on Ashton Kutcher, the actor revealed, "I've done quite a few things while drunk. Probably the worst was falling asleep on a frozen river when I was a student at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. My buddy dared me to walk across the river and I slipped and passed out while I was doing so. He was too frightened to come and rescue me so I just stayed there, asleep on the ice, for a couple of hours." The Sunday Mirror is published in the UK.
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/showbiz/celebsonsunday/2008/05/02/ashton-kutcher-i-want-to-be-a-success-at-marriage-98487-20402967/

Gruca research is cited (Forbes, May 2)
Research shows companies that double down on customer service and store improvements during bad times rebound when the economy comes around. As tempting as it is to save a buck by cutting back when business is slow, studies like those by TOM GRUCA, a University of Iowa business professor, show a strong link between customer satisfaction and revenue over the long term.
http://www.forbes.com/home/2008/05/02/retail-home-depot-biz-commerce-cx_kn_0502homedepot.html

IEM one of two regulated prediction markets (Globeinvestor.com, May 2)
Only two U.S. prediction markets are officially regulated by the U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) -- the IOWA ELECTRONICS MARKET (IEM) at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, which specializes in politics, and HedgeStreet, a division of Britain's IG Group Holdings, which offers a wide assortment of contracts. However, dozens of other exchanges have popped up around the world to cash in on the hype. The Hollywood Stock Exchange uses play money and focuses on entertainment topics such as movie box office receipts. GLOBEINVESTOR.COM is the online presence of THE GLOBE AND MAIL, based in Toronto, Canada.
http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080502.wrevent02/GIStory/

Berg: IEM used for research, teaching purposes (AOL Money, May 2)
The rising popularity of markets where guesses are wagered on the outcome of everything from presidential elections to celebrity marriages has led to a situation that, well, many had predicted. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Thursday said it is considering whether these markets should be regulated, and how. In the United States, the Iowa Electronic Markets, run by the University of Iowa business school, is one of the better-known markets in operation. It has about 1,000 traders at any given time who can invest up to $500 to trade on a variety of contracts, including the outcome of the presidential elections. In 1993, the commission granted an exemption to IEM, which is primarily used for research and teaching purposes, said the market's director, JOYCE BERG, who is also an accounting professor. This AP story appeared in seven other media outlets.
http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/regulators-seek-input-on-event-wagering/20080501222909990001

UI scientists receive photos of Saturn storm (Yahoo!7 News, May 2)
An amateur astronomer from far western New South Wales is providing NASA with information about a storm on Saturn. Trevor Barry from Broken Hill says he first noticed the storm in February, when he was photographing the planet on a webcam. He has been sending pictures of the storm to scientists from the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. The images ended up with NASA, which had been tracking the storm since November last year with equipment aboard the Cassini spacecraft. YAHOO!7 originates in Western Australia.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/080502/21/16p9h.html

McMurray finds parallels between bird, baby babbling (ABC News, May 1)
The happy babbling that entertains parents as their babies try to mimic speech turns out to have a parallel in the animal world. Baby birds babble away before mastering their adult song, researchers report in today's edition of the journal Science. Michale S. Fee and colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studied the brains of baby zebra finches as the little birds learned the unique song they would use as adults. The baby birds practiced making sounds incessantly, the team reports. "The parallels between human and bird language are indeed striking," said psychology professor BOB MCMURRAY of the University of Iowa, though there are also important differences between the structure of human language and bird song. The VENTURA COUNTY STAR is published in Camarillo, Calif. This AP story also appeared in more than 60 other media outlets nationally and internationally.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=4766154

UI researchers help wipe out staph biofilms (BrightSurf.com, May 1)
University of Iowa researchers have succeeded in wiping out established biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus (staph) by hijacking one of the bacteria's own regulatory systems. Although the discovery is not ready for clinical application, the findings offer insight into a dispersal mechanism for staph biofilms and might help identify therapeutic targets. The findings were published in the journal Public Library of Science - Pathogens on April 25. "We have shown that activating the cells' communication system, also known as quorum sensing, in established biofilms causes the biofilms to disperse rapidly," said ALEXANDER HORSWILL, Ph.D., UI assistant professor of microbiology and senior study author. BRIGHTSURF.Com is an online news source providing science news and current science events in health, the environment, space and technology.
http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/37541/Turning_on_cell-cell_communication_wipes_out_staph_biofilms.html

UI alumnus supports new wind innovation alliance (Business Week, May 1)
Iowa Gov. Chet Culver announced Wednesday the creation of an alliance to train Iowans for high-paying jobs in the growing wind energy industry. Culver said the newly formed Iowa Alliance for Wind Innovation and Novel Development would combine research, public policy, training and education. The alliance will include the state's three public universities and community colleges, which will work together to expand offerings in wind technology programs. Randall Swisher, the executive director of the American Wind Energy Association, offered his support to the alliance. Swisher, who grew up in Atlantic and attended the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, said the state's central location, strong transportation network and its strategic economic development program are keys to its wind energy success.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D90CU3Q07.htm

