February 27, 2009 | National Public Radio's "Morning Edition"
When no one's job is safe, no one's house is secure and no one knows exactly what to do about it, artists get to work. "That kind of stress often results in the need to scream, and art is a way of screaming," said Temple's Miles Orvell, an English and American Studies professor in the College of Liberal Arts, in a national "Morning Edition" report. "Difficult times like the one we are experiencing today can really bring out a kind of expressive culture in an interesting way."
February 27, 2009 | Chronicle of Higher Education
Students’ written evaluations can be painful to faculty. Whether you're praised or nuked, it's important to keep things in perspective, according to Pamela Barnett, director of the Teaching and Learning Center at Temple. Barnett tries to help them find ways to resolve the underlying issue, assuming there is one. "Once you get past the hurt of hearing you're boring," she said in a front-page story, "you have to ask if there's something you can do to keep people awake."
February 27, 2009 | Business Week
The federal government and nonprofit advocacy groups are worried that the economic downturn could lead to more suicide. Matt Wray, a sociologist at Temple, believes that the rural nature of some states could play a part in the suicide rates. More densely populated places, where residents are closer to friends, family, and social services, tend to have lower rates, he said.
February 26, 2009 | United Press International
New findings suggest that higher lifetime rates of violence are taking a health toll on African-American women. Lead researcher Anuradha Paranjape of Temple’s School of Medicine says doctors should be aware that prior and current violence impacts physical and mental health. "In general, there is a higher incidence of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, and more chronic pain syndromes," says Paranjape.
February 26, 2009 | Yahoo! News
The billions and trillions that make up the federal stimulus package and the mounting deficit are creating a challenge for Republicans who want to create outrage among citizens over spending. It’s hard for most people to grasp the enormity of such numbers. John Allen Paulos, a professor of mathematics at Temple and the author of Innumeracy, thinks the best option is working with the public’s trouble with numbers rather than trying to fight it.
February 26, 2009 | 6ABC
He's an All-American candidate, and a finalist for the Naismith Trophy, but for Temple basketball star Dionte Christmas, nothing would be possible without the work he's put in off the court. "There are a lot of people who would give their right arm to play for Temple University," said Christmas. And not too long ago he was one of them. He struggled early on but has since come a long way. Now, he’s on track to walk down the aisle at commencement this May. He’ll be the first person in his family to graduate.
February 26, 2009 | KYW News Radio
Teens and college-age kids and get into trouble during spring break vacations. "There's an expectation for a lot of these kids when they go on spring break…that there's going to be a lot of drinking that goes on," says Temple pediatric psychologist Brian Daly. "High schoolers are actually going away for spring break to places like Cancun, and even though the legal drinking age there is 18, Cancun has never really been considered the tightest ship in terms of IDing underage adolescents."
February 25, 2009 | Voice of America
The Japanese economy continues to be rocked by the global recession. Exports, the backbone of Japan's economy, have plunged. A reliance on exports is what makes the Japanese economy so vulnerable, says Robert Dujarric of Temple University, Japan Campus. "Exports have gone down basically because American consumers, European consumers and now consumers from all over the world just have fewer resources to devote to purchasing Japanese exports," he said.
February 25, 2009 | Fox29
Philadelphia Newspapers Inc., the corporate entity behind the Inquirer and the Daily News, has been running ads criticizing KYW News Radio for recycling their news stories. Christopher Harper, a professor of journalism at Temple, doesn't approve of the ad campaign. "Newspapers are absolutely critical to any functioning city or community, but clearly this is a desperate move to say 'we're better than everybody else,'" he said. "Well if you're better than everybody else, you wouldn't be in bankruptcy."
February 25, 2009 | CBS3
A recent study found that whether its a no-fat or no-carb diet, weight loss really depends on the amount of calories you eat. "Whether it be from cutting back on your carbs, cutting back on your fat, cutting back on your protein, cutting calories overall is what results in a weight loss," said Becky Dilks, a registered dietician at Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education.
February 25, 2009 | National Public Radio's "News & Notes"
Temple faculty member Marc Lamont Hill joined a bloggers' roundtable to discuss former Maryland lieutenant governor and new Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele. "I think there's some excitement from people on the right," said Hill. "It moves the GOP into a new generation of leadership." Hill also shared his thoughts on the alleged altercation between singers Chris Brown and Rihanna.
February 25, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Business Journal
Edmond Notebaert, the new leader of Temple University Health System, warned of $40 million to $50 million in spending cuts this year. An Inquirer editorial also explored the sober realities facing the Health System: "Fortunately, the medical center's leaders recognize the roots of its illness and are hard at work on remedies. But no one should expect the cure to be painless."
February 25, 2009 | National Public Radio's "Here and Now"
Many people — including perhaps President Obama — seem to have a type of personality that allows them to thrive during tough times. Temple psychologist Frank Farley joined host Robin Young to discuss "Type T" or thrill-seeking personalities. Farley, an expert on these risk takers, says people who are T-types view the current economic situation as an opportunity to grow and take chances, while others view it as the end of the world.
February 25, 2009 | WCCC-FM (Conn.), CKNX-AM (Canada), KYXL-FM (Tex.)
With self-revelation rampant on the Internet, politicians and public figures being caught in flagrante delicto, and Mardi Gras evolving into a spectacle of public nudity, the "disinhibition" of America is becoming emblematic of our 21st century, says Temple Psychologist Frank Farley. "Mardi Gras has been going topless for some years with no end in sight. Is this reflecting a growing acceptance of such behavior in America? I think so."
February 24, 2009 | Financial Times
February was a month of pleasant surprises for Japanese fretting about their nation's relationship with the United States. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited, and Prime Minister Taro Aso was the first foreign leader invited to Washington by President Obama. But leaders may soon be reminded that U.S. friendship does not come free. "If I'm the Japanese, I've got my hand on my wallet," says Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "All this buttering up, sure it soothes my worries but I'm going to have to pay for it."
February 23, 2009 | Los Angeles Times
Mental health experts are split on whether dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder) is real. Now that Showtime's "United States of Tara" features a woman with the disorder, there is growing debate if the show’s creators are portraying the disorder accurately. Richard Kluft, professor of clinical psychiatry at Temple's School of Medicine, has been hired as a psychiatric consultant to ensure the drama is as authentic as it can be.
February 23, 2009 | KYW News Radio
The bankruptcy filing by the owners of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News came as no shock to Christopher Harper, associate professor of journalism at Temple. Harper says newspapers and TV are not serving the needs of young people. "All news organizations need to think differently. They need to hire a bunch of my students (laughs) and put them in positions of power, and that way they'll have people playing an important role in their organizations to figure out how to get that key demographic back."
February 23, 2009 | WHYY-FM
The jury in the corruption trial Vince Fumo is hearing closing arguments. If prosecutors convince the jury that Fumo is arrogant and views himself as above the law, then Edward Ohlbaum of Temple's Beasley School of Law says their case is in good shape. But if Fumo "comes across as this workaholic who had no life other than the government and put in much more than he received, and he admits to some of his mistakes," said Ohlbaum, "then possibly the jury would be willing to overlook" some of his misdeeds.
February 23, 2009 | Bloomberg
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso’s first meeting with President Obama may be his last. Aso goes to the White House tomorrow as the first foreign leader to visit the new president. At home, calls for Aso to resign are mounting. "Aso definitely won't be the guy leading the LDP into the elections," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "He's governing on borrowed time."
February 23, 2009 | Fox29
Temple students are making some noise after learning that the university's state budget has been trimmed by more than $11 million. A rally is planned at the Bell Tower on Temple's Main Campus today.
February 23, 2009 | 6ABC, CBS3
Temple students joined students from other state-related universities at the Bell Tower on Temple's Main Campus to protest Gov. Edward Rendell's decision to leave Temple, Penn State, Pitt and Lincoln students out of his tuition relief plan. Students signed a petition that will be sent on to Harrisburg.
February 23, 2009 | Money
By fixing common mistakes, 401(k) investors can make sure that difficult times aren't made worse. One such mistake: An alarming number of workers nearing retirement are too heavily weighted in stocks. Among 401(k) savers 56 to 65, nearly two in five recently had 80 percent or more of their retirement assets in equities, according to Jack VanDerhei of Temple's Fox School of Business.
February 23, 2009 | WHYY-FM
Coatesville, Pa., residents are still struggling to cope with a wave of arsons. The latest arson followed the arrest of two men in connection with ten of the fires. David Baron of the Psychiatry Department at Temple's School of Medicine says the shock of the latest fire may be tempered by the arrests. "The fact that it happened in fairly close proximity in both time and distance from the other ones, I think it will raise the anxiety in the community, but not to the same level that it would have had they not apprehended two suspects."
February 23, 2009 | WHYY-FM
Closing arguments get underway today in the corruption trial of former state Sen. Vince Fumo. Prosecutors called Fumo's former attorneys to the stand to discuss whether they advised Fumo to destroy e-mail evidence. "When people get rid of evidence or when they threaten witnesses or when they change their appearance, all of that evidence is admissible to show what the law calls a 'consciousness of guilt' — it's almost an admission by conduct," said Edward Ohlbaum of Temple's Beasley School of Law.
February 22, 2009 | CNN, Asian News International
Is it time for Bollywood — as India's huge Mumbai-based film industry is called — to come to America? Temple English Professor Priya Joshi, an expert on Indian culture, novels and cinema, said the cultural differences could make it difficult. "Bollywood films don't have any kissing in them or tend not to. Warner Bros. used to make movies like this in the past....If [Hollywood] is ready to ready to return to its roots, then it's ready for Bollywood."
February 22, 2009 | Washington Post
The Senate is weighing new rules for "target" retirement funds as investors try to contain the damage to their 401(k)s. There is widespread agreement that people should adjust their assets to a more conservative mix as they near retirement. Though target funds can help with that effort, experts say that investors cannot escape keeping an eye on their funds. "Just because it's a prudent selection on the day you pick it doesn't mean you don't have to monitor it," said Jack VanDerhei of Temple's Fox School of Business.
February 22, 2009 | Agence France Presse
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has won the honor of becoming the first foreign leader to visit Barack Obama's White House. Robert Dujarric of Temple University, Japan Campus, said Japan's main issues with Obama will be economic — but that the invitation to Aso was mostly a matter of good manners. "It costs nothing to show 'respect' to the Japanese. It's not like the Chinese care if Clinton stops in Tokyo before Beijing or if Aso gets to the White House first," he said.
February 22, 2009 | Toronto Star
American art and literature responded to the Great Depression with surrealism, black humor and explorations of the grotesque side of life and the struggles of the common man, says Temple English and American Studies Professor Miles Orvell. At the same time, screwball comedies were popular. "It's a period that, as hard as things were, there was also this need to laugh — and popular culture was providing that."
February 21, 2009 | Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
The fight over the stimulus bill ensures that the role and size of the federal government will be at the heart of the partisan debate going into the next election cycle. But in the end, the judgment that voters render in the 2010 elections will likely have more to do with results than philosophy. "It will be an up-or-down vote on whether this stimulus package worked. If it doesn't, then the Republicans have a more credible case to make," said Temple political scientist Megan Mullin.
February 20, 2009 | Philadelphia Business Journal
Although many businesses are suffering during the recession, accounting firms are finding plenty of opportunities for growth. “There may not be as many new clients,” said Eric Press, associate professor and chair of the Accounting Department at Temple's Fox School of Business, "but even if a company’s business is off 15 percent, that does not stop the need for an audit." Press said that even accounting firms that are laying off some employees are also recruiting his students.
February 20, 2009 | NBC10
Although he has his medical degree, Temple biologist Antonio Giordano knew he was never going to treat patients and has dedicated his life to research. His goal: to cure cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Giordano is nicknamed 'Dr. Hustle' for his ability to raise funding for his research, including $1 milllion from former pizza chain owner Mario Sbarro.
February 20, 2009 | Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle profiled Temple's pioneering Rule of Law programs in China, which have taught American-style law to some 800 Chinese judges, prosecutors and other legal professionals. The Rule of Law programs have established Temple's Beasley School of Law "as a player… in China's political and economic evolution," wrote Goldie Blumenstyk. It's good "to feel that your school is part of the forward momentum" of China, said Temple Law Dean JoAnne Epps, who has taught trial advocacy in the LL.M. program that Temple runs jointly with Beijing's Tsinghua University. One sign of Temple's commitment: It has sent more than a third of its law faculty to teach in China. Temple Law faculty and staff whose critical roles were highlighted included Robert Reinstein, Mo Zhang and John Smagula.
February 20, 2009 | Wall Street Journal
Pipe smoking is making a comeback on college campuses, perhaps because it's perceived as retro-cool. Public-health experts say it isn't cool — it's dangerous. "The end result would be they'll have fewer teeth," says Jasim M. Albandar, a professor of periodontology at Temple's Kornberg School of Dentistry. Albandar headed up a study that focused on the dental impacts of pipe and cigar smoking. He found that pipe smokers had severe plaque, inflamed gums and higher risks of periodontal disease, even though they tend to smoke less often than cigarette smokers do.
February 19-20, 2009 | USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Minneapolis StarTribune, Denver Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, many more
The relationship between Sandra Herold and Travis, a pet chimpanzee that mauled a Connecticut woman, was closer than some married couples'. David Baron, professor and chair of the Psychiatry Department at Temple's School of Medicine, said that for Herold, whose husband and daughter both died, her grief could have made it easy for her to view Travis as a surrogate child and friend. "I wouldn't say that she shouldn't have a pet, but this may be something that should be looked at as part of a grief reaction that's beyond normal," Baron said in a widely distributed Associated Press story.
February 19, 2009 | 6ABC
At a time when job seekers need every bit of help and advice they can get, Temple's Fox School of Business conducted a job placement seminar for seniors at Mitten Hall. The session included mock interviews — with serious critiquing from staffers at Fox's Center for Student Professional Development. Potential employers were on hand as well.
February 19, 2009 | Philadelphia Daily News
Small businesses are thriving while big stores — Boscov's, Circuit City — are going bankrupt. "Mom-and-pop grocery stores will do OK because they are one of those recession-resistant businesses that offer services you really can't do without," said Eustace Kangaju, director of the Small Business Development Center at Temple's Fox School of Business.
February 19, 2009 | Jewish Exponent
Funded by a $3.7 million gift, the Jack Wolgin International Competition in the Fine Arts at Temple's Tyler School of Art will be the world's largest fine arts award to an individual artist. In order to provide facilities that matched the quality of the Tyler education — and in order to see the school meet 21st-century challenges — Tyler recently moved to Temple's Main Campus. According to Therese Dolan, Tyler's interim dean, it was this urban art experiment that attracted Wolgin.
February 19, 2009 | WHYY-FM
Casinos are feeling the effects as discretionary income falls amidst the recession. Trump has filed for bankruptcy and other gaming groups are struggling, but some local officials are proceeding with public projects in Philadelphia and Bethlehem. Temple's Bryant Simon, a professor of history and American studies, says gasoline prices and a shaky economy may lead gamblers to stick closer to home. If so, says Simon, that's a pretty short-term business model to follow.
February 19, 2009 | WHYY-FM
Some researchers are now finding that the computer can be a very useful tool for weight loss as well. "People are using computers all the time and they are keeping their calendars online and we're always connected. So it provides people the ability to track their behaviors a little easier than writing down things with paper and pencil," said Sharon Herring of Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education.
February 19, 2009 | New York Daily News
The chimpanzee that attacked a woman in Connecticut earlier this week reportedly was treated more like a person than a pet. "Sometimes a pet owner starts forgetting that it's a dog, or a snake, or a cat," said David Baron, professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Temple's School of Medicine. "You run into trouble when you expect too much from your pet. At the end of the day, a snake is still a snake."
