October 31, 2009 | Associated Press, USA Today, ESPN, Sporting News, many more
"Break up the Owls," shouted a USA Today headline. The Temple football team's 27-24 win at Navy — the squad's sixth in a row — made the Owls eligible to play in a postseason bowl game for the first time in 30 years. Temple was led by freshman running back Bernard Pierce, who gained 267 yards. Coach Al Golden was reluctant to talk about the prospect of a bowl bid. "We've got a long way to go. Our goal wasn't to win five, and it wasn't to win six. Our goal is bigger than that, and we're going to go one rung at a time," he said. Temple is undefeated in Mid-American Conference play and in first place in the East Division. The winning streak is Temple's longest since 1974.
October 31, 2009 | CNN News
(There is no link to this report.)
Experts continue to discuss the topic of silent witnesses in the wake of the gang rape of a Richmond High School student that was witnessed by as many as ten people who did nothing to stop it. Phil Harris, professor of criminal justice at Temple University, said that he doubts one person stepping up would have stopped the event. “This was a shocking and horrifying situation in which fear of being ostracized by the group was a powerful concern. There was also an audience effect taking place — the audience supports and encourages the perpetrators through their presence and acceptance,” he said.
October 30, 2009 | 6ABC, NBC10, FOX29
(There is no link to this report.)
Temple University marked a major milestone with the official opening of a new $165 million building for Temple’s School of Medicine. Dignitaries, including Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, joined Temple President Ann Weaver Hart and John Daly, dean of the School of Medicine, for a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday. The Medical Education and Research Building is the largest capital building project to date at Temple. The 11-story medical complex features six floors devoted to research space, a robotic simulation center for teaching students, smart classrooms and a library for all of the Health Sciences.
October 29, 2009 | WURD-AM
(There is no link to this report.)
Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon, associate professor of theater, discussed her original play "SHOT!" (on stage through Nov. 15 at Tomlinson Theater). Williams-Witherspoon's new play reaches beyond stereotypes and reveals the often overlooked story of North Philadelphia and the people who call the area home. "I didn't want this community to be perceived as victims of their environment — they are not victims at all," Williams-Witherspoon said. "The North Philadelphia we see today is not what it always was. This didn’t happen overnight."
October 29, 2009 | Jewish Exponent
Michael Elkin, the Exponent's "Stars & Society" columnist, described the ceremony and reception at the new home of the Temple's Tyler School of Art for the Jack Wolgin International Competition in the Fine Arts and its first winner, Ryan Trecartin. Among the guests pictured were donor Jack Wolgin and his family, Trecartin and President Ann Weaver Hart.
October 29, 2009 | Jewish Exponent
Rebecca Alpert, a rabbi and associate professor of religion at Temple, writes in the "First Person" column that while she enjoys singing along to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," the words sometimes give her pause. Sometimes "root, root, root for the home team" isn't the easiest commandment to follow. "For a wandering Jew, where, really, is home? Should I base this on geography? The Jewish connection? Other values?” Alpert writes. She is currently working on a book, Out of Left Field: Jews in Black Baseball.
October 28-29, 2009 | Philadelphia Business Journal, NBC10
Temple’s College of Science and Technology and the Sbarro Health Research Organization unveiled the new, $3-million Biotechnology Research Center on Tuesday. The 20,000-square-foot center will allow Temple’s Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, led by Antonio Giordano, to add 20 new research positions to the 60 researchers and 10 administrative staff already working there. "In life what really counts is when a group of people get together and, without any egos, work to improve the quality of life," Giordano said. "I think we are a good example of this." President Ann Weaver Hart noted the lab’s researchers are working at translating their research into new treatments for cancer and other diseases.
October 29, 2009 | TIME
In order to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus, several sports entities have either actively encouraged or outright ordered that athletes ditch that time-tested, germ-infested ritual, the handshake before or after a game. Teams do have good reason to be cautious. Players from the pro leagues on down to high schools have contracted the virus. But don't athletes often mix spit and sweat while battling for hours? "The real-world value of skipping this tradition is negligible," says Tom Fekete, chief of infectious diseases at Temple University School of Medicine.
October 29, 2009 | WHYY-FM
Eighty years ago Thursday was the Crash of 1929. In Philadelphia, the Crash began a chain of events that transformed the political face of the city. Temple historian Bryant Simon says then-mayor Moore blocked Roosevelt’s WPA programs, which were meant to get money back into people’s hands, from coming into the city. "The mayor was a product of a long-standing ideology in America that people should pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and if they didn't, then they deserved to fall," said Simon. But Roosevelt quickly became a popular favorite and opposing him was political suicide. Simon says Roosevelt attracted white liberals and African-Americans. "That's the majority of Philadelphia. That coalition when it was put together made the Democratic party unstoppable."
October 29, 2009 | Philadelphia Daily News
Women of all races are guilty of disordered eating, binge eating followed by dieting followed by binge eating. It turns out, though, that more white female college students exhibit this behavior than black undergraduates, according to a new study funded by Temple University. Somewhere along the way, though, black women catch up and start binge eating in similar numbers. "We are trying to figure out when the diet trajectory changes, and when it is that African Americans start to exhibit these behaviors," said Melissa Napolitano, lead researcher on the study and a psychologist at Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education.
October 29, 2009 | Toronto Star
Once burdened with having to pay players in U.S. dollars while collecting revenues in well-below-par Canadian dollars, Canada's NHL teams are suddenly standing on a competitive fiscal playing surface flush with unexpected new wealth. But all six Canadian teams are at or near the league salary cap, which effectively handcuffs them from spending their newfound wealth on high-priced talent. "Aggressive spending would have to take place in non-player forms, such as coaching, scouting, minor league development and marketing," said Aubrey Kent, a Torontonian and sports management professor at Temple University in Philadelphia.
October 29, 2009 | CBS3
Phillies phever may not be a real illness, but the Phillies' spirit certainly is catchy, especially after their opening night win. Paul Lyons, professor of community and family medicine at Temple University School of Medicine, suggests with a nudge and a wink that those infected should be quarantined, adding "there are a number of locations where you can ride this thing out. I think bars are a reasonable choice as they offer significant exposure to large screen TVs and expert commentary."
October 28, 2009 | CBS3
Ghosts and goblins might not be the only scary thing to watch out for this Halloween. Some face paint might contain lead, according to a study from The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. "The first issue is lead poisoning which is a significant health risk for children, especially children under the age of six for their cognitive development," said Paul Lyons, professor of community and family medicine and Temple’s School of Medicine. He says the risk is usually associated with prolonged exposure, so one night of Halloween face paint probably won't be that dangerous. "The only way to be 100 percent safe is to not have any exposure at all," he said.
