October 31, 2008 | National Public Radio
With the election approaching and memories of inaccurate exit poll results from 2004 fresh in everyone's minds, Temple political scientist and Temple Poll director Michael Hagen joined NPR's "Day to Day" to discuss the art of taking exit polls. Polling by phones has challenges, "partly because of the use of cell phones, partly because cooperation rates are falling," said Hagen. "It just becomes more difficult to do interviews with a random sample of Americans." Hagen added that this year's results may be hard to analyze. "It's a different kind of election," he said. "There are lots of new people registered to vote across the country. Here in Pennsylvania, there are 1.2 million more people registered now than four years ago."
October 31, 2008 | Legal Intelligencer
A lawyer for Hazleton, Pa., urged a federal appeals court to revive a controversial city ordinance that would have barred employers and landlords from renting to or hiring illegal aliens. Peter Spiro, a professor at Temple's Beasley School of Law, said that immigration law scholars are watching the Hazleton case closely. "As immigration reform has foundered in Washington, state and local governments have moved to fill the vacuum with immigration-related measures of their own," said Spiro. "This activity at the state and local level has been unprecedented. It's also of questionable constitutional validity." U.S. Circuit Judge Theodore A. McKee, a Temple trustee, asked how far Hazleton could go, wondering if the city could also prohibit selling food to an illegal alien.
October 31, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
A team of researchers co-led by Temple psychologist Philip T. Kendall has found that more than 80 percent of children suffering from anxiety disorders dramatically improved on a combination of medication and talk therapy. Only 60 percent of children recovered when treated with drugs or talk therapy alone. The study, which was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, was the largest of its kind ever conducted. The talk therapy used in combination with drugs in the study is a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program developed by Kendall and now used worldwide. "It really is hard to find a CBT program that doesn't have Dr. Kendall's stamp on it," said Anne Marie Albano of Columbia University Medical Center, one of the study's co-authors.
October 31, 2008 | 6ABC, NBC10, Bucks County Courier Times, ABC7 (Los Angeles), more
Binging on candy might give you a stomach ache, but local dentists say it's actually better for your teeth if you eat it all at once, rather than space it out. That's because sweets and carbohydrates produce cavity-causing acids in the mouth, which can take up to an hour to get washed away. "If I keep eating candy throughout the day, there is acid in my mouth for a much longer period of time," explained Mark Helpin, acting chairman of pediatric dentistry at Temple's Kornberg School of Dentistry.
October 30-31, 2008 | Fox News Channel
Temple faculty member Marc Lamont Hill joined "The O'Reilly Factor" to discuss how moderate an Obama presidency might be and "Fox & Friends First" to discuss the impact of young voters in Florida.
October 30, 2008 | USA Today
Older Americans are watching their retirement savings evaporate as the economy slumps and the stock market falters. During a bull market many workers were eager to invest part of their retirement savings in stock and stock mutual funds. But when older workers' investments are hit by a bear market, their financial futures change. If they don't have a pension plan and are relying only on a 401(k), the bear market will cut their retirement income by up to 17.7 percent, according to analysis by Jack VanDerhei of Temple's Fox School of Business.
October 30, 2008 | CBS3
What issues matter for voters? For older Americans, the future of Social Security is a concern. Temple political scientist Michael Hagen said that both candidates have "avoided the third rail" of Social Security. "Sen. McCain has been much more delicate in talking about holding money back from government and leaving it in the hand of people to be used for retirement," said Hagen. Obama's Social Security plans do not include personal accounts or raising the retirement. Instead, Hagen says, Obama proposes raising taxes on people who make more than $250,000 a year.
October 30, 2008 | NBC10
Post-World Series euphoria is wiping out 25 years of frustration for Philadelphia sports fans. What does this do for Philadelphia fans emotionally? "I think it's going to be very positive," says Temple psychologist Frank Farley. "[Philadelphia] has a reputation as a city with losing teams and mean fans and all of that stuff. I think that's been wiped off the slate….My sense is it will lift up the fans a lot in bad times. We are not a losing city!"
October 30, 2008 | 6ABC
Thanks to a collaborative community arts project spearheaded by Tyler School of Art students and faculty, the exterior of Hartranft Elementary School in North Philadelphia has received a complete artistic makeover. The walls of the school are covered by murals, metal work and large-scale ceramic art installations. The Tyler students and faculty members worked with young Philadelphians in Mural Arts' Mural Corps program.
October 2008 | The Intelligencer
Ukrainian immigrant Marina Kats, an alumna of Temple's Beasley School of Law, is running for Congress in Pennsylvania's 13th District (parts of Northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County). Jan Ting, one of Kats' law professors and a former GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate from Delaware, said Kats always sat in the front row, ready to learn. "I remember her as being one of the smartest and best students I ever had," Ting said. "I certainly had a sense that she was interested in doing things and helping people. She's one of our biggest success stories among our alums."
October 2008 | National Jurist
This month's issue of The National Jurist profiles JoAnne Epps, who took over as dean of Temple's Beasley School of Law in July. "This is an exciting time in the history of Temple's Beasley School of Law," said Epps. "The credentials of its students, the quality of its faculty and achievements of its programs are at the highest levels ever." Epps described her plans to expand he faculty, enhance the curriculum with more interdisciplinary courses, add more skills training and increase Temple Law's programs abroad. "For me, what I love most about Temple is its authenticity as a place of opportunity for people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences," she added.