February 19, 2009 | Philadelphia Daily News
Temple's WRTI-FM (90.1) is happy with where it is this year, even as it adheres to the university's cost-cutting policies in response to the economic downturn. "This was the best year we've had in the time I've been here, 12 years," said WRTI General Manager Dave Conant. The last on-air fund-raiser — the station gets about 60 percent of its funding from members — started with an iPod giveaway, "which got people interested immediately."
February 18, 2009 | Philadelphia CityPaper
The CityPaper's "Critical Mass" blog posted a review of Temple Theaters' production of "The Seven," a hip-hop adaptation of an ancient Greek tragedy: "This highly energetic drama/comedy entertains the crowd through rapping, singing, spoken-word verses, choreography, preaching, beat boxing and even stepping….Lovers of theater hip-hop and will enjoy the skillful acting of Temple’s young cast.
February 18, 2009 | BBC News (U.K.)
Shoichi Nakagawa, Japan's finance minister, resigned in the wake of a disastrous — and perhaps drunken — press conference. It was the latest of many setbacks for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). "The LDP has lost so much public support, it has lost the image of the party that rebuilt Japan after the war," said Professor Phil Deans of Temple University, Japan Campus. "People have given up on it. Its gr! ea! t strength, though, is the opposition is unpopular as well. The real loser is Japanese democracy."
February 18, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
The subject of the Philadelphia Free Library's annual One Film program is Basquiat, a 1996 film about artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who died of a drug overdose in 1988. Nigerian-born artist Odili D. Odita, who teaches painting at Temple's Tyler School of Art, will talk about the myths surrounding Basquiat on Feb. 26 at Temple's Kiva Auditorium. "Basquiat didn't just take drugs and draw," Odita said. Basquiat was a savvy artistic player and an accomplished student of art history and the history of the African American experience. His art, argues Odita, was an articulate response to that history.!
February 18, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Popular baby names keep changing. One hot trend: family names. "We are going through a lot of stress and strain," said Temple psychologist Frank Farley. "We need inspiration. I see people thinking along those lines. I see inspirational names and family names. When we're down, it makes sense that people turn to family, hold on to each other, and emphasize your family life."
February 18, 2009 | Tampa Tribune
Gardening columnist Monica Brandies described her recent visit to Temple University Ambler to give a talk on sustainable gardening practices: "I first started to learn about sustainable gardening methods, composting, mulching and the like, at the college where I gave my talk, Ambler College of Temple University in Ambler, Pa., north of Philadelphia."
February 18, 2009 | China Daily
For days, Japan's Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa's performance at a press conference in Rome, during which he appears to be drunk, has been painfully public on a YouTube video. Today, it finally cost him his job. "[The economy isn't] going to be better or worse because he's gone," says Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "But this is one more nail in Aso's coffin...It shows that he's incompetent and so is his administration."
February 17-18, 2009 | philly.com, 6ABC, NBC10, CBS3
An engineering competition at Temple presented students with a daunting challenge: designing a rolling vehicle using only paper, toothpicks, pennies and thread — no glue or tape allowed. "[The competition] gets them to start thinking about the processes involved in engineering design: studying the problem, coming to a solution, putting the solution into being and testing the solution," said William Miller, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Temple. Several freshmen in the College of Engineering shared their thoughts in a philly.com video, including Joseph Norton, Jenna Fink and Heather Boyce.
February 17, 2009 | Inside Higher Ed
"Academic librarians want their Web sites to attract faculty and students the way flowers invite insects for a visit," wrote Steven Bell, associate university librarian at Temple in an op-ed. At Temple, "librarians create customized content packages that contain just the right databases that students need for their assignments….The content package is sent to faculty as an e-mail attachment. Faculty then simply upload it to their course site."
February 17, 2009 | NPR's "Marketplace"
Japan's Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa resigned after appearing to be drunk at a press conference in Rome on Saturday. "Some people probably think that the Japanese economy has been hammered so badly that maybe it's understandable, but you'd like to think that the second largest economy is in safe hands," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus.
February 17, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
After decades of decline, union membership as a percentage of the workforce has edged up slightly to 12.4 percent, but that blip is misleading. The numbers alone don't tell the story of how steep labor's decline has been, said Bryant Simon, a professor of history and American studies at Temple. "In labor's heyday, people led similar lives, working and worshipping near their homes. The problem for labor is the way jobs have changed."
February 17, 2009 | Time
The resignation of Shoichi Nakagawa, Japan's finance minister, can't help an already dismal outlook for the Japanese economy. But experts predict the ramifications will be primarily political. "[The economy isn't] going to be better or worse because he's gone," says Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "But this is one more nail in Aso's coffin...It shows that he's incompetent and so is his administration."
February 17, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
As the number of unemployed Americans grows, facial hair is becoming an increasingly common sight on the faces of ex-corporate men. "Losing your job is like a death in the family," said James Portwood, professor of human resource management at Temple's Fox School of Business. The layoff beard shouts a certain "I'll-show-them bravado," he said. "And it's a natural way to come to terms with something that's a tragedy."
February 17, 2009 | Bloomberg
President Barack Obama invited Taro Aso to be the first leader to meet him in Washington, a coup for the embattled Japanese premier. "It's a big diplomatic signal to Asia that here is our military ally, here's a great democracy and here's a country that shares our values," said Phil Deans, a professor of international affairs at Temple University, Japan Campus. "But I don't think anything can save Aso."