October 27, 2009 | WHYY-FM
Researchers and consumer advocates have long criticized producers of educational baby toys and DVDs for overstating their products' value. And now The Baby Einstein Company is offering refunds to parents for DVDs purchased before 2004. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a specialist in early childhood development and professor of psychology at Temple University, says researchers have tried to stem the tide of a booming baby media market. “We have known for years that especially for children under three that our little guys are just not learning language from these video tapes, yet they are being sold as educational toys that promote learning,” she said.
October 27, 2009 | Atlanta Journal Constitution, Health Day
A new study finds that children and teens who take medicines for conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and autism tend to put on a substantial amount of weight. The worry is that excessive weight gain and other metabolic changes in childhood can place kids at risk for chronic health problems as adults. "Some of these kids are maintained on these medications for many years if not indefinitely, so it's definitely a concern. For children who really don't absolutely need these drugs, they need to be doing more behavioral approaches in psychotherapy," said Ronald T. Brown, dean and professor of public health at Temple University Health Sciences Center in Philadelphia.
October 27, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
In 1970, Temple Dance Department Professor and Chair Kariamu Welsh created an innovative dance technique called Umfundalai, a spirited mix of African, Caribbean and American dance vocabularies. Forty years later, Umfundalai is still vital and influential. A major feature story on the front page of the Inquirer's Magazine section celebrated Welsh's achievement. "I've never been what one would call a traditionalist," she said. "I want to express myself in a contemporary fashion, using vocabulary from the African diaspora….I'm honored to have lived long enough to see the beauty of Umfundalai, but I also recognize that I'm just one voice, one expression."
October 27, 2009 | USA Today
If you offer kids more fruits and vegetables before and during meals, they'll eat more of them, even if some turn up their noses at specific varieties they don't like. The results come on the heels of a report released last week that recommends schools serve more fruits and vegetables to children at lunch and breakfast. One of the study's findings: Children who liked steamed broccoli and diced peaches ate more when they were offered more, but the kids who didn't like those foods ate none of them, says Jennifer Orlet Fisher of Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education.
October 27, 2009 | New York Times
The Temple University Concert Choir was among the many performers at "Video Games Live" at the Beacon Theater on Broadway. The touring multimedia spectacle features music composed for video games.
October 27, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Local fans say that while it was fun to whip Tampa Bay in last year's World Series, this year's matchup offers a rare opportunity: A chance for Philadelphia to put a beatdown on its northern big brother, New York, the city that thinks it's the center of the universe. "It seems like they have more of everything than we do," said Emily Sparvero, who studies the business of sports at Temple's School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. "They have the bigger media market. They have the new billion-dollar stadium. They have the stars in the stands."
October 26-27, 2009 | News-Press (Florida), Arizona Republic, Statesman Journal (Oregon)
Why do people enjoy horror movies and other fear-inducing forms of entertainment? For the thrill of it, argues Temple psychologist Frank Farley. He has written that some people have a "type T" — or thrill-seeking — personality. Many are young but they can be found in all age groups. They are the sky divers, the bungee jumpers, the horror-movie-goers. They enjoy the adrenaline rush and racing heart of fear — the biological fight-or-flight response.
October 26, 2009 | KYW News Radio
The Philadelphia Phillies now know who they're going to play in this year's World Series — the New York Yankees. But can their performance, if they repeat as World Series champs, erase the city's feelings of low self-esteem about sports? "I don’t think I’d go so far as to say ‘erasing,’ but I think certainly they can put quite a few holes or some big dents into the inferiority complex that’s there,” said Michael Sachs, a sports psychologist at Temple University.
October 25, 2009 | Bucks County Courier Times
The Great Depression began 80 years ago this week on Black Tuesday. Economists said the root cause of the Depression — financial excess — is very similar to the cause of what's being called the Great Recession. "Asset prices were rising. Real estate prices were rising. Everything was go, go, go," said Kenneth Kopecky, chair of the Finance Department at Temple's Fox School of Business.
October 25, 2009 | New York Times
James Naismith, known to the world as the inventor of basketball, “was a far more progressive thinker than century-old black-and-white images of him holding a basketball would suggest, a man who was ahead of his time in many areas other than his chosen sport. A minister as well as a medical doctor, he quickly realized that taller players had an advantage in basketball and wondered if there was a way to stretch babies to make them grow taller,” wrote author Rob Rains. He is a co-author with Hellen Carpenter of the newly published “James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Basketball” from Temple University Press.
October 24, 2009 | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Three years after Waukesha County launched the state's first special Alcohol Treatment Court, the program is showing solid results in reducing repeat offenses among the three-time drunken drivers targeted by the court. A final evaluation by Temple University associate professor Matthew Hiller was required for the $450,000 three-year federal grant that paid for the court beginning in May 2006. Those who participated in the specialty court had a 29% rate of repeating the offense, whereas those who didn't participate had a 45% recidivism rate, Hiller reported.
October 23, 2009 | New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, WHYY-FM, ARTINFO, artblog, more
The winner of the first Jack Wolgin International Competition in the Fine Arts at Temple's Tyler School of Art was announced on Thursday evening: dynamic young multimedia artist Ryan Trecartin, a Philadelphia resident. Trecartin received the Wolgin Fine Arts Prize from developer and philanthropist Jack Wolgin and President Ann Weaver Hart. The Inquirer's coverage included a photograph of Trecartin on page A1.
October 23, 2009 | News & Observer (N.C.)
With knowledge ever more likely to be stored and retrieved electronically, the libraries of the future will be designed as much with technological and social trends in mind as books. "It's more about creating a cultural, social and intellectual space on campus now than it is about building a book repository," said Steven J. Bell, an associate university librarian at Temple University Libraries.
October 22, 2009 | New York Times
With four wins in a row, the Temple football program is experiencing a renaissance. According to Temple Athletic Director Bill Bradshaw, the team's rebirth began with the hiring of Head Coach Al Golden four years ago. "[Golden] accepted the challenge to what would be one of the greatest turnarounds perhaps in Division I-A football history," Bradshaw said. Golden brought an emphasis on discipline, empowerment, academics, community service and life skills. "You have to start to implement your culture and your core values. As you evolve, you have a lot of people who aren't willing to make those sacrifices. So many of them had to move on," Golden said.
October 22, 2009 | USA Today
In a new documentary, comedian Chris Rock sets out to explore the historically fraught concept of "good hair," which for African-Americans has traditionally been defined as hair more like white people's. "When it comes to hair, we're still living in segregated America," says Lori Tharps, a Temple faculty member and co-author of Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America. "The hair salon on Saturdays is right up there with church on Sundays as the most segregated place in America."