October 30, 2008 | New York Times, Bloomberg
Children and teens diagnosed with anxiety disorders are most likely to recover when treated with "combined therapy" -- antidepressant drugs together with talk therapy -- according to the largest study of its type ever conducted. A team of researchers co-led by Temple psychologist Philip C. Kendall, director of Temple's Child and Adolescent Anxiety Disorders Clinic, found that eight in 10 children who got combined therapy recovered, compared to less than six in 10 children who got only drugs or talk therapy. "All of the treatment options employed may be recommended, taking into consideration the family's treatment preferences" as well as cost and availability, concluded Kendall and his co-authors.
October 30, 2008 | Forbes, MSN Money, Condé Nast Portfolio, more
The 401(k) retirement savings system has come under scrutiny since the economic meltdown pushed stocks lower, costing retirement plans an about $2 trillion in 15 months. Retirement security has been declining for years because people don't make good investment choices. Jack VanDerhei of Temple's Fox School of Business told the Associated Press that his recent studies show that about half of workers who are within 10 years of their target retirement date had more than 70 percent of their 401(k) funds in stocks.
October 30, 2008 | KYW News Radio
Some vandalism marred celebrations in Philadelphia after the Phillies' World Series triumph. Temple psychologist Frank Farley, an expert on motivation and personality, speculated that the mayhem was started by "T-types" -- thrill seekers who respond violently to exhilarating events. Others in the mob may be motivated by different factors. "This is the second win in 126 years, so the boundaries are gone, the limits are lifted, anything goes, " said Farley. "That might loosen up some people to join in who otherwise wouldn't have if they had had a more reflective moment."
October 30, 2008 | Washington Post, Forbes, more
Halloween and its avalanche of candy doesn't have to mean the worst time of year for kids' teeth, says Mark Helpin, acting chair of pediatrics at Temple's Kornberg School of Dentistry. "Parents need to know that frequency is far more important than amount when it comes to taking in" sugars, he said in a HealthDay report. "It's not how much we eat but how often we eat these kinds of things that will place us at increased risk of dental decay and cavities."
October 30, 2008 | Jewish Exponent
Philadelphia's Jewish Archives Center -- one of the most significant archives of its type in the nation -- is closing, but the collection may move to the Urban Archives at Temple University Libraries. "Special collections, such as this one, are the heart and soul of research libraries, particularly in the electronic age," said Larry Alford, dean of University Libraries. "These are really important ways to make sure that, 100 to 200 years from now, we understand how our ancestors lived, and how our friends and families lived."
October 30, 2008 | Jewish Exponent
Temple alumnus Yair Stern, a pioneering Israeli television journalist, reflected on his education, his career and Israel in the media on the eve of receiving a Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Award from the School of Communications and Theater. "Temple gave me a lot, really opened the gates of the world for me," reflected Stern.
October 30, 2008 | Jewish Exponent
Anxious and losing sleep because of the economic crisis? Psychiatrist Paul Jay Fink of Temple's School of Medicine says it's "foolish to feel guilty" if you sold at the wrong time and lost money. "What's done is done," he advises. Guilt "will only make your life worse. If you are depressed, seek help."
October 29, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Scott Charles, Temple University Hospital's trauma outreach coordinator and creator of Temple's innovative Cradle to Grave anti-violence program, was recognized by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as one of 10 recipients of its $125,000 Community Health Leaders Award. Amy Goldberg, Temple's chief trauma surgeon, hired Charles after he brought a group of middle school students to the ER in 2005. "You can just see how moved the students were and what an impact it had on them," said Goldberg, who said the hospital wanted to go beyond its grim routine of patching up gunshot victims and reach out to the community to prevent gun violence.
October 29, 2008 | USA Today
As the economy slows down, more companies are suspending matches of contributions to their employees' 401(k) retirement accounts. General Motors last week became the latest on a list of well-known companies trying to conserve cash by halting 401(k) matches. The match is easy to junk because it is essentially a form of profit-sharing by a company, says Jack VanDerhei of Temple's Fox School of Business.
October 29, 2008 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A new study from Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education suggests that mental barriers may keep obese women from exercising. Some obese women won’t start exercising because they feel self-conscious, are afraid of failure or injury, and are more likely to put off exercise due to minor aches and pains. "This is the first time we've been able to systematically look at what stops obese women from getting the activity they need," said Melissa Napolitano, associate professor of kinesiology.
October 28-29, 2008 | CBS Evening News, CBS Morning News
The latest Temple Poll by political scientist and poll director Michael Hagen of Temple's Institute of Public Affairs puts Barack Obama ahead of John McCain by 9 percentage points among likely voters in Pennsylvania, a state that has received a great deal of attention from McCain and his entourage in recent days. The Temple Poll's results headlined an in-depth "CBS Evening News" segment on Pennsylvania voters that was re-broadcast during the night and again on "CBS Morning News."
October 28, 2008 | UPI
Our DNA may shed light on why people react so differently to dosages of the same drug. Researchers at Temple’s School of Pharmacy are on a "personalized medicine" quest as they study warfarin, a blood thinner that’s associated with a number of adverse drug reactions. They hope to find a genetic variance, or clue, that will help them custom fit prescriptions before that first dose is even taken, improving patient safety.
October 28, 2008 | Yahoo! News, LiveScience
Gorging on candy on Halloween night is the lesser of two evils for children's teeth, says Mark Helpin, a pediatric dentist at Temple's Kornberg School of Dentistry. He adds that it's far worse for parents to ration candy all through the day, day after day, because continuously snacking on candy keeps teeth bathed in enamel-corroding acid, which is produced by bacteria feeding on sugar and other carbohydrates in the mouth.
October 28, 2008 | UPI, NBC4 (Albuquerque), WPTV (West Palm Beach)
Breastfeeding can help children avoid obesity later in life, suggests a team of Temple researchers led by Katherine F. Isselmann of the Department of Public Health. Researchers found that breastfed children could more easily determine when they were full. Bottle-fed children were less likely to respond to the feeling of being full by the time they were preschool-age, and also had a higher body-mass index. "Mothers who bottle feed often focus on a set amount of ounces per day or time schedule for feeding," said Isselmann. "This could lead mothers to rely more on the bottle for feedback than on the infant's cues."
October 28, 2008 | ABC News
Would an Obama win restore America's image overseas? Although Obama is extraordinarily popular abroad, the recent financial crisis has deepened a sense of resentment in many parts of the world. "There's a lot of anger that this financial crisis was made in America and that other countries are going to be paying the bills for the casino culture on Wall Street," said Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple's Japan campus.
October 28, 2008 | NBC10
A team of Temple researchers led by Katherine F. Isselmann, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Public Health, has found that babies who are breast fed are more easily able to determine when they're full compared to babies who are bottle-fed. Isselmann says that mothers who bottle feed their babies tend to pay more attention to how many ounces their children are consuming, rather than watching for cues from their babies. As a result, those babies are less likely to develop internal cues to signal when they are full.
October 28, 2008 | Daily Pennsylvanian
At colleges throughout the city, campus safety forces work together with Philadelphia Police. Temple police officers have an "excellent" relationship with Philadelphia Police, said Carl Bittenbender, executive director of Campus Safety Services at Temple and a former Philadelphia Police officer. "All my folks…go through the Philadelphia Police academy, and they establish relationships with their officers," said Bittenbender, adding that violent crime at Temple is "down pretty significantly."
October 27, 2008 | CN8
Bruce Rader, a finance expert at Temple's Fox School of Business joined "Art Fennel Reports" to discuss the presidential candidates' financial plans. McCain's plans, said Rader, include reducing taxes on corporations and cutbacks on earmarks and pork, while Obama's emphasize middle-class tax cuts and tax raises for Americans earning more than $250,000 a year. "Most of the growth in our economy is generated by the middle class," said Rader.
October 27, 2008 | NBC10
Although Philadelphians have enjoyed watching the Phillies take a 3-1 lead in the World Series, many haven't enjoyed watching endless images of baseball players spitting. Some experts say that players have a responsibility as role models to refrain from certain behaviors. "My view is: 'Hit, don't spit,'" said Temple psychologist Frank Farley. "They're stars, and they're spitting all over the place. I don't like that for kids and adolescents."
October 27, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
After two-plus decades at Wyeth helping bring several major drugs to market and heading a division with 500 scientists, Magid Abou-Gharbia left "big Pharma" for Temple. Abou-Gharbia has joined the School of Pharmacy as professor of medicinal chemistry and director of the new Center for Drug Discovery Research. Miriam Hill had a chat with Abou-Gharbia about his professional and personal life. "Now is my time to give back to students and scientists in academia," he said.
October 27, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Four Temple faculty members -- Karen Turner (journalism), David Farber (history), Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon (theater) and David Harrington Watt (history) -- joined 150 students at Main Campus for a candid discussion about race and the presidential election. Half the students were given electronic clickers to answer polling questions periodically flashed on a screen. "The result," wrote Alfred Lubrano, "was a multi-media, multi-generational, multi-tiered conversation that ranged beyond politics to the intensely personal."
October 27, 2008 | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Nationally syndicated personal finance columnist Humberto Cruz explored investment risk. Many older Americans are heavily exposed to the stock market. While such high allocations to stocks may be appropriate for younger workers, "it is less certain that those approaching retirement would receive similar recommendations," Fox School of Business faculty member Jack VanDerhei told the House Education and Labor committee this month.
October 27, 2008 | WHYY-FM
The suicide rate among middle aged white men and women is on the rise. David Baron, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Temple’s School of Medicine, commented on the possible reasons for the increasing numbers. The next step, said Baron, is figuring out what mid-life influences are responsible for the higher suicide rates.
October 26, 2008 | Centre Daily Times
Temple's School of Medicine, Fox Chase Cancer Center and Geisinger Health System will form the Keystone Institute for Translational Medicine, based at Temple, to design and implement research on the genetic, behavioral and social causes of such diseases as diabetes, hypertension, lung disease, obesity and specific cancers that disproportionately affect urban and rural Pennsylvanians. An overarching goal will be to engage patients in research as part of the health care delivery process.
October 26, 2008 | WFYI-FM (Indianapolis)
Barbara Lewis, host of "Sound Medicine," interviewed Mark Helpin, acting chair of pediatric dentistry at Temple’s Maurice H Kornberg School of Dentistry, on parents should let kids pig out on Halloween sweets. "If they start eating it all at once, I think they’re OK," he said, adding that getting cavities has less to do with how much candy kids eat than with how often they eat it.
October 26, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Some people have benefitted from gambling in Pennsylvania, but others -- including compulsive gamblers -- are losers. On a recent Saturday night, Temple psychologist Frank Farley, who studies risk-taking, counted slots players at PhillyPark. "My count was 2-1 women over men….I noticed quite a few disabled people, several with canes, walkers and wheelchairs," he said. "There were not many young people."
October 26, 2008 | Poughkeepsie Journal (N.Y.)
Retirement recently got harder for Americans planning to unlock their stock portfolios. But experts say stocks usually rebound -- eventually. There are "no guarantees that we are going to have something within a person's life span that will get back to levels it had been," said Fox School of Business faculty member Jack VanDerhei. "But if you look at 10-year intervals over the past, typically that's always been the situation."
October 25, 2008 | KYW News Radio
Doctors often tell patients to eat less and exercise more -- sound advice, but not always easy to follow. Melissa Napolitano, associate professor of kinesiology and public health at Temple, says a study of obese women found several important psychological reasons why they won't or can't hit the gym. "I think a lot of times the recommendation from a practitioner or physician includes just go out for a walk," Napolitano said. "That may sound easy, but there may be other barriers or factors that might influence women being able to do that."
October 24-26, 2008 | Fox News Channel
Temple faculty member Marc Lamont Hill appeared on many of FNC programs over the weekend -- including "Fox & Friends" and "The O'Reilly Factor" -- to comment on the Obama-McCain race.
October 24, 2008 | CNN
Some people have trouble perceiving certain tastes; others can't taste at all. "If we lose our ability to taste food, we're less likely to eat food," said Greg Smutzer of Temple's Biology Department. "That can affect nutritional status." Smutzer has created taste strips to pinpoint a patient's taste deficiencies, which until now was difficult to do. Smutzer's taste strips also can help diagnose patients who cannot taste a bitter chemical called "prope" -- a taste deficiency linked to overeating and addiction.
October 24, 2008 | National Public Radio
Temple's Marc Lamont Hill joined NPR's "Tell Me More" to discuss and debunk "robocalls" -- automated political marketing telephone calls -- created to support both candidates.
October 24, 2008 | Philadelphia Business Journal
The credit crunch has affected business credit card issuers who are grappling with delinquencies and a lack of capital. Jonathan Scott of the Fox School of Business said his class of MBA students who are small business executives told him these interest rate hikes have become common. Scott said card issuers might want to cut assets so they have more reasonable asset-to-capital ratios. "They are just trying to send a signal that they don’t want your business, because it’s not natural to go from 7 percent to 30 percent," he said.
October 24, 2008 | UPI, Asian News International
A team of researchers led by Joanna Maselko of Temple's Department of Public Health investigated links between people's religiosity and depression. Of 918 participants surveyed, those with higher levels of religious well-being were 1.5 times more likely to have had depression than those with lower levels of religious well-being. Maselko theorizes this is because people with depression tend to use religion as a coping mechanism. As a result, they feel more closely related to God and pray more.
October 24, 2008 | WHYY-FM
Many African Americans and parents of girls are bringing children to presidential campaign events — in many cases, hoping that their kids will see Barack Obama and Sarah Palin as role models. "Sometimes it's difficult for kids to identify with white males," said Temple psychologist Frank Farley. "[Obama and Palin are] salient to kids because they're different."
October 24, 2008 | Bloomberg
China will be pressed to get more involved in combating the global financial crisis at today's Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). Given the crisis, this year's meeting may prove to be more substantive than past ones, said Phil Deans, a professor of international affairs at Temple University Japan. "ASEM has the potential this time to achieve something really important," Deans said. "If you can get the Asian and European economies singing from the same page the Americans will have to follow."
October 24, 2008 | Arizona Republic
In future elections, people may have access to so much personal information about candidates that voters will focus only on the details that most closely match their own experiences, said Frank Farley, a Temple psychologist. "There will be so much information about a persona available some day, we won't be able deal with it all," said Farley, "so we'll peel parts off that make the most sense to us."
October 24, 2008 | Indo-Asian News Service
New research suggests that customized DNA-based prescriptions could help avert adverse drug reactions. Warfarin, the most widely prescribed anti-coagulant, heads the list of problem drugs. Evgeny Krynetskiy, director of the Jayne Haines Center for Pharmacogenomics and Drug Safety at Temple's School of Pharmacy, has focused his research on that drug. "Prescribing this medicine is like trial and error in finding the right dosage that works best for you."
October 24, 2008 | Bucks County Courier Times
With the Phillies in the World Series attempting to break a long dry spell for the city's pro sports teams, Philadelphians are ready for a big win — along with the intense emotional release that comes with it. "If we do win this one, my prediction would be it would raise our engagement and enthusiasm going forward," said Temple psychologist Frank Farley. "Right now, we've habituated so much to our not winning, our enthusiasm is on the way down."
October 23, 2008 | ABC News
Our first impressions of people are often swayed by unexpected factors. "There are all sorts of things that can influence our judgment that have nothing to do with actual judgment," said Kareem Johnson of Temple's Department of Psychology. For example, Johnson has found that whether a person is asked to push off from a desk with their hands on top, or pull in with their hands below, will influence whether they make positive or negative judgments. "Oftentimes what we do to make our judgment simpler, is we go with how we feel at the moment, even if it's subconscious."
October 22, 2008 | Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Austin American-Statesman, more
Many media reports are comparing today's financial crisis to the Great Depression. Historians agree there are common themes. "It is a very similar process to the Great Depression, because what you have is people not spending enough money," said Bryant Simon, director of American Studies at Temple. Debt-ridden consumers and troubled banks are toxic to a consumption-driven economy, he said. "It is not as severe as it was," Simon said. "But if the banks are not going to lend money, you can't get the economy back in gear."
October 22, 2008 | Philadelphia Daily News
Guenther Boden, section chief of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Temple's School of Medicine, and Kathya Zinszer, director of outreach for diabetes education at the School of Podiatric Medicine, addressed the challenges of effectively managing diabetes. Boden spoke about managing blood sugar ("There is no such thing as a touch of sugar that is not harmful," he said), while Zinszer said that diabetic foot wounds can be more deadly than some types of cancer.
October 22, 2008 | The Oregonian
Court records show that an Oregon tax activist illegally tapped a tax-exempt foundation over a two-year period for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses. "Personal living expenses out of the organization's funds are almost never payments for furthering the mission," says Sharon Wilson, director of the Center for Community Nonprofit Organizations at Temple's Beasley School of Law. "The IRS considers that a no-no."
October 22, 2008 | Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Austin American-Statesman, more
Many media reports are comparing today's financial crisis to the Great Depression. Historians agree there are common themes. "It is a very similar process to the Great Depression, because what you have is people not spending enough money," said Bryant Simon, director of American Studies at Temple. Debt-ridden consumers and troubled banks are toxic to a consumption-driven economy, he said. "It is not as severe as it was," Simon said. "But if the banks are not going to lend money, you can't get the economy back in gear."
October 22, 2008 | Philadelphia Daily News
Guenther Boden, section chief of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Temple's School of Medicine, and Kathya Zinszer, director of outreach for diabetes education at the School of Podiatric Medicine, addressed the challenges of effectively managing diabetes. Boden spoke about managing blood sugar ("There is no such thing as a touch of sugar that is not harmful," he said), while Zinszer said that diabetic foot wounds can be more deadly than some types of cancer.
October 22, 2008 | The Oregonian
Court records show that an Oregon tax activist illegally tapped a tax-exempt foundation over a two-year period for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses. "Personal living expenses out of the organization's funds are almost never payments for furthering the mission," says Sharon Wilson, director of the Center for Community Nonprofit Organizations at Temple's Beasley School of Law. "The IRS considers that a no-no."
October 21, 2008 | Washington Post
How do we learn how much food to put on our plates? "The Checkup," a health blog produced by the Washington Post, described recent findings by Jennifer Fisher and a team at Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education. Fisher found that kids help themselves to much more food when presented with larger portions. According to Fisher, the study draws attention to "how simple things in the food environment that we might not think about might influence eating."
October 21, 2008 | Associated Press, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Acting at the recommendation of John Goldkamp, chair of Temple's Department of Criminal Justice, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell lifted a moratorium on parole for non-violent offenders. Goldkamp had been tapped by the governor to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the state's parole procedures.
October 20, 2008 | NPR's "Morning Edition"
Five young Philadelphia-area Muslims accused of plotting a terrorist attack on soldiers at Fort Dix go on trial today. Key pieces of evidence include a video of the defendants firing weapons and subsequent recordings of their conversations by an FBI informant. Edward Ohlbaum of Temple's Beasley School of Law says that the defense will likely focus on whether the defendants were "puffing and exaggerating and trying to show how cool they were, or were they actually expressing their intention to do all the ugly things the government says they were planning to do."
October 20, 2008 | Bucks County Courier Times
With financial markets in upheaval, more Americans are suffering symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression. Temple psychologist Frank Farley believes media references to the Great Depression are feeding the mental frenzy. "The concept of the self-fulfilling prophecy is often true," Farley said. "It's a loaded term. It suggested the most extreme, dire consequences are just around the corner and could occur at any moment."
October 20, 2008 | Allentown Morning Call
Lawyers will start picking jurors in the homicide trial of Mary Jane Fonder, a task complicated by extensive news coverage. Lawyers will ask prospective jurors what they know about the case and whether they believe the Bucks County woman is guilty or innocent. ''That's sort of the $64,000 question,'' said Edward Ohlbaum, a professor at Temple's Beasley School of Law. ''Most people are asked and quite honestly say they don't have an opinion. When you ask somebody, can they be fair? 'Of course,' they say, 'of course.'"
October 19, 2008 | Fort Worth Star Telegram (Texas)
In the old days, when the business model of sports franchises was built on ticket sales, sports were relatively immune from the effects of economic downturns. But things have changed. "[The current economic downturn] will have a different effect than it would have 15 or 20 and certainly 30 years ago," said Michael Leeds of Temple's Fox School of Business. "That's because sports teams and leagues have very much shifted their focus from the average fan to corporate interests. And that, I think, will come back to bite them a little bit."
October 19, 2008 | Stockton Record (California)
Fuel prices are sliding after peaking this summer. So what will Americans pay for gas in one year? Five years? "No one knows," said Frederic Murphy, an expert on energy markets at Temple's Fox School of Business.
October 19, 2008 | Washington Post
Retired Temple professor Don Walters leads tours of President James Buchanon's home, Wheatland, one of several historic Lancaster Country buildings featured in a Washington Post travel piece. Dressed as Buchanon, Walter uses each of Wheatland's rooms to tell a chapter of the social and political history of America.
October 18, 2008 | NBC10
Nearly 200 patients are helping researchers at the Temple Lung Center find a potential genetic cause for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but that's just the tip of the iceberg. More than 12,000 participants will eventually take part in the national NIH-sponsored study. "If we find genetic factors, it may point to why some people do better than others, and that might allow us to use that information so we can help prevent or diagnose patients who are susceptible to this disease," said Gerard Criner, director of the Temple Lung Center.
October 18, 2008 | Japan Times
"The global financial crisis has dangerous strategic implications for Japan," wrote Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University Japan, in an op-ed piece. "Since 1952, Japan's strategy has been to rely on the U.S. both for defending the country and providing international public goods….America's defense of Japan itself is not in doubt. However, we may be entering a period where the capacity of the U.S. to support the international liberal regime established after World War II will decline."
October 17-18, 2008 | Fox News Channel
Temple faculty member Marc Lamont Hill joined several national FNC shows over the weekend — including "Bulls and Bears" and "The O'Reilly Factor" — to discuss the financial crisis and the presidential election.
October 17, 2008 | Associated Press
Some detractors belittle Norman Rockwell's iconic paintings of America as too idealistic and nostalgic. Photojournalist Kevin Rivoli debunks that criticism with his new book of photos. "Rivoli makes photographs that reveal the same types of scenes Rockwell made famous, images that speak to us through a common visual language and help people appreciate and better understand who they are," said Andrew Mendelson, chair of the Journalism Department at Temple's School of Communications and Theater.
October 17, 2008 | 6ABC, Philadelphia Daily News
In uncertain economic times, the Philadelphia Phillies are providing an emotionally essential service: a sense of hope. But Temple psychologist Frank Farley warns Philadelphians not to pin all their hopes on the Phillies push for a World Series title. "Maybe they will lift us up for a while from these doldrums we're into," said Farley. "But don't hang your whole life on a sports team winning."
October 17, 2008 | Fox29
Chris Cagle of Temple's Film and Media Arts Department joined "The Last Word" to offer his take on "W," Oliver Stone's new film about President Bush. "It is an empathetic portrait," said Cagle, who added that Josh Brolin's performance "gives a psychological depth" to the movie.
October 17, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
The Phillies and the election went head-to-head recently when a playoff game and a presidential debate were broadcast simultaneously. In Philadelphia, twice as many viewers chose baseball. Why the big margin? "We've been in this election cycle for, some would say, two years, and this was the third debate between the two candidates," said Andrew Mendelson of Temple's journalism department. "Whereas the Phillies game, this is for many people the first time in their lifetime that this is happening, that the team is going to the World Series."
October 8, 2008 | WHYY-FM's "Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane"
In their new book, Rethinking Juvenile Justice, Laurence Steinberg and Elizabeth Scott make the case that juvenile justice should be grounded in psychological science – what we know about a juvenile's cognitive and emotional development. Steinberg is a Professor of Psychology at Temple. Scott is a Professor of Law at Columbia.
October 8, 2008 | New York Times
Researchers from Temple University’s Center for Obesity Research and Education in Philadelphia found that obese women were more accurate in reporting their activity levels than overweight or normal weight women. Lead author Tracy Oliver said that the opposite finding may be due to the fact that exercise and even low levels of physical activity may be particularly challenging for an obese person. “They want to give themselves credit for every little bit engaged in due to the effort put forth,” she said.
October 8, 2008 | Lancaster Newspapers
“Adulthood isn't something we enter into at a certain age. It's something into which we slowly evolve. Some of us never evolve completely…So for those who are wondering what it means to be a true adult, remember this: Adulthood has little to do with your age. And when that day arrives — whether it is tomorrow or 50 years from now — you will know if you're in the club or not,” wrote Temple University student Leah Stoner, offering her opinion on what it means to turn 18.
October 8, 2008 | Washington Post
Americans' retirement plans have lost $2 trillion in the last 15 months. Employees between the ages of 56 and 65 who had the fewest years on the job were the least affected, while those 36 to 45 years old with the longest tenures suffered the steepest declines, said Jack L. VanDerhei of Temple's Fox School of Business.
October 8, 2008 | Daily Telegraph (UK)
Urging children to finish their food could lead to obesity. The researchers behind the study also believe that placing larger portions in front of children tells them that it is socially acceptable to overeat. "Seeing a large amount of food in front of you can lead you to believe that someone decided this portion was the right amount to eat," said Jennifer Fisher of Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education.
October 8, 2008 | Daily Yomiuri (Japan)
Tokyo might win a bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games. But would winning be a blessing or a curse? Michael Leeds of Temple's Fox School of Business, a noted expert on sports economics, says cities understate costs and overstate the economic impact. "Athens spent 1.3 billion dollars on security alone," Leeds said. "Unless world peace suddenly breaks out....Security alone could be close to 3 billion dollars by then."
October 8, 2008 | U.S.News & World Report, Forbes, many more
Wall Street's problems are costing Americans more than money: It's costing them emotional distress. Frank Farley, a professor of psychological studies in education at Temple, said the four "C's" can help people cope: Stay calm, be cautious, be careful and have confidence. "We have gone through financial crises and recessions, and we have always come out of them," Farley said. "Have confidence that we will again."
October 8, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer, Newark Star-Ledger
Tyler School of Art alumnus Eric Pryor, currently president of the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, was named the executive director of the New Jersey State Museum, one of the nation's first museum's with an educational mission.
October 8, 2008 | Bloomberg
Japan's government struggled to come up with policy response to the global financial crisis and a collapse in the Tokyo stock market. "It's the wrong time for politicians to fiddle,'' said Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Japanese Studies at Temple University Japan. "The credit crunch in the U.S. and Europe at the end of the day is a problem for Japan ! too.''
October 8, 2008 | News Journal (Delaware)
In an opinion piece, Professor Jan Ting of Temple's Beasley School of Law explains why some Republicans are voting for Obama.
October 8, 2008 | Fox29
Which candidate gained the most from the latest presidential debate? Temple faculty member Marc Lamont Hill joined "Good Day Philadelphia" to offer his analysis.
October 7, 2008 | NPR's "Morning Edition"
At some national historic sites -- such as Gettysburg National Military Park, where an iconic 20th Century museum is now threatened with demolition – memorials, monuments and museums can become valued historic structures in their own right. Are there limits to such commemoration? "If you commemorate every way of remembering at Gettysburg," says Temple historian Seth Bruggeman, "then you leave no room for the visitor."
October 7, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
Temple graduate student Michael Rastivo, a doctoral candidate in the College of Health Professions, was thrust into the national spotlight recently when he encountered vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in Philadelphia and asked her some pointed foreign policy questions. In an op-ed, Rastivo offers his take on his fateful meeting.
October 6, 2008 | WHYY-FM's "Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane"
The U.S. banking industry is undergoing a period of consolidation with reports of bank mergers and takeovers dominating the business news. Jon Scott, an associate professor of finance at the Fox School of Business, joined host Marty Moss-Coane in the studio to explore how the U.S. banking system works and what all this turmoil means to individual depositors, businesses and the overall health of the economy.
October 6, 2008 | CBS3
The Food Trust and Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education partnered on a recent study that found 70 percent of children bought food or drinks on their commute to school. The findings showed that children purchased $2-3 worth of food each day, which could add up to an extra 600 empty calories from junk food a day.
October 6, 2008 | U.S.News & World Report, Forbes
A new study has found that vending machines selling unhealthy snacks and sugared drinks are found in three-quarters of middle schools. That's not helping fight against childhood obesity, experts say. "If a child has a dollar in their pocket …they want to spend it," said study author Amy Virus of Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education. "If they can only choose from healthy products, hopefully, we'll see a difference in their risk factors for obesity and type 2 diabetes."
October 6, 2008 | Forbes
What treats should parents teach children to avoid on Halloween? Stay away from saturated-fat-laden cakes and candy bars, as well as sticky treats such as taffy, caramel or gummy candies. The latter will stick to your kids' teeth, promoting tooth decay, says Temple pediatric dentist Mark Helpin.
October 6, 2008 | United Press International
Researchers from Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education and the Department of Kinesiology found that obese women face more mental barriers -- including perceived poor health, having minor aches or pains or feeling too overweight to exercise -- than their normal weight counterparts when it comes to exercise. "These might sound like excuses to some people, but for those who have these aversions, they're real problems," said Associate Professor Melissa Napolitano.
October 6, 2008 | Time
Japan is creating a super agency that will dispense billions of dollars a year in foreign aid, particularly in Africa and Asia, where China has become a major donor. Tokyo's motives are "partly China-driven, since Japan thinks they're competing with China for Africa and for resources," says Robert Dujarric of Temple University Japan. "And this is partly U.S.-driven, since the U.S. knows that Japan is limited in terms of what it can do in the military field, so they should do something in the aid field as a way to help."
October 6, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
A new study conducted at seven Philadelphia schools by researchers at Temple University and the Food Trust, a city-based nonprofit, found that a majority of the children bought food or drink from corner stores and other outlets while walking to or from school, much of it junk. The researchers were pleased to discover how many kids were traveling on foot, but dismayed by the snacking, said Stephanie S. Vander Veur, director of clinical research at Temple's Center for Obesity Research and Education.
October 6, 2008 | BBC News
Given Japan's high rate of suicide, experts are expressing increased concern that the global economic downturn could lead to an increased number of Japanese taking their own lives. "There's a lot more working poor, a lot more who are worried about losing their job, a lot more people stressed out that they might lose their job," said Jeff Kingston of Temple University, Japan Campus.
October 6, 2008 | United Press International
Researchers at Temple’s Center for Obesity Research and Education found that although the obese may often underestimate how many calories they actually consume, they are much better at measuring exercise. "The ability to estimate the amount of minutes engaged in physical activity is a difficult task for many, however the accuracy of this estimate can increase with education and participation in physical activity over time," said Tracy Oliver, a Temple health specialist.
October 5, 2008 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Student interns from Temple's Tyler School of Art participate every year in a program for middle school students that teaches youngsters ceramics, glass blowing, graphic design and video production. The Tyler students learn how to teach, run a glass studio, care for equipment -- all while acquiring college credit.
October 5, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
The SEC has opened 50 investigations into disclosure and valuation of housing-related investments at banks, insurers and credit-rating agencies, but many who pushed the limits, or bent the rules, will not likely be punished. "It's built into our psyche. We are greedy, and we are not above being deceitful when making money,” said William Stull, chairman of Temple's Economics Department. "We are herd animals. We get into panics, and everybody does the same thing at the same time."
October 5, 2008 | CN8, KYW News Radio
Karen Turner, associate professor of journalism at Temple, talked with Larry Kane about a new era in presidential politics. Turner noted that the media’s coverage of race and gender may be responsible for the stereotypes in this election. "I give the media a C-in the way this campaign has been covered," she said.
October 5, 2008 | Philadelphia Inquirer
“These are the times that try men's psyches,” reported the Inquirer’s Stacy Burling. Frank Farley, a psychologist at Temple University, agreed. "It's hard to keep perspective and keep balance in that kind of atmosphere," he said. But financial experts advise against giving into the fear. Jon Scott, associate professor of finance at Temple's Fox School of Business, said the stock market fell sharply when U.S. troops went into Iraq, then rose quickly after the march into Baghdad. "If you weren't invested at that time, you would have missed most of the gain for that year." Investors have a habit, he said, of "buying high and selling low. That's not how you want to accumulate wealth."
October 4 | Al Jazeera TV
Temple psychologist Frank Farley joined Al Jazeera TV to discuss voting behavior in the U.S. and the presidential election.
October 3 | Science News
Applying a strong electric field to fuel a moment before it’s injected into the engine’s cylinders boosted fuel efficiency of a Mercedes-Benz 300D from 32 to 38 miles per gallon, scientists report in the Nov. 19 Energy & Fuels. The new technique works by making the fuel about 10 percent thinner -- more like water and less like molasses. "Making the droplets smaller has been a goal for a while," says Rongjia Tao, a physicist at Temple who led the research.
October 3, 2008 | WHYY-FM
Should juveniles be spared the death penalty or life sentences without parole? Some experts believe differences in brain development between juveniles and adults should be taken into account when considering the punishment of young people. Laurence Steinberg, a psychologist in Temple's College of Liberal Arts, said that the brains of juveniles are undergoing changes in "impulse control, in planning and in standing up to coercive pressure from other individuals."
October 3, 2008 | Lancaster Intelligencer Journal
Temple psychologist Laurence Steinberg believes that the juvenile brain isn't fully mature, which impacts their risk behavior and self-control. "Juveniles who commit crimes should be held responsible for their behavior," Steinberg said. "They should be punished for their offenses, and they should be sanctioned in a way that protects the community. But we have the capacity to do this without locking them up for life and wasting taxpayer dollars."
October 2, 2008 | Metro
Metro's "Voices" blog featured debate tips for vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin from Temple faculty member Marc Lamont Hill. Hill's advice: Avoid head-to-head exchanges, stop talking about Alaska's proximity to Russia and don't mention pigs or lipstick.
October 1, 2008 | Village Voice
"In Conflict," a play about Iraq War veterans developed by Douglas Wager of Temple's Theater Department from a book by Yvonne Latty, continued to collect good reviews. The Village Voice said that the Temple student actors' monologues, which are adapted from soldier's actual testimonies, are "more poignant and potent than most fictional treatments of the war."
October 1, 2008 | News Journal (Delaware)
With Milwaukee set to play Philadelphia in the Major League Baseball playoffs, experts have been comparing the two cities -- including their regional personality traits. Temple psychologist Frank Farley cited a recent study that rated each state in a range of traits. In neuroticism, Pennsylvania ranked sixth; Wisconsin ambled in at 35th. In agreeableness, Wisconsin finished fifth, and Pennsylvania 35th.
October 1, 2008 | New Scientist magazine
A simple device that fits inside vehicle fuel-injection systems can increase the efficiency of an engine by up to 19 per cent. The device, developed by a team led by Temple physicist Rongjia Tao, generates an electric field that reduces fuel viscosity, creating smaller droplets that burn more completely and cleanly.
October 1, 2008 | Metro
Temple's new General Education (or "GenEd") program offers students "fresh approaches" to education. "We now know that people learn best when they are working together to solve interesting problems," said Terry Halbert, director of GenEd. Nearly half of the new GenEd courses will take students out of the classroom and into Philadelphia.
October 1, 2008 | Fox News Channel, Fox29
Temple faculty member Marc Lamont Hill discussed the upcoming vice presidential debate. His advice to Biden: "Stick to the issues…and show what Sarah Palin does not know." His advice to Palin: "Try to stay strong and stay aggressive." Hill also joined the set of FNC's "The Live Desk" to offer his take on debate moderator Gwen Ifill's impartiality, which had been called into question following reports acknowledging her upcoming book about Obama's political breakthrough.
October/November 2008 | American Journalism Review
When the New York Times covered Jesse Jackson's crude remarks about Barack Obama this summer, a debate was ignited -- not about politics, but about course language, which many media outlets didn't print. Burton Caine of Temple's Beasley School of Law believes the Times should loosen up. Caine says it's hypocritical to praise the late comedian George Carlin for reducing the shock value of the seven "dirty" words, as Times columnist William Safire did, and yet refuse to publish them. "It is wrong to praise expression and refuse to print the words," Caine said.
October 2008 | Philadelphia Magazine
"[Temple football coach] Al Golden insists his job is easy because Temple sells itself these days. Sitting in his office during football camp in August, he reels off a tsunami of plus points: a capital improvements campaign that’s pumping
$500 million onto North Broad Street. The nation's fourth-largest media market. America's most diverse college campus. The Mid-American Conference's best attendance last year. 'What has happened on this campus in the past decade is
incredible,' Golden says."
October 2008 | Philadelphia Magazine
October marks the 25th anniversary of the death of influential newscaster Jessica Savitch. Temple journalism faculