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May 2008
Playwright frequently visits UI as guest artist (The Austin Chronicle, May 16)
A feature about playwright Sherryt Kramer and her new play, "When Something Wonderful Ends" -- about the history of American involvement in the Middle East, Kramer's childhood as a Jewish girl growing up in a decidedly Baptist community, and the loss of a parent -- notes that she frequently returns as a guest artist at the IOWA PLAYWRIGHTS WORKSHOP, the University of Iowa's Master of Fine Art program in playwriting. The Austin Chronicle is an alternative weekly newspaper in Austin, Tx.
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A624895
Porter comments on mortgage loan servicers (CNN, May 15)
Drowning in a mortgage you can't afford? Whether or not you get a new one will be decided by someone you've probably never met at a company whose role is barely visible: the mortgage servicer. "Servicers are intermediaries, not the owners of the notes," said KATHERINE PORTER, a professor of real estate law at the University of Iowa. "And their incentives are not the same as the owners." Porter, who has testified before Congress on mortgage lending issues, said more than half of 1,700 foreclosures she has studied involved questionable servicer fees.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/15/real_estate/servicers_who_are_they/index.htm?postversion=2008051503
Column notes Iowa Electronic Markets (The World, May 14)
A column on prediction markets notes that the first computerized political market was created at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. "That market outperformed polls three-quarters of the time, and its election-eve forecasts were better than any pundit's and better than any poll," said James Surowiecki, author of "The Wisdom of Crowds." That Iowa prediction market begged for special permission from the government and got a waiver that limits bets to $500. "That makes them less accurate," Surowiecki said. "Real money is what makes it work." The World is a daily newspaper based in Oregon.
http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2008/05/14/opinion/editorial/doc482b23179e426631515126.txt
Former UI provost takes job at San Jose State (San Jose Mercury News, May 14)
Jon S. Whitmore, president of the large public research-focused Texas Tech University, has been named to succeed Don Kassing to lead San Jose State University. He will arrive Aug. 1. Prior to his position at Texas Tech, he was provost of the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA.
http://origin.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_9258220?nclick_check
UI alumni find success in software industry (Forbes, May 13)
Jive Software, which aims to change the way people work by bringing social networking to the office, was founded seven years ago by Matthew Tucker and William Lynch, two students at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. Jive's newest product, Clearspace, uses Web collaboration and communication tools such as forums, wikis and blogs to allow people in different offices to work on a short-term project using a single Web calendar, to-do list and discussion rooms. A manager can scroll over names of subalterns and see what they're working on and whether they're in the office, traveling or at home. Jive raised $15 million in August from Sequoia Capital and may be ready for a public offering as early as 2010.
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2008/0602/062.html
Rove cites Obama's showing in Iowa (Fox News, May 13)
In an appearance on "On the Record," Karl Rove, former Bush adviser and Fox political analyst, commented on how students influenced Barack Obama's results in Iowa. "Students have a disproportionate effect in caucus states because they -- you know, they can organize and it's easy for them to get there and they come in a group . . . Take a look at Iowa. You go to Johnson County, the site of the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, and Obama does very, very well. You go to some of these rural counties, where there's no college, and he doesn't do so well."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,355677,00.html
UI policy on graduate theses noted (Chronicle of Higher Education, May 16)
Starting next fall, the coordinator of the campuswide electronic-thesis program at West Virginia University wants to require creative writing graduate students, who hope to become published authors, to submit their writing projects electronically and make them publicly available after five years. On other campuses, however, writing students have beaten back open-access policies for their theses. LOLA L. LOPES, interim provost at the University of Iowa, abruptly reversed course in March on a plan to make fine-arts theses freely available online after hearing vigorous complaints from students in the university's prestigious writing programs.
http://chronicle.com/free/v54/i36/36a01401.htm
Kelley comments on lead contamination (Bismarck Tribune, May 14)
The Peregrine Fund, based in Boise, Idaho, has released study findings that it says show ground venison from 80 percent of 30 deer killed with high-velocity lead bullets contains metal fragments. The group, together with researchers from Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., says it is further evidence that people who eat meat from game animals shot with lead bullets risk exposure to the toxic metal. In March and April, North Dakota and Minnesota instructed food banks there to pull hunter-donated venison from their shelves. RICK KELLEY, assistant director of the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory where samples were sent by North Dakota for testing, said he feared venison was destroyed prematurely. He said more study is needed before public policy changes are made. "I have a concern with the way that people respond to the results of that study," Kelley said. "In at least one location, they landfilled all the deer meat." The newspaper is published in North Dakota. The story also appeared on the Web sites of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER and KGW-TV in Portland, Ore.