February 17, 2009 | Inside Higher Ed
Academic librarians are making it easier than ever for faculty to integrate an array of research tools into course management software. At Temple University Libraries, the librarians create customized content packages that contain just the right databases that students need for their assignments, writes Steven Bell, associate university librarian at Temple.
February 17, 2009 | WRTI-FM
School officials are on the alert now that bacterial meningitis has been reported in three students at the University of Pennsylvania. According to Mark Denys, associate director of student health and services at Temple, state law requires students to get a meningitis vaccination or sign a waiver before starting the school year. He says it's rare that a student will opt for the waiver. There have been no reports of students at Temple who have been in contact with the Penn students.
February 17, 2009 | WRTI-FM
Researchers have decoded the genetics of the rhinovirus, the major cause of the common cold, which could one day lead to a vaccine. Paul Lyons, a family medicine specialist at Temple's School of Medicine explains that such a vaccine won't mean an end to such ills. "Not all common colds are caused by rhinovirus; there are other viruses involved. So people would still manage to get colds even if we were able to someday vaccinate against the common cold."
February 17, 2009 | Bloomberg
The Obama administration, facing the prospect that Japan's Liberal Democratic Party will be thrown out, is courting the opposition. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is meeting with Ichiro Ozawa, head of the Democratic Party of Japan. "The Clinton meeting signals that U.S. interests here are not prisoner to party politics and that there is too much at stake to let a 55-year marriage get in the way," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "It's a good move since the LDP looks like it's going down."
February 16, 2009 | NBC Nightly News
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is breaking with tradition by making her first state visit to Asia instead of Europe or the Middle East. One challenge she'll be facing is the tendency of many Asians to blame the U.S. for the collapse of the global economy. " A lot of people look at this as a made in America crisis, and America's got to reach out more to its allies in the region to solve this," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus.
February 16, 2009 | 6ABC
Police work appears to have become more dangerous as the city gets safer. Experts say effective policing has put officers more at risk, by concentrating on high crime areas with saturation coverage. That means the police are putting themselves in harms way more often." It's good, smart policing, but it's certainly more risky for police officers." said Temple criminologist Jerry Ratcliffe.
February 16, 2009 | Metro
Colleges around the country have seen a dramatic increase in the number of students studying Arabic. The Arabic program at Temple is no exception. "This academic year we hired an additional full-time instructor of Arabic and added a third section of Arabic Elements," said Temple's Gordon Witty, who teaches Literature in the Arab World as part of the university's general education program.
February 15, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
The cable TV show "United States of Tara" explores dissociative identity disorder with the help of a Temple psychiatry professor. Show creators hired Richard Kluft as a technical adviser on Tara, to make sure the mental illness is accurately depicted. "I'm incredibly sympathetic with people who say comedy is inappropriate," says Kluft. Cultural explorations of multiple or dual identities are nothing new. "Renaissance psychiatric literature talked about the idea that everybody had an angel and a devil in them. When a split occurs, it means the person has been possessed by a second devil," said Peter Logan of Temple's English Department.
February 14, 2009 | KYW News Radio
Men who need a boost in the bedroom may not need pills or other aides. Instead, they should stop smoking to improve circulation and start exercising. That's according to Jack Mydlo, professor and chair of the Urology Department at Temple's School of Medicine. "Keeping a trim and fit weight will also keep the testosterone higher than estrogen because as a man gets overweight the fat tissue that he accumulates will convert testosterone, the male hormone, to estrogen, which is the female hormone," Mydlo said.
February 13, 2009 | New York Times
The Times' "Room for Debate" blog published several intellectuals' responses to the recent story about the revival of plenary indulgences in Catholic churches. "I am especially disappointed because Pope Benedict, as a creative young theologian, was deeply involved in [the era of the Second Vatican Council's] effulgence of Catholic creativity and renewal," wrote Leonard Swidler of Temple's Religion Department. "He participated with eagerness in the wonderful 'throwing open the windows of the Vatican.'"
February 13, 2009 | 6ABC
A group of Temple students belonging to Alpha Tau Omega fraternity held an annual 30-hour campout to end homelessness. The students collected money, food and clothing to support the Philadelphia Committee to End Homelessness.
February 13, 2009 | Philadelphia Daily News
Daily News music critic Tom Di Nardo highlighted Sunday's performance by the Temple University Symphony Orchestra and maestro Luis Biava as his "weekend pick." He urged readers to check out pianist Mark Livshits and vocalist Lauren Pollock, both Boyer students.
February 13, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Arguing that ineffective education is a drag of productivity, many experts believe that education spending belongs in the $789 billion economic-stimulus package being negotiated in Congress. C. Kent McGuire, dean of Temple's College of Education, welcomed the money set aside for education in the compromise between House and Senate leaders, but cautioned that much more thinking needs to go into how to make the U.S. education system meet 21st-century needs. "It's not a strategy, but it is implicit recognition that these are areas in which we have to invest," said McGuire, referring to the education spending in the bill.
February 13, 2009 | WHYY-FM's "Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane"
In a weekly conversation on national politics, Temple History Professor David Farber discussed the stimulus package and the process of reaching consensus. Of Sen. Judd Gregg's announcement to withdraw from consideration as Secretary of Commerce, Farber said, "Obama is learning that he’s not going to pull the Republican Party onto his side."
February 13, 2009 | Philadelphia Tribune
At a recent Black History Month forum sponsored by Temple's Office of Community Affairs, Pete McDaniels, author of Uneven Lies: The Heroic Story of African-Americans in Golf, said the best way to get more African Americans to play golf professionally is to use their own collective wealth to form golf academies. "If we can close that distance between high school and college, and get them into major colleges where they can compete against the best players in the country, that’s when you’ll see more kids on tour."
February 13, 2009 | Ivanhoe Newswire
A new study provides some explanation as to why young teens might practice poor judgment when it comes drugs and sex. "Those who wish to use research on adolescent decision-making to guide legal policies concerning teenagers’ rights and responsibilities need to be more specific about which particular capacities are being studied — sensation seeking or self-control — since they don’t all mature along the same time table,” said study lead author, Laurence Steinberg, professor of psychology at Temple.
February 13, 2009 | Press of Atlantic City
Today is Friday the 13th, a day some consider unlucky. Is luck real? Temple psychologist Frank Farley defines luck as the ability to grasp at opportunity — not a rabbit's foot. "While objects can be comforting, they can also be crutches that are not often helpful in navigating life," he said. "There's an enormous amount of chanciness in life, and people who are prepared for risk and uncertainty are more likely to find what people often define as luck."
February 12, 2009 | 6ABC
Before men turn to drugs to improve their sexual performance, there are three simple things they can do right now to turn things around in the bedroom: Exercise, eat better and stop smoking. "Smoking constricts blood vessels all over the body. We know it's not good for the heart, it's not good for the lungs, but it's also not good for performance," said Jack Mydlo, professor and chair of the Department of Urology at Temple's School of Medicine.
February 12, 2009 | Wisconsin Public Radio
Why do people want to know so much about celebrities and their personal lives? "We're social animals. We're extremely interested in other people's behavior," said Temple psychologist Frank Farley. "In our own personal lives, we talk extensively about the behavior of others, celebrity or non-celebrity. We talk about our friends, our family. We gossip all the time. Celebrities formalize that."
February 12, 2009 | CNN
In Japan, Kazutsugi Nami and 21 other executives were arrested for swindling more than 10,000 investors. Although there are differences between the allegations of fraud against Wall Street's Bernie Madoff and Nami, there are also parallels as well, said Jeffrey Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus. "They were both smooth operators," he said. "They were moving in high-echelon circles and they wiped out the savings of a lot of people. I think the biggest parallel is the consequence for the investor. They're left holding the bag and they have nothing left."
February 11, 2009 | 6ABC
Students these days are spending more time online than in the bookstore. Now publishers are admitting that if you can't beat them, join them. Some publishing companies are using video games to entice readers. David Mitchell, executive director of Temple's Institute on Disabilities, believes the publishing industry is in a crisis as the population increasingly uses the Internet for it's reading material. "The relationship of the development of Internet and video games to books is a way of trying to revive the currency of books themselves."
February 11, 2009 | Delaware County Daily Times
When Gov. Rendell announced that he wanted to provide tuition relief with video poker profits, cash-strapped students of state-owned colleges saw hope for the future. But students at Temple and other state-related universities are out of luck. In addition, Rendell proposed cutting $11.4 million in Temple's state funding for next academic year. "It isn't fair that the state is cutting the [Temple] budget, giving more reason for tuition to increase, and then not supporting the students who need aid the most," said Temple Student Government President Nadine Mompremier.
February 11, 2009 | Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito is visiting Vietnam. In December, Japan cut aid to Vietnam after a Tokyo firm was caught bribing a Vietnamese official. "This company has had problems in the past so I think the government was not only sending a message to Vietnam, but was also sending a message to the consultants that play a key role in Japanese aid programs," said Asia expert Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus, who added that "nobody has high expectations."
February 10, 2009 | USA Today
Gossip about Jessica Simpson's weight spotlights the burden of celebrity. There may be a psychological explanation for all this attention to celebrities' bodies, and it's called "the tall poppy effect," says Temple psychologist Frank Farley, a former president of the American Psychological Association. In a field of poppies, one or two may stand out above the rest, and "we want to whack them down," Farley says. "Celebrities stand out in a crowd, so they attract criticism."
February 10, 2009 | Fox29
Star athletes Alex Rodriguez and Michael Phelps have recently admitted to — and apologized for — using steroids and marijuana, respectively. Public relations expert Gregg Feistman of Temple's School of Communications and Theater offered this advice for anyone who is concerned about saving face after receiving negative publicity: "Get out in front of it, admit you made a mistake, apologize for it, say how you're going to correct it, and then, of course, make sure it never happens again."
February 10, 2009 | Bucks County Courier Times
JoAnne Epps, dean of Temple's Beasley School of Law, will be enshrined in the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania's Take the Lead Hall of Fame for serving as a role model. Her advice for future leaders: "You have to dream big and work hard. You don't achieve much without either. You have to allow your mind to soar, but it doesn't come without hard work and sacrifice."
February 9, 2009 | Newsweek
An article in Newsweek's international edition explores how Japan "can save the world." As Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University, Japan Campus, puts it, "When they say 'boots on the ground,' it doesn't have to be military boots. It can be the boots of construction workers, teachers, health officials." In the years to come, he says, "nothing is going to be more important than contributing nation-building capabilities and humanitarian aid" in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
February 9, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
A team of Temple faculty members and graduate students led by anthropologist R. Michael Stewart is collaborating with students and teachers at Upper Perkiomen Middle School to analyze the school's treasure trove of ancient American Indian artifacts. At 1,980 pieces, the collection could shed light on the lifestyle of native peoples going back more than 10,000 years. When they first saw the artifacts, the Temple team was "awestruck," said Stewart.
February 9, 2009 | Philadelphia Business Journal
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development has granted Temple $1.6 million to establish the Center for Pennsylvania Environmental Technologies for the Pharmaceutical Industry. The grant from the DCED helped the center’s founder, Temple's Rominder Suri, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, win a National Science Foundation grant to establish a Center on Water and Environmental Technology, which he will direct.
February 9, 2009 | United Press International, Indo-Asian News Service
A new study by a five-university team suggests that, compared to adults, teenagers prefer immediate rewards over delayed ones — even if the delayed reward is significantly greater. The cause, say the researchers, is brain immaturity. "Those who wish to use research on adolescent decision-making to guide legal policies concerning teenagers' rights and responsibilities need to be more specific about which particular capacities are being studied," concluded Temple psychologist Laurence Steinberg, co-author of the study.
February 9, 2009 | Phrequency
Phrequency, the new online music division of philly.com, recommended Temple Theaters' production of "The Seven": "Will Power's 'The Seven' is an incredible combination of theater and hip hop that fans of either should definitely check out…[It] stands out as a remarkable adaptation of classic theater combined with a celebration of hip hop, black music, and urban culture as whole. Truly a must see."
February 9, 2009 | National Law Journal
Muriel Morisey, a faculty member in Temple's Beasley School of Law and a former Department of Justice staffer, contributed a commentary on President Obama's recent unilateral exercise of executive power. The federal policy and practice changes that Obama implemented may be welcome, but Morisey lamented the executive branch's unprecedented regulatory control — an approach that began in the Bush administration.
February 9, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
A parent of a charter school student is being sued for defamation by the school's founder. The suit is a "strategic lawsuit against public participation" (SLAPP). Some legal scholars say such suits have a chilling effect on free speech. "They are often going after people who have no money to pay damages or anything," said David Kairys, a professor of constitutional law in Temple's Beasley School of Law. "They have nothing to gain but to shut them up. It's the classic chilling effect."
February 8, 2009 | Washington Times
Weeks before the Treasury Department announced a salary cap for executives at companies taking federal aid, one of President Obama's top political appointees reported a seven-figure compensation deal with Citigroup, a recipient of bailout cash. Had the new pay rules been in place last year, Citigroup executives likely would have seen their pay cut. "I think they certainly would have," said Steven Balsam of Temple's Fox School of Business. "They were paying out huge amounts of money…and it backfired. All the while, they were getting bonuses."
February 8, 2009 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Some experts say that President Obama's executive pay reforms don't go far enough. "Is compensation really going to be cut or are companies just going to find a way out of it?" asks Steven Balsam, a Fox School of Business accounting professor. Balsam, who told the U.S. Senate Finance Committee in 2007 that disclosure doesn't necessarily curb executive pay, says shareholders already have information on executive pay based on disclosure requirements adopted by the SEC.
February 7, 2009 | New York Times
A new high-end train service connecting New York to Atlantic City debuted. The casino city needs bodies to fill the 2,000 hotel rooms it has added. A flagging economy could be a boon if East Coast residents start forgoing trips to Las Vegas for weekends at at the Jersey Shore, said Temple historian Bryant Simon, an expert on Atlantic City. "The train would fit into this perfectly," he said. "The quick-hit fun, less-time, less-money thing may be popular with people who are pulling back their spending."
February 6, 2009 | Wall Street Journal
Inspired by the Motion Picture Academy's flawed "instant runoff" voting system for Academy Awards, Carl Bialik's "Numbers Guy" column explores different methods of voting. A Temple mathematician, Warren D. Smith, is the leading advocate of "range voting," a system that may produce more fair results. If the "Best Picture" Oscar was chosen using range voting, each voter would list their favorite movies in order. The movie with the highest average rank would win.
February 5, 2009 | WHYY-FM
In his budget address, Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell he said he wants to fund tuition relief by legalizing and taxing video poker machines. The governor's timing may be off, said Temple historian Bryant Simon, who has written about gambling. "We can already see gambling revenues in this dwindling economy are dropping. It seems like an odd time to get involved in this."
February 4, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Research suggests that unemployment is emotionally hard for men to bear. Temple psychologist Frank Farley offers this advice for men who lose their jobs: "Keep perspective. There was more unemployment in 1982 than now. Then, like after the Great Depression, good times followed," he said. Farley recommends changing fields, going back to school, trying a new hobby or playing a favorite sport — anything to keep from getting down on yourself, "which solves nothing."
February 4, 2009 | CBS3
As part of his call for belt-tightening, the Governor wants to trim spending by merging Pennsylvania school districts. According to Joseph McLaughlin, director of Temple's Institute for Public Affairs, Pennsylvanians are reluctant to give up their local school districts. "The situation is so severe that things should be on the table or will be on the table that haven’t been," he said.
February 4, 2009 | CNN
Given how often people throw around big numbers these days, some are starting to ask: Is trillion the new million? How big is a trillion anyway? "A million seconds is about 11½ days. A billion seconds is about 32 years, and a trillion seconds is 32,000 years," said Temple mathematician John Allen Paulos. "People tend to lump them together, perhaps because they rhyme, but if you think of it in terms of a jail sentence, do you want to go to jail for 11½ days or 32 years or maybe 32,000 years?"
February 4, 2009 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Women hoping to get pregnant can sign up for a new service offered by babycenter.com that texts them with reminders about ideal times for conception. "The world of technology is increasingly becoming our environment. It's a sea change in society. We don't know where it will end up," said Temple psychologist Frank Farley. "Some people say, 'This is great. It's so helpful. We've been having so much trouble conceiving…,' but how far does it go?"
February 4, 2009 | Philadelphia Daily News
Fred Turoff, Temple's head men's gymnastics coach since 1976, has been chosen for induction to the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. "It's a terrific honor, I'm tickled," Turoff said. "The success that I've had is due to all of the hard work from the student-athletes and coaches that I've had the pleasure to be associated with at Temple University and throughout my professional career."
February 4, 2009 | Philadelphia Weekly
As part of an workshop associated with a Temple Gallery exhibit called "Field Reports" (through Feb. 28), a dozen students at Temple's Tyler School of Art explored the environments under Philadelphia's Ben Franklin Bridge. They collected emotional, sensual and aesthetic detritus by poking around the underbelly of the bridge, then recreated it inside the Gallery. Each installation is completed by companion installations left on or near the bridge.
February 3, 2009 | WHYY-FM
Weight experts fear that with the economy going down, weight will be going up. Gary Foster, director of Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education, says that people crave pleasurable foods in stressful situations, and this behavior becomes habitual over time: "The more often you couple this pleasurable food with this stressful event the more they seem absolutely linked. So every time you have a stressful event you then just like Pavlov’s bell go in search of the pleasant food."
February 3, 2009 | Boston Globe
When playing games against children, parents sometimes intentionally lose. Experts agree that letting kids win has benefits. "The research shows that play and learning are related to each other," says Temple psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, co-author of A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool. "Children are active, not passive, learners. They're social learners. They learn when things are meaningful, not meaningless. And where do we pull all those things together? In play."
February 3, 2009 | WHYY-FM
Although reports of tainted peanut products surfaced weeks ago, many food manufacturers are just now learning that their products may be at risk. Temple's Jennifer Ibrahim, a professor of public health, says the delay highlights the need for more food-safety investigators: "It takes a period of time to go through and trace back every single place that that food product could have gone, and then to get in contact with the corporate offices and then individual stores to be able to remove all of that product."
February 3, 2009 | WHYY-FM
As part of a environmental art exhibit, a group of architecture students at Temple's Tyler School of Art have been exploring an urban habitat: the landscapes under and around Philadelphia's Ben Franklin Bridge. "Performing Land Arts: The Philadelphia Experiment" is on display at Temple Gallery in Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood until Feb. 28.
February 3, 2009 | News Journal (Delaware)
Vision problems, such as problems adjusting to sudden changes in lighting, make the elderly vulnerable to debilitating falls. "It's like when you walk out of a movie theater," said Roberta A. Newton of Temple's College of Health Professions, who studies falls among the elderly. "You walk into the bright light and it shocks you a little bit. When you go from something dark to something that is totally bright, the brain has to process a major amount of information and the brain has to act very quickly for them to keep their balance."
February 2, 2009 | The Scientist
Animals eggs are not a good source for creating human embryonic stem cells. A report released Monday found the hybrid stem cells, which were part human and part animal, couldn't reprogram human DNA. "You have to start saying, 'Well, maybe this isn't a viable approach for generating stem cells,'" says Keith Latham, a developmental biologist at Temple's School of Medicine who was not involved in the research.
February 1, 2009 | Inter Press Service (Italy)
With the launch of NHK World TV, Japan joins the club of countries outside the Anglophone world with a full-fledged, on-the-hour, English-language news channel. Jeffrey Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus, does not see the channel filling a niche in the way Al Jazeera does, providing an alternative non-Western view with special appeal to and emphasis on the Muslim world. "It is entering an already competitive service niche with established heavyweights," Kingston said.
February 1, 2009 | WHYY-FM
"The United States of Tara," a new Showtime series, explores the life of a woman with dissociative identity disorder, a serious mental illness formerly known as multiple personality disorder. Richard Kluft, a professor of psychiatry at Temple's School of Medicine, worked as a consultant on the series. "I wanted to see if I could reduce the ouch factor and help people see that when you treat a disorder that usually is kept in the closet and hidden, when you treat it as a normal circumstance, it might actually turn out to be de-stigmatizing and helpful," he said.
February 1, 2009 | San Diego Union-Tribune
Columnist Michael Stetz writes that many Americans are becoming citizens of other nations. The numbers are "exploding," says Peter Spiro, a professor at Temple's Beasley School of Law who specializes in international and immigration law. "There's really no down side," he said, noting that, in most all cases, people aren't obligated to pay taxes or do military duty.
February 1, 2009 | ABCNews.com
Temple mathematician and best-selling author John Allen Paulos compared the Madoff pyramid scheme to the dot-com and housing crises as well as to the current ravaging of our environment. His "Who's Counting?" column on ABCNews.com appears the first weekend of every month.
January 31-February 2, 2009 | Agence France Presse
The replacement of a judge who had granted Taiwan's former president bail in a corruption case is raising questions about the island's legal system. "[One] of the problems Taiwan has is that the people don't have a lot of confidence in the system," said Phil Deans of Temple University, Japan Campus. "The political scene is so angry and bitter that…one side or the other would not trust the outcome."
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