October 22, 2009 | Cape May County Herald
A group of students from Temple's Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture has been studying Cape May, N.J., since August. Over the next nine months, they will develop designs to create a pedestrian trail and upgrade two parks and a sanctuary. On Wednesday, the Temple team discussed the projects with residents. "We're not here to present ideas, we're not here to present solutions, we're here to listen to you," said Temple instructor Stuart Appel, the head of the project.
October 22, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
A Temple University forum sponsored by the Faculty Senate's Committee on the Status of Women highlighted the prevalence of women in leadership roles at Temple. In a panel titled "The Balancing Act: Combining Responsibilities for Work and Family," Temple President Ann Weaver Hart and the six other female Temple administrators discussed how they advanced in their careers while balancing work with family. The panel included Lisa Staiano-Coico, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs; Diane Maleson, senior vice provost for faculty; Rhonda Brown, associate vice president for the Office of Multicultural Affairs; and JoAnne A. Epps, dean of Temple’s Beasley School of Law
October 22, 2009 | Philadelphia Daily News
Gushing accolades for Temple University's new medical school building, as the official opening celebration nears. Highlights of the $165 million dollar facility include state-of-the-art research space, a robotic simulation center and flexible classrooms. Perhaps most notable in the light-filled space is the glass-walled lobby facing Broad Street, which allows the public to get a peak inside to see how future doctors are educated, according to John M. Daly, dean of Temple’s School of Medicine. "The students can look out and see their neighbors in their daily interactions," he said.
October 21, 2009 | Associated Press
Finally, there appears to be reason to hope for Temple Football fans. Temple is on a winning streak. Coach Al Golden, a former Penn State captain, has led the conversion from patsy to a possible postseason with a fervent can-do attitude that has trickled down to every one from assistants to academic advisers. "All we're doing is moving in the right direction," Golden said.
October 21, 2009 | CBS Evening News
(There is no link to this report.)
President Obama has rolled out a plan to encourage banks to loan to small businesses, which on the whole have been hit hard by the recession. “Plans to hire, to invest in inventory, are at 35 year lows,” said William Dunkelberg, professor of economics at Temple University. “So, a lot of businesses that could borrow are waiting on the side lines, waiting for customers to show up,” he said.
October 21, 2009 | NBC10’s The 10! Show
In the heart of Center City lies an historic open space known as Rittenhouse Square — one of five city squares established by William Penn. The park’s many attributes are discussed in a new book from Temple University Press. Author Nancy Heinzen explains that William Penn really didn’t like cities. “What William Penn wanted was a place where people could escape the stresses and pressures of life in the city,” Heinzen said.
October 21, 2009 | WHYY Radio
A Chester firefighter was recently suspended without pay for refusing to take an American flag sticker off his locker. Now the Fire Commissioner says the American flag will be allowed as an exception to the ban on locker decorations. This debate drew national media attention. Many backers of the firefighter said because of the flag's significance as a national symbol, it should be allowed. Temple University constitutional law professor David Kairys says allowing the American flag but banning other items on lockers, sets a dangerous precedent. “The fact that it occurs here in the context of an exception for a message that most people like, shouldn't really give comfort to it. We should really insist that government stay out of the business of deciding which messages are allowable and which aren't."
October 21, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer, Today Show, NBC 10
Matt Lauer, co-anchor of NBC's Today show since ‘97, yesterday was awarded Temple University's Excellence in the Media award. It's part of Temple's annual Lew Klein awards, named after the longtime Temple faculty member and media professional. Lauer was on campus to receive the award at a luncheon, which was followed by a question and answer session.
October 21, 2009 | CBS3
(There is no link to this report.)
Temple University Hospital celebrated its 1,000th heart transplant, a real medical milestone, at a special luncheon. The 1,000th recipient, Andrew Ware, enjoyed the festivities and reporter Stephanie Stahl was the master of ceremonies.
October 21, 2009 | KYW Radio
Philadelphia police have been working with local colleges to enforce their zero tolerance message since students from the city colleges poured into Center City last year, especially right after the World Series victory. Temple spokesman Ray Betzner says they've encouraged students not to go into Center City to celebrate after the game -- but whatever they do, to behave responsibly. "The idea is that we want our students to be proud that they are in Philadelphia at this terrific, really exciting time. One of the reasons why many of our students come to Temple University is because they want to become a part of Philly, and this is a big part of Philadelphia. So we want them to celebrate, but we want them to do so safely."
October 20, 2009 | WHYY Radio
Drivers filling up at the pump may have noticed an increase over the weekend. The average price jumped 7 cents in the Philadelphia area, and 11 cents in South Jersey. Fred Murphy, a professor at Temple's Fox School of Business, says the economic downturn has taken a toll on refineries, which has kept gas prices down. “We have not really faced in the gasoline price the effect of rising crude oil as much as normal simply because the refinery margins have absolutely collapsed.” He says as the world pulls out of the recession, crude prices could rise.
October 20, 2009 | WHYY-FM
Obesity experts at Temple University studied children's snacking habits by staking out corner stores before and after school, peeking in shopping bags, and asking students about their purchases. Kelley Borradaile, assistant professor of public health at Temple, led the study. According to Borradaile, obesity prevention efforts for urban kids should help them make healthier choices wherever they shop. “Children were spending about a dollar and seven cents which purchases almost 360 calories. And the most frequently purchased items were energy-dense foods and beverages, such as chips, candy and sugar sweetened beverages — foods high in calories,“ she said.
October 20, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Matt Lauer, co-anchor of NBC’s Today show, is being honored by Temple University today with its Excellence in the Media award. The award is part of Temple’s annual Lew Klein awards, named after the long-time Temple faculty member and media professional. The celebration is the signature event for the School of Communications and Theater. All proceeds from the event directly benefit the Lew Klein Excellence Fund, which provides scholarships for students to pursue internships, study abroad or create their own independent projects
October 20, 2009 | ABC News
Long before law enforcement labeled the so-called Balloon Boy episode a publicity stunt, many suspected the Richard and Mayumi Heene's role in the weather balloon chase across northern Colorado had something to do with attention. "I worry that we don't put this family into a cookie cutter box," said Frank Farley, a Temple psychologist and a specialist in risk-taking and thrill-seeking behavior. Farley said he's heard plenty of talk of narcissism surrounding the Heene family, but "if we're going to use the term narcissism for attention-getting, it means we have a lot of it in our country," he said.
October 19, 2009 | New York Times
In the Bronx neighborhood of Claremont — and in the city over all — the fast-growing presence of West African immigrants has been accompanied by increasing tensions with the local black American residents. Zain Abdullah, assistant professor of religion, race and ethnicity at Temple University, says it is common for African immigrants to suffer harassment when they settle in traditionally black neighborhoods in big cities, like Detroit, New York and Philadelphia. “Many African Americans feel that the influx of Africans coming in represents a kind of invasion,” he said. “Culturally, African Americans have always imagined themselves as Africans, or at least of African descent, but they might have never encountered Africans from the continent. The actual encounter is shocking.”