Solow: not everyone's income falls during a recession (Yahoo Sports, May 1)
Gas prices are up. Food prices are up. So, oddly enough, is attendance at Major League Baseball games. JOHN SOLOW, an economics professor at the University of Iowa points out that not everyone's income falls during a recession. "In total, people are getting poorer or it wouldn't be considered a recession," he said. "But there are some people whose income continues to rise. What fraction of those tickets are sold to Joe Six-Pack and his family as opposed to corporations?"
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jo-mlbandrecession043008&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Arkansas dean Nance is UI law alumna (The Lutheran, May 2008)
A profile of Cynthia Nance, dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law and the first African-American woman to head any school at the university, notes that she is a alumna of the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA College of Law.
http://www.thelutheran.org/article/article.cfm?article_id=7101&id=1

Fischer comments on Saturn storm (China.com/Xinhaunet, April 30)
The longest running electrical storm on Saturn recorded by scientists is creating lightning bolts 10,000 times more powerful than any seen on Earth. The monster storm appeared in Saturn's southern hemisphere five months ago, when it was first spotted by NASA's Cassini spacecraft, and has persevered to become the planet's longest continuously recorded tempest to date. "We saw similar storms in 2004 and 2006 that each lasted for nearly a month, but this storm is longer-lived by far," said GEORG FISCHER, an associate with Cassini's radio and plasma wave science team at the University of Iowa. "And it appeared after nearly two years during which we did not detect any electrical storm activity from Saturn."
http://english.china.com/zh_cn/news/tech/11062266/20080430/14816556.html

Porter testifies on home foreclosures (AOL News, April 30)
Countrywide Financial Corp, which is being investigated for its treatment of some foreclosed homeowners in bankruptcy court, will testify on Tuesday at a U.S. Senate panel hearing, a senior Democratic senator said on Wednesday. Also testifying will be KATIE PORTER, a University of Iowa law professor who has studied fees imposed by lenders on borrowers in bankruptcy.
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/panel-to-examine-countrywide-bankruptcy/n20080430191509990089

Traynelis discusses cervical disc study (Tucson Citizen, April 30)
Treating cervical degenerative disc disease by surgically implanting an artificial vertebrae onto one's spine may cost more initially than a traditional disc fusion operation, but it saves the patient almost $6,000 within two years, according to a new study. "From a societal perspective, the economic benefits associated with these outcomes may offset the increased device costs associated with arthroplasty therapy," said study presenter Dr. VINCENT C. TRAYNELIS, of the University of Iowa.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/body/83863.php

Porter: suits against lenders difficult (The Charlotte Observer, April 30)
A U.S. district judge has dismissed a Concord couple's lawsuit against Beazer Homes USA, saying the couple failed to prove the homebuilder's lending practices resulted in foreclosures that contributed to falling property values. Such cases illustrate the difficulties homeowners may have nationwide finding relief from the courts in a multilayered foreclosure crisis. "Suits against people who originated loans have been very hard to bring and win," said KATHERINE PORTER, a professor with the University of Iowa College of Law, whose specialties include mortgage research.
http://www.charlotte.com/171/story/602761.html

Columnist cites Iowa Electronic Markets (Congressional Quarterly, April 30)
A column about whether Sen. Hillary Clinton will leave the Democratic primary contest notes that online electronic markets, such as Intrade and the IOWA ELECTRONIC MARKETS, estimate roughly 5 to 1 in favor of Obama over Clinton, but slightly below the almost 6 to 1 spread a couple of months ago.
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002713424

Peterson discusses late night comedy, politics (Washington Post, April 28)
University of Iowa professor RUSSELL PETERSON, author of "Strange Bedfellows: How Late-Night Comedy Turns Democracy Into a Joke," published by Rutgers University Press, discusses his new book and explores "Is Late Night Comedy Hurting Democracy?" in a Washington Post political podcast.
http://cdn.washingtonpost.com/podcast/p3podcast042808.mp3

Musician makes jazz from Saturn's sounds (NASA, April 23)
Musician Jeff Oster has turned the eerie sounds coming from the Cassini spacecraft into "Saturn Calling," a new age jazz piece. The Cassini orbiter's plasma wave science team is based at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA.
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features/feature20080423.cfm

Opinion piece examines political comedy book (Republican-American, April 19)
In his book "Strange Bedfellows: How Late-Night Comedy Turns Democracy into a Joke," University of Iowa professor RUSSELL PETERSON frets about the future of a republic whose leaders, current and would-be alike, are the targets of an unrelenting comic skewering. THE REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN is based in Waterbury, Ct.
http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2008/04/19/opinion/334588.txt

 

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