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2008/05/14/news/state/155527.txt
IEM noted as first prediction market (Jewish World Review, May 14)
In this story about prediction markets, such as futures markets where people bet on the future price of oil, gold and pork bellies, it's noted that the first computerized political market, the IOWA ELECTRONIC MARKETS, was created at the University of Iowa. "That market outperformed polls three-quarters of the time, and its election-eve forecasts were better than any pundit's and better than any poll," says James Surowiecki, author of "The Wisdom of Crowds."
http://jewishworldreview.com/0508/stossel.php3
IEM predicts McCain's presidential chances (Barron's, May 13)
John McCain's presidential campaign is doomed -- at least, if you still believe what political futures markets indicate. In the IOWA ELECTRONIC MARKETS, set up at the University of Iowa, Mr. McCain's Republican Party gets a 41 percent chance of winning the popular vote for the White House.
http://online.barrons.com/article/SB121063385437486555.html?mod=rss_Ahead_of_the_Tape&apl=y
Peterson comments on talk show host choice (Conde Nast Portfolio, May 13)
NBC has named Jimmy Fallon as Conan O'Brien's successor on the "Late Show."
"He strikes me as an unusual choice," says RUSSELL PETERSON, a visiting
assistant professor in the Department of American Studies at the University
of Iowa, and the author of "Strange Bedfellows: How Late-Night Comedy Turns
Democracy Into A Joke," published in March. "Fallon has a kind of
likeability," Peterson adds, "but I have my doubts about how well that
likeability will wear based on the fact that he hasn't had a real career
since [his stint on] 'Saturday Night Live' ended."
http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/top-5/2008/05/13/Late-Night-Fight-for-Young-Viewers?rss=true
Bloom's book documented Postville packing plant (Lincoln-Journal-Star, May 13)
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say 390 people have been arrested on immigration charges after a raid Monday, May 12, at Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville, Iowa, the world's largest kosher meatpacking plant. The plant and the town of Postville have drawn national attention in recent years because the plant is owned by the Rubashkin family. Family members are part of the Lubavitch sect of Hasidic Jews, who live in strict compliance with commandments in the Torah. Their operation of the Kosher meat plant in Postville was documented in a 2000 book, "Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America," by STEPHEN BLOOM, a journalism professor at the University of Iowa. The newspaper is based in Lincoln, Neb.
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/05/13/news/business/doc4829ea3277c96146436530.txt
UI researcher: educated mothers are role models for men (Daily Mail, May 10)
A study of high-achieving young men revealed their wives were highly likely to have been educated to the same level as their mothers. Two-thirds of those whose mothers were educated to masters or doctoral levels had wives with equivalent qualifications. "These young men look up to their mothers as role models," said researcher CHRISTINE WHELAN of the University of Iowa. ""They grew up in a family where their mothers were educated women. 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." The newspaper is published in the United Kingdom.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=5652
Gronbeck: Length of this year's campaign unprecedented (Baltimore Sun, May 13)
This year's Democratic Party nomination campaign has taken its toll on the candidates participating, both physically and mentally. At least one observer thinks a lack of sleep and other pressures has led to some bad word choices, such as Obama's comment that working-class people are "bitter." BRUCE GRONBECK, professor of communications studies at the University of Iowa, said the long-running primary season, which began with campaign stops in February 2007, is "unprecedented."
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-to.candidates13may13,0,2397224.story
Limitations of prediction markets noted (Wall Street Journal, May 13)
An opinion piece questioning the value of political prediction markets notes that six months ago, Barack Obama was given less than a 30 percent chance of being the Democratic presidential nominee on the Iowa Electronic Markets, set up by the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121063385437486555.html?mod=2_1569_leftbox
Workshop alumnus book reviewed (Philadelphia Inquirer, May 13)
After beginning his career in an Australian law firm, Nam Le left to attend the prestigious IOWA WRITERS' WORKSHOP, a move which was fortunate for the now 29-year-old author. To be holed up in a straight-laced, soul-sucking office, wearing slicked-backed hair and a structured suit would have been a tremendous waste of talent. In his debut short story collection "The Boat," Le demonstrates that leaving law and turning toward literature was the best decision he possibly could have made. One of the stories in the collection features as a main character a student at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/351-05132008-1533278.html
Sparks comments on UI fertility lab policy (Omaha World-Herald, May 12)
Increasing numbers of single women nearing the end of their childbearing years are turning to sperm banks to become pregnant. AMY SPARKS, director of the University of Iowa reproductive testing laboratory, said that until two years ago, her lab did not serve single women because its ethics advisory board believed the two-parent model was vastly preferable. Ultimately, Sparks said, the lab's fertility services were in demand from single women. Further, she and the board decided that a single person who chooses to be a parent can do the job as well and in many cases has thought it through more fully than many couples.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1219&u_sid=10332462&u_rss=1&
Writer discusses Durham's 'Lolita Effect' (NetIndia123, May 12)
The racy photo shoot of 15-year-old Miley Cyrus has been dubbed as "The Lolita Effect" by an Indian-origin professor from University of Iowa. MEENAKSHI GIGI DURHAM, associate professor of journalism and mass communication at the University of Iowa, has slammed the media for circulating damaging myths that distort, undermine and restrict girls' sexual progress. The sexualization of teen girls, which she dubs "The Lolita Effect" in her book of the same name, is part of a larger marketing effort to create cradle-to-grave consumers. While writing in Dalhousie University's Nabokov Online Journal, Durham said that since the publication of the novel "Lolita" more than 50 years ago, it has become the favorite metaphor for a child vixen. Yet that perception is a misreading of Vladimir Nabokov's famous novel. Indeed, Lolita does nothing to attract Humbert Humbert's devouring and doomed passion. NetIndia123 bills itself as a premier online publisher of news and information specific to India.
http://www.netindia123.com/showdetails.asp?id=951247&cat=Entertainment&head=Miley+Cyrus+photo+scandal+latest+example+of+%27The+Lolita+Effect%27
Rosenquist co-chaired pain panel (Medical News Today, May 12)
RICHARD ROSENQUIST, assistant professor of anesthesiology at the University of Iowa, co-chaired a panel that has recommended new guidelines for treatment of chronic lower back pain. Medical News Today originates in the UK.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107037.php
Iowa faces shortage of psychiatrists (Chicago Tribune, May 12)
Psychiatric help in rural areas is getting harder to find as Iowa continues to see a serious shortage of mental health professionals. The UNIVERSITY OF IOWA has the state's only psychiatric training program. The widely respected program attracts top students from around the country only to see most of them leave the state after graduation.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-psychiatristshort,0,1872138.story
UI medical student wins hematology award (Medical News Today, May 12)
Daniel Tawfik, a student in the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA CARVER COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, won a $4,000 Trainee Research Award from the American Society of Hematology to support research on blood and blood-related diseases.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107042.php
Kramer collaborated on addiction research (Omniomix, May 12)
JOHN KRAMER of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine collaborated on research that has discovered a gene linked to alcohol and cocaine dependence.
Omniomix is an online biotech magazine.
http://www.omniomix.com/inthenews.php?id=95252
UI will check athlete's websites (Arizona Daily Star, May 11)
A UNIVERSITY OF IOWA athletics board has approved guidelines allowing school administrators to check players' sites on public networking Web sites, such as Facebook and MySpace. This AP story is appearing widely.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/238435
Shullaw assesses donations (WCCO, May 11)
Donations to the University of Iowa Foundation are up and it could be attributed to a more stable environment brought by the hiring of a new president in August. Donations are up nearly 5 percent so far this year, said SUSAN SHULLAW, senior vice president of the university's foundation. "It is always hard to make a direct correlation, but we have always said donors respond well when the organization is in good hands and has steady leadership," Shullaw said. WCCO is located in Minnesota. This story originated on Iowa AP.
http://wcco.com/iowawire/22.0.html?type=local&state=IA&category=n&filename=IA--UniversityDonatio.xml
Gordon book is examined (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 11)
In "Mapping Decline," author COLIN GORDON of the University of Iowa uses a new system for merging maps and statistics to survey the decline and fall of St. Louis as a great American city. An accompanying story looks at possible solutions.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/reviews.nsf/book/story/C83C0DC5A9076DD68625744400680379?OpenDocument
Lawrence finds newlyweds are aggressive (New Kerala, May 11)
A study by ERIKA LAWRENCE, assistant professor of psychology in the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, discovered that 29 percent of newlywed couples are physically aggressive. More wives than husbands are aggressive: 24 percent versus 16 percent. Pushing, grabbing and shoving are the most common tactics. New Kerala is published in India. This story is appearing widely.
http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=58645
Goree comments on plasma needles (NetIndia, May 10)
Chinese researchers have reported the successful development of "plasma needles," i.e. luminous jets of bacteria-killing ionized gas, which when put to use can revolutionize dental treatment and other medical uses. According to JOHN GOREE of the University of Iowa, the devices could lead to better understanding of what is happening inside the plasma, which could even help them develop peak bacteria-killing performance. This syndicated story is appearing widely.
http://www.netindia123.com/showdetails.asp?id=950810&cat=India&head=Soon%2C+%27plasma+needles%27+to+revolutionise+dental+treatment
Clinton falls in IEM (Electric New Paper, May 10)
A writer reporting on the latest data from the IOWA ELECTRONIC MARKETS suggests that people betting on Hillary Clinton to win the Democratic nomination should forget it. "At press time last night, Mrs. Clinton was worth only around 4 U.S. cents while her rival Barak Obama was at a high of 88 U.S. cents," the story says, describing the IEM as an "experiment by the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA." The Electric New Paper originates in Singapore.
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,164338,00.html
Story contrasts UI and UW approaches (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 9)
A UNIVERSITY OF IOWA committee on athletics approved new guidelines that will give school administrators the right to randomly check the social networking sites of Iowa athletes, and discipline those who violate school policies. At the University of Wisconsin, administrators are instructing athletes on the proper use of networking sites.
http://blogs.jsonline.com/badgers/archive/2008/05/09/uw-facebook-and-athletes.aspx
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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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