October 19, 2009 | Public Radio International
At one point, Starbucks was opening a store every four hours. Over the last year, it’s closed 600 of them. Temple University professor Bryant Simon sees in that history something more than economics; he sees a parable about America. "The fundamental thing that Starbucks sold, as it taught us to buy $4 cups of coffee, is it sold a way for us to present ourselves for others to see. With that cup in our hand in 2006 and before, we looked cool, we looked sophisticated, and we also looked like people with $4 to waste on coffee. You can see, in three short years, people aren't seeing the same cultural values. They go increasingly for utility, a place to sit, or the quickest caffeine fix."
October 19, 2009 | WHYY’s Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane
In the first week of its new term the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a landmark free speech case, the United States V Stephens. It involves a law that forbids the buying or selling of illegal images depicting cruelty to animals. The case has pitted civil libertarians and news organizations against animal welfare agencies. According to Craig Green, associate professor of law at Temple University's Beasley School of Law, the idea of harm justifying suppression of speech is an old issue. “The first amendment is committed to the idea that speech can be used for good purposes or bad purposes. You can’t say it is okay for one side and not the other.”
October 19, 2009 | WHYY’s Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane
Is black hair still political? Comedian Chris Rock has produced a documentary exploring African American women's issues with their hair called, "Good Hair." Lori Tharps, assistant professor of journalism at Temple University and co-author of "Hair Story: Untangling the Story of Black Hair in America," said, “It isn’t about beauty. We are still struggling with the history of the issues that Africans struggled with when they first came to this country. Having straight hair and lighter skin gave a slave a better chance at survival. That’s where we begin with this discussion.”
October 19, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
A string of five killings has an Egg Harbor Township neighborhood on high alert. Law enforcement should be proactive in helping residents deal with mounting anxiety, Temple University psychologist Frank Farley advised. "The police can really be the agents for allaying their fears," said Farley, a former president of the American Psychological Association who specializes in the psychological impact of crime on victims and communities. They should be "crystal clear about the fact that none of these cases is related," he said.
October 19, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Worried about the obesity epidemic among young children in cities such as Philadelphia? Keeping kids out of corner stores could help, suggests a new study by Temple University's Center for Obesity Research and Education, published in Pediatrics. The researchers tracked purchases by children in fourth through sixth grades at 10 city schools. On average, they spend $1.07 on two items per store visit, for a total of nearly 1,500 calories. "Obesity prevention efforts in urban settings, as well as efforts to enhance dietary quality among urban youth, should take into account the corner store environment and its significant impact on energy intake," the researchers concluded.
October 19, 2009 | Washington Post
As a guest blogger, Temple historian Bryant Simon commented on what has happened with Starbucks since the publication of his book, “Everything but the Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks.” While Starbucks has struggled during the recession, the local places, the independents, have maintained their foot traffic and done okay. Now Starbucks wants a piece of this action, Simon wrote. “But a place with a local name that is owned by a multi-national corporation with 16,000 stores worldwide isn't really a local place. It's an illusion, another attempt to meet genuine desire with carefully crafted artifice - something Starbucks did quite often for a long time.”
October 16, 2009 | WHYY-FM
(There is no link to this report.)
A Chester City firefighter has been suspended without pay after refusing to take an American flag sticker off his locker this week. The fire commissioner says the decision to ban all decorations from the outside of lockers was intended to provide a clearer rule that could be easily understood. As long as the ban on decorating lockers is uniformly applied, Temple University constitutional law professor David Kairys says the firefighter has a weak case. "What he really seems to be claiming is that he thinks that his speech is of the highest order because it's the flag and therefore should be exempt, but they've decided that no speech, whether it's favored by everybody, is going to be put on those lockers anymore, and as along as they administer that even handedly, it seems to me he's not going to get anywhere.
October 16, 2009 | The Morning Call
Austin Scott has filed a federal lawsuit against Penn State University police, prosecutors and his accuser, claiming they conspired against him following a rape charge. The criminal case against Scott was withdrawn last year. Mark Rahdert, a professor at Temple University's Beasley School of Law, said it might be hard to win claims against many defendants in the case. ''It's an uphill battle,'' he said. Prosecutors, for instance, typically enjoy broad immunity from lawsuits based on how they pursue charges, Rahdert said.
October 15, 2009 | NBC10
(There is no link to this report.)
Hotel Palomar, the only hotel to open in Center City this year in the midst of a lagging economy, bills itself as being elegant and eco-friendly. And it’s also educational. Temple University students are playing a more role in the operation of the new boutique hotel. Two Temple graduates are working at the hotel, one student is interning there and 30 are volunteering with marketing and advertising efforts. The partnership gives first-hand experience to students who want to go into the tourism and hospitality industry.
October 15, 2009 | The Comcast Network
(There is no link to this report.)
David Reeb, professor of accounting and finance at Temple’s Fox School of Business, talked with CN8’s Art Fennel and offered his reaction to our economic woes. “We are a little bit further along at this point than I would have thought given the nature of the banking problems that we have had over the last year or year and a half,” Reeb said.
October 15, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
For those who like networking of the face-to-face kind, there are all sorts of professional organizations. Then there is the nonprofit group started by Temple University entrepreneurship professor Chris Pavlides in May 2002. The Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group sounds exclusive, and it is. Membership is limited to those who are or were “C-level” executives — shorthand for the many chiefs in a business — make at least $150,000, and have 20 years of experience. Its motto is “networking for life,” and Pavlides said that’s how we need to approach our careers. “It’s your best defense now.”
October 15, 2009 | Philadelphia Business Journal
The Dow Jones industrial average reached 10,000 for the first time in a year during Wednesday afternoon trading. Michael Boldin, assistant professor in finance at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, said the Dow is not the best gauge of the stock market, which is not the best gauge of the economy as a whole. But he said Wednesday’s events are a continuation of a steady climb over the past four months. “We have seen one of the fastest and largest increases from the bottom of the stock market,” Boldin said. “And this is just a continuation of that. It won’t tell people to hire or buy more equipment. But this continues an upward trend.”
October 15, 2009 | KYW News Radio
What kind of a social impact is this Phillies post-season run having on the city of Philadelphia? Emily Sparvero with Temple University's sport and recreation management program says the most obvious impact that the Phillies have on the city has to do with how Philadelphia is perceived: "And that includes both how the people who live here in Philly think about the city and also, outsiders are also going to develop impressions about what kind of city Philadelphia is." She says winning sports teams tend to promote a sense of city pride: "If I live in Philadelphia, and our sports teams are successful, then I feel better about living here. I feel better about myself."
October 15, 2009 | The News Journal
Wall Street's on a roll, and Main Street shouldn't be too far behind. That's the general sentiment following Wednesday's rapid-fire ascent of the Dow Jones industrial average to 10,000, a feat that almost surely presages a broader recovery, market experts in and around Delaware said. "Things are moving ahead. If the Dow stays above 10,000 for the next two months, it would be almost complete confirmation we are in economic recovery," said Michael Boldin, finance professor at Temple University's Fox School of Business.
October 13, 2009 | New York Times
Are corner stores making some children fat? Low-income children in Philadelphia with about one dollar in pocket money managed to purchase almost 400 calories worth of snack food at convenience stores on the way to and from school, according to study published on Monday in the journal Pediatrics. "One of the most surprising findings was how many calories a dollar and seven cents can buy," said Kelley E. Borradaile, the paper’s lead author and a professor at Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education.
October 13, 2009 | Philadelphia Business Journal
The Hotel Palomar, a Kimpton property, will open in Center City Thursday. And some students from Temple University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management are helping to get the word out. One student is working as an intern at the hotel and some 30 others are working as marketing volunteers. (Two alumni of the Temple hospitality program are full-time employees at the new hotel.) “In this challenging economic climate, it is unique and rare for a student to be intimately involved in a hotel opening,” said Greg DeShields, the School of Tourism and Hospitality’s senior director of corporate relations.
October 12, 2009 | WRTI-FM
(There is no link to this report.)
Temple, Penn State, Pitt and Lincoln will not see any money from the state until the legislature passes the bill legalizing table games at casinos across the state. Kenneth Lawrence, Temple's senior vice president for government, community and public affairs, said the delays in Harrisburg have caused Temple to make changes in some of its financial plans. "The university has decided to honor students’ PHEAA grants until the bill has passed." He is hopeful that the differences between the Pennsylvania House and Senate gaming bills will be worked out quickly and that the roughly $180 million dollars Temple is expecting will soon be on its way.
October 12, 2009 | Philadelphia Daily News
A new study from The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Philadelphia Research Initiative finds that Philadelphia is lagging behind other major cities in mounting the kind of local outreach and awareness campaign for the 2010 Census that many experts consider important for achieving a full count. The stakes are particularly high in Philadelphia and other big cities that have high concentrations of the hard-to-count groups, including renters, immigrants, African Americans and Hispanics. According to an analysis conducted for the Philadelphia Research Initiative by Temple University sociologist and statistician Eugene P. Ericksen, the Census Bureau likely undercounted Philadelphia’s population by an estimated 8,326 people a decade ago, or about 0.5 percent. Many of the other cities included in the report had similar or larger estimated undercounts.
October 12, 2009 | ABC News, Los Angeles Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, U.S.News & World Report, CBS News Radio, Wall Street Journal Radio Network, KYW News Radio, NBC10, many others
Kids who shop at the corner store before or after school purchase nearly 360 calories worth of food and beverage, on average, during each visit, according to a Temple study of Philadelphia students. Junk food is the most popular purchase, including chips, candy and sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, the study found. "This is the first study to show what children purchase from corner stores before and after school," lead researcher Kelley Borradaile of Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education. "It is troubling that so little money buys so many calories. Corner stores are an important part of the urban landscape, and they have a significant impact on the amount and quality of calories children consume."
October 12, 2009 | New York Times, International Herald Tribune
Some things never change. Parents still get annoyed when they see their kids multitasking while they're allegedly doing their homework — except now children have added new technologies to the mix of sights and sounds. Can children effectively do their homework while listening to music, responding to instant messages, watching streaming videos and partaking in other e-distractions? Unfortunately research on the subject has not kept pace with technology. "The literature looking at media and its impact on attentional skills is just in its infancy," said Renee Hobbs, a media literacy expert at Temple's School of Communications and Theater.
October 12, 2009 | WHYY-FM, Philadelphia Gay News
Temple theater students will join thousands of performers across the country in a coordinated event called "The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later," a production based on interviews with residents of the town where a gay man, Matthew Shepard, was beaten to death in 1998. Temple Theater Department faculty member Ed Sobel says that in the play, the town of Laramie becomes a microcosm of the long-term effects of tragedy. "How is it that terrible things can be done by people whom we might want to think of as monsters, and yet they are still part of the human community?" Sobel asked. "What they did was reprehensible and yet somehow they are part of us."
October 12, 2009 | Los Angeles Times
Even with report after report documenting the nation's considerable girth and the perils of obesity, millions of men and women nonetheless remain blissfully unaware that they have a weight problem. Those who do recognize it tend to underestimate its severity. Further, terms such as "overweight" and "obese" have come to mean one thing to the medical community and another thing to the layperson. "When people hear the word 'obese,' they think of someone who weighs over 300 pounds," said Gary Foster, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple.
October 12, 2009 | Cape May County Herald
Cape May city council approved an agreement with Temple's School of Environmental Design to facilitate the development of recreational and educational activities for the Sewell Point Sanctuary. Temple also made design recommendations to improve Rotary Park and Harbor View Park. In addition to the sanctuary and park designs, the city has requested that Temple students and faculty in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture will prepare a trail connecting and educating Cape May residents and visitors. The Temple team will observe, document, evaluate, plan, and design the spaces in accordance with the city's master plan and historic preservation guidelines.
October 11, 2009 | The Los Angeles Times
Hair is nothing if not a powerful subject for African Americans. In Chris Rock's new documentary "Good Hair,” he sets out to explore the complexities of living with black hair. "The terms 'good hair' and 'bad hair' came out of slavery," said Lori Tharps, assistant professor of journalism at Temple and co-author of the 2001 book "Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America." "The closer your hair was to white European hair, the more likely it was that you had white blood in you. That meant that you would have more access to better food, better education, preferential treatment and be more likely to be set free -- so literally good hair meant a better chance at life. It wasn't about beauty at all; it was about survival," she said.
October 11, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
The recipient of the Wolgin Prize, "the art award that has made the Tate Museum's 25,000-pound (about $40,000) Turner Prize look like a mere trifle," is about to be named. On Oct. 22, one of three artists will take home $150,000 as the first winner of the Wolgin International Prize in the Fine Arts, the world's largest monetary prize exclusively for emerging fine artists, endowed by retired Philadelphia real estate developer Jack Wolgin and awarded through Temple's Tyler School of Art. Not surprisingly, the exhibition of installations by finalists Sanford Biggers, Michael Rakowitz, and Ryan Trecartin — all of whom are under 40 — in Tyler's new Temple Gallery is attracting a steady stream of visitors, many of them students.
October 9, 2009 | The Grio
In an opinion piece, Lori Tharps, assistant professor of journalism at Temple and co-author of the 2001 book "Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America," writes that she wishes that Chris Rock had taken the time in his documentary, “Good Hair,” to explore where the obsession with "good hair" actually comes from. “Using a combination of homemade concoctions and ingenious straightening methods, the slaves worked tirelessly at making their hair seem less foreign to their white masters. In return, they hoped that their straightened locks would aid them in being chosen for the coveted house jobs instead of working in the fields,” she wrote.
October 9, 2009 | WHYY-FM
A New Jersey lawmaker wants to ban electronic cigarettes in public spaces. The FDA is considering whether the government can regulate the devices under the new smoking prevention law. Smokers use e-cigarettes to satisfy cravings where smoking is banned or shunned. But, Temple health policy expert Jennifer Ibrahim says electronic cigarettes are not a safe alternative. She says preliminary tests found some of the same carcinogens in e-cigarettes that are found in tobacco brands. “There's no regulation on the dosage, so when you are smoking one e-cigarette brand to the other, you don't know the dose of nicotine that you are getting, and that's really problematic as well,” Ibrahim said.
October 9, 2009 | CBS3
(There is no link to this report.)
About a hundred Temple law students, professors and staff members spent the day cleaning, painting, weeding and hauling at a nearby aging former church complex in Kensington. The event, "Serving Neighbors, Connecting Communities," was Temple's Beasley School of Law's first-ever school-wide day of service. The former St. Boniface church complex is being redeveloped to benefit the Norris Square Civic Association, a non-profit community organization that helps local residents with child care, job training, education and more.
October 9, 2009 | Philadelphia Business Journal
Information-technology experts say that TD Bank's recent systems integration struggles are all too common after mergers. "Wall Street looks at the financials and marketing, but if there is an integration problem, it is the shareholders and consumers that lose out," said Munir Mandviwalla, chair of the Management Information Systems department at Temple's Fox School of Business. "Questions about integration can no longer be internal because the cost is too staggering. Integration strategy should be made public. In some cases, it might be wise to not merge because the costs are too high." Mandviwalla is using the recent events as part of the curriculum for one of his classes.
October 9, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
In an opinion peace, Craig Green, associate professor at Temple’s Beasley School of Law, commented on what could be a landmark free-speech case, United States v. Stevens, heard this week by the Supreme Court. Like most free-speech cases, Stevens involves expression that is easy to dislike, but deserving of First Amendment protection despite its content. “Under the First Amendment, Americans are free to disagree about the value of dogfight videos, and we are also free to disagree about how our disagreements should be expressed. The core of that freedom rests on a simple difference between illegal dogfights on the one hand and constitutionally protected speech about dogfights on the other,” Green wrote.
October 9, 2009 | NPR’s Marketplace
There's word today that the Senate Finance Committee's going to vote on its health-care bill on Tuesday. Marketplace asked medical students what they think of all the proposals floating around. Manasa Ayyala, who is starting her second year at Temple University School of Medicine, said she plans to go into primary care and she recently talked about her choice with her own doctor. “I've always wanted to go into primary care, and just hearing that from my own physician -- don't go into primary care -- is really disheartening,” she said.
October 9, 2009 | Jewish Times of South Jersey
A ceremony at Sullivan Hall at Temple University recently marked the merger of the two priceless archives: the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Collection and the Temple University Libraries Urban Archives. Created in 1972 by the Philadelphia Federation of Jewish Agencies and American Jewish Committee, with only a few boxes of minutes from Federation board meetings, the Jewish Archives had grown to a collection of 5 million items. Professor Laura Levitt of Temple's religion department spoke about the great boon to departments ranging from religion, to Jewish studies, to women's studies, to urban studies.
October 9, 2009 | KYW News Radio
More than one million families across the country who have reportedly invested into state college funds may find those accounts insufficient. Temple University bursar David Glezerman said it really depends on how soon families are going to need to use these funds. He recommends parents start saving as early as possible. "It's also important — especially if you're close to having a child go to school — to look at financial aid options. You can get that information by talking to a financial aid officer at your school and also if you have a financial aid adviser, discuss strategies with them on how and when to use this money." Glezerman says the task of paying for college can be scary, but it's not impossible. The most important thing parents can do is ask questions.
October 9, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Honeybees, it turns out, get a terrible rap. They're often lumped in with yellow jackets, which are actually wasps and, unlike the peaceful honeybee, relish the unprovoked attack. A daylong Honeybee Symposium will be held tomorrow at Temple University Ambler. Novices and experts alike are invited to learn about threats to honeybees, such as the mysterious colony collapse disorder, the ins and outs of beekeeping; strategies for attracting honeybees to the home garden; and honey and hive products.
October 8, 2009 | Art Info
In the mid-1970s, banker, real estate maven, philanthropist, and Philadelphia native Jack Wolgin installed Claes Oldenburg’s specially commissioned two additions to Philadelphia’s cultural landscape that raised the city’s international profile: the giant Clothespin in Center City and Jean Dubuffet’s Milord la Chamarre. But as monumental as those works are, Wolgin may make a bigger impression with his latest initiative, the Jack Wolgin International Competition in the Fine Arts. Administered through Temple’s Tyler School of Art, the $150,000 award is the largest juried prize in the world to go to an individual visual artist.
October 8, 2009 | 6ABC
(There is no link to this report.)
Local artist and author Jilberto Gonzalez was celebrated in north Philadelphia. Jilberto Gonzalez read from his book "Three Rings" at the El Cafeito on North Third street. The collection of short stories is based on his experiences growing up in north Philadelphia. Gonzalez's appearance coincides with a meeting of the National Congress for Puerto Rican rights this weekend at Temple University.
October 8, 2009 | Allentown Morning Call, WFMZ-TV
St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network and Temple University announced plans Wednesday to create what officials say will be the Lehigh Valley's first medical school. Thirty students will be accepted into the inaugural class in August 2011, said Joel Rosenfeld, St. Luke's chief academic officer and associate dean of the Temple University School of Medicine. Students will complete their first year at Temple in Philadelphia and then move to St. Luke's campus in Fountain Hill to complete the final three years of their medical education. ''This new opportunity we are now announcing is vastly different from a clinical campus and other area medical education programs,'' Rosenfeld said.
October 8, 2009 | USA Today
There is hope in Chicago that the legacy of Derrion Albert, whose Sept. 24 slaying was captured on video and seen around the world, will be a renewed effort to stop teen violence. Others doubt the causes of teen violence — gangs, drugs, guns and poverty — can be changed by one death. Philip Harris, a criminal justice professor at Temple University, says that despite high-profile cases such as Albert's death, violence is dropping in many cities. He worries, though, that the recession might change that trend. "We're watching the impact of the economy as people are losing jobs and the stress of survival starts to hit poorer communities."
October 8, 2009 | PsychCentral
Teens reach cognitive maturity far more quickly than they reach emotional maturity, according to new research that examined teenagers’ development. “Adolescents likely possess the necessary intellectual skills to make informed choices about terminating a pregnancy but may lack the social and emotional maturity to control impulses, resist peer pressure and fully appreciate the riskiness of dangerous decisions,” said Laurence Steinberg, PhD, a professor of developmental psychology at Temple University and lead author of the study. “This immaturity mitigates their criminal responsibility.”
October 8, 2009 | Bloomberg
In the three weeks since becoming Japan’s financial services minister, Shizuka Kamei has sent bank stocks plunging, accused the central bank of sleeping on the job and blamed the nation’s biggest business lobby for increasing the murder and suicide rates. Kamei’s comments have drawn rebukes from Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and other members of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan. The 72-year-old former police official remains unfazed, telling the media Hatoyama “can’t replace me” and that he has the premier’s full confidence. “Hatoyama must be ruing the moment he gave Kamei this portfolio,” said Jeff Kingston, director of Asian studies at the Tokyo campus of Temple. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aOTrwa3S5gQA
October 7, 2009 | MedPage Today
Temple cardiologist Alfred Bove, president of the American College of Cardiology and an expert in diving and the heart, said most patients with cardiovascular disease can participate in recreational scuba diving as they would any other sport. Bove said deciding which patients with heart disease should or shouldn't dive is an "art," because there is little data on risk. As with asthma and diabetes, he said, decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. But in general, patients are diving "with stents, pacemakers, mechanical heart valves, or while they're taking blood thinners."
October 7, 2009 | KYW News Radio
If you're planning a trip overseas in the near future, better make sure your credit card will work before you run into trouble. Credit cards in many countries around the world often have smart card technology not used in cards here. That means a simple swipe of your American Visa or Mastercard might not work. Abbe Forman, professor of Science and Technology at Temple University, says cards in other countries often have an embedded microchip that must be used with a pin number: "The purpose of this is to cut down on crime. It's very difficult at this time to get the pin number that's embedded in the chip and match it with the embedded number and if you don't have that number, you can't use the card."
October 7, 2009 | NPR’s Talk of the Nation
How we should use that science to draw legal boundaries between adolescents and adults? Laurence Steinberg, professor of psychology at Temple University and coauthor of the book "Rethinking Juvenile Justice,” says that what we know scientifically is that there is continued maturation of the brain during adolescence and into the early 20s. “We know that the parts of the brain that mature, the systems of the brain that mature are those parts that are active when we engage in planning, thinking ahead, foresight and impulse control. So clearly, the parts of the brain that are responsible for decision-making are maturing during this time, but the more difficult question is asking when is somebody mature enough.”
October 6, 2009 | NBC10
The Environmental Protection Agency recently gave Temple University an award for recycling, not of paper or plastic or metal but of computers. What looks like the back room of a big box store is Temple University's award-winning computer recycling center. Temple buys thousands of new computers every year and when the new come in, the old are cycled out, but not necessarily thrown away — most are checked and refurbished and made available to students and faculty at a reduced price or given away to churches, schools and community centers. “Were talking about tons of energy savings over time, refurbishing versus just destroying,” said Jonathan Latko, assistant director of computer recycling.
October 5, 2009 | 6ABC, FOX 29, KYW News Radio, Philadelphia Inquirer, WHYY-FM
US senator Bob Casey was on the campus of Temple University on Monday, getting feedback from students, parents and experts about overhauling college financial aid programs. Tony Wagner, Temple’s senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer, was among the higher education officials who testified. The US House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would oust private lenders from the student loan business and boost Pell grants for needy students. The legislation must still be approved by the Senate.
October 5, 2009 | 6ABC
TD Bank’s computer mess has turned into a public relations debacle, and, for many, it has gone from glitch to switch. Other banks are trying to capitalize on their competitor’s computer glitch, hoping to woo away its customers. But banking experts predict that once the situation settles and customers cool off, many will keep their money right where it is. “Especially people who have direct deposits, they have their online bill pay set up, they know where the ATMs are located for that bank, it’s really difficult to switch,” said Susan Mudambi of the Fox School of Business.
October 5, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Obese patients with sleep apnea who lost 10 percent of their body weight — 24 pounds on average — tripled their chances of being rid of the condition after one year, researchers at Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education have found. Most of the 264 patients in the randomized national study still had sleep apnea, but many of those who dropped pounds also dropped to a less severe form of apnea. Since all the participants had type 2 diabetes, it's not clear how the findings apply to the general population. However, "people without diabetes who have milder apnea may get [far greater] remission," said lead author Gary Foster, director of CORE.
October 5, 2009 | KYW News Radio
Temple University professor Bryant Simon has released a book about Starbucks, based on years of research at outlets all over the world. The author concludes Starbucks is not really selling coffee, but a lifestyle image: "If you read the signs at Starbucks and if you read their own advertisements, this is a lot of what they're selling is all these different things, in the cup," said Simon. Starbucks, he says, provides a cheap status symbol and the illusion of community, though he believes true connection cannot be found in an international chain.
October 5, 2009 | Telegraph UK
Efforts by the new Japanese prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, to build new relationships with Japan's Asian neighbors are being seen as another sign that the administration is turning its back on Washington. The implications of an East Asian economic alliance for the rest of the world would be far-reaching. Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Studies at Temple University, Japan, said: "I think Japan is looking for a way to improve the atmosphere with China, show Japanese leadership and co-operation, as well as improve economic ties and resolve pending territorial issues." But Dujarric believes there are benefits that the West could reap from a closer relationship between Japan and the rest of Asia.
October 4, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Theater artists agree that the definition of “ensemble acting” comes down to one major concept: uniform high quality across the cast, a sense that one performance among the actors is as well-considered and, in a straight play, as natural as any other. "Ensemble acting really does boil down to the actors' trusting one another," says Dan Kern, a director who is head of acting at Temple University's theater department. "From my point of view, it's really about the working relationship between actors. You get the sense that together, they're keeping this delicate ball in the air."
October 4, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
During the1970s, Congress decided that Medicare would cover end-stage renal disease regardless of age or income. But, while the system will fork over $100,000 for a kidney transplant, in a move that seemingly defies logic it will not pay the $36,000 annual prescription bill? Yet, when the organ fails because a patient stops taking medication he can't afford, Medicare happily picks up the $71,000-a-year cost of dialysis — for life. "When you transplant a patient, you adopt them," explained Serban Constantinescu, a nephrologist at Temple University. "When you adopt someone, don't you have a moral obligation to cover their medication?"
October 4, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Lots of us think we know why American health-care costs are rising faster than a speeding bullet, or at least faster than our GDP, incomes and inflation. But, industry experts see a much more complicated picture. And, making a dent in this problem, as Washington is discovering, is a tough, disruptive job that not only would change the way people get care, but also threaten the livelihood of powerful vested interests. "Your cost is my income," Tom Getzen, a health economist at Temple University, pointed out. "Real cuts, the kind of cuts that count, are also the kind that hurt."
October 3, 2009 | CNN Newsroom
Temple University History Professor Bryant Simon is the author of Everything But The Coffee: Learning About American From Starbucks. “I was interested in the idea of community and belonging in America and some people said this was missing in their lives. Starbucks advertised itself as a place where community was made, calling itself a ‘Third Place,’” said Simon. Simon says the book is not a stab at Starbucks, but it's about what people in America care about and desire.
October 2, 2009 | Scripps Howard News Service
Most doctors tell people with sleep apnea that the best treatment in the long run is to lose weight, but only recently did scientists at Temple University and six other centers put the advice to a rigidly controlled test: half of nearly 300 participants with sleep apnea and diabetes went into a group behavioral weight-loss program that included portion-controlled diets and prescribed 175 minutes of exercise a week. The control group got three lectures on diabetes management, diet and physical activity over the yearlong study. The first group lost an average of 24 pounds, and 13.6 per cent of the group had complete remission of sleep-apnea symptoms, compared with about 3.5 per cent of the second group, which lost an average of 1 pound.
October 2, 2009 | NBC10
The Environmental Protection Agency recently gave Temple University an award for recycling, not of paper or plastic or metal but of computers. What looks like the back room of a big box store is Temple University's award-winning computer recycling center. Temple buys thousands of new computers every year and when the new come in, the old are cycled out, but not necessarily thrown away — most are checked and refurbished and made available to students and faculty at a reduced price or given away to churches, schools and community centers. “Were talking about tons of energy savings over time, refurbishing versus just destroying,” said Jonathan Latko, assistant director of computer recycling.
October 2, 2009 | WHYY-FM’s Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane
Temple historian Bryant Simon has visited about 425 Starbucks coffee shops in nine countries. His new book, "Everything But the Coffee: Learning About America from Starbucks," combines first-hand observations with meticulous research. “I started with the premise that what we bought had meaning. And, I wanted to know why we were willing pay four bucks for a cup of coffee,” said Simon. “What I quickly learned was that we weren’t just paying for the coffee, we was we were paying for other things to justify that premium — an every day gift, predictability, a place to work because we were all working in cubicles and we were looking for ways to represent ourselves to others. We wanted to be seen as sophisticated, rich, and as caring about the environment and even caring about the global marketplace.”
October 2, 2009 | New York Times
Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota, spewed a litany of apologies to astonished reporters gathered for a briefing Friday. His public display of grief follows a tradition of remorse in Japan, where profuse public apologies — often accompanied by repeated bowing — are the norm for scandal-tainted politicians and executives at unprofitable companies. “Sometimes, this apology business is a way to avoid taking real action or responsibility,” said Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University’s Japan campus. “When you hear these long apologies,” Dujarric said, “It makes you want to say: ‘Don’t be sorry, just do something about it.’”
October 2, 2009 | Courier Post
Consumers are spending less — and business owners are following their lead. That's the consensus of a panel of executives who gathered Thursday to talk about the challenges businesses are facing after almost two years of economic recession. "You don't spend a dime on anything you don't really need to keep your business rolling," said moderator William Dunkelberg, professor of economics at Temple University and chief economist of the National Federation of Independent Business. Dunkelberg said that many economists believe the recession bottomed out in July or August. Although he doesn't expect retail sales and the housing market to rebound immediately, he said the economy should begin growing again by the end of 2009.
October 1, 2009 | CNN Newsroom
Here’s something to think about over your next cup of coffee. There’s a new book about one of America’s most familiar modern icons. It’s called “Everything but the Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks. ”As part of his research for the book, History Professor Bryant Simon of Temple University visited hundreds of Starbucks coffee houses, presumably drinking a lot of coffee but also watching his fellow customers, and here’s something he discovered: very few of them talk to each other.
October 1, 2009 | KYW-News Radio
TD Bank customers were still frustrated with the bank on Thursday morning as issues from Wednesday remained unresolved. Customers have reported incorrect balances and unavailable funds. And on Thursday morning the bank's toll-free help line was experiencing technical difficulties. Munir Mandviwalla of Temple’s Fox School of Business says the source of the problem may be more about coordination than technical specifications: "What often happens is that the IT people who could actually think this through are not given enough time, and they don't have a seat at the table."
October 1, 2009 | WHYY-FM
More than 65 percent of Pennsylvanians support allowing table games in casinos, and Pennsylvania lawmakers trying to balance the state's budget are counting on revenue they could get if they allow table games to join slot machines in the state's casinos. Temple University history professor Bryant Simon says table games tend to attract a different type of gambler than slot machines. “To play a game of blackjack on a Saturday night in Atlantic City or in Las Vegas, it's hard to find a bet less than $10 per bet so really it's hard to play with less than $100, $200 in your pocket. You can play slots for a fairly long time for $50. So it tends to skew toward people with a little more money in their pockets.”
October 1, 2009 | Philadelphia Gay News
Beginning Oct. 5, Temple will host a series of LGBT-related activities to demonstrate to those in the Temple community — individuals who are already out or those who are struggling with their sexual identity — that there are countless supportive people and organizations at the university. Temple has hosted activities in the past to recognize National Coming Out Day, Oct. 11, but Nu’Rodney Prad, a resident director at Temple, said this year the university’s programming is much more extensive and formalized. “We’re not rallying for a specific cause but rather for awareness. We already have good visibility on campus, but we want to keep it going,” Prad said.
September 25 - October 1, 2009 | Philadelphia Business Journal
Temple business professor Arvind Phatak, who left his native India 40 years ago, knows first hand how exposure to foreign cultures can impact one’s world view. Now, as one of the leaders behind a new program at Temple’s Fox School of Business in which professors travel to a South American university to teach classes to local MBA students, Phatak hopes to give his American colleagues a taste of the experience. “Just going outside the hotel, walking around, eating different meals, is an experience in itself, but when you go into the classroom, you have students from that culture and they bring a different perspective to that classroom,” said Phatak, who is also executive director of the Institute of Global Management Studies. The program, which began in July, is a joint venture between Fox and Pontifica Universidad Javeriana in Columbia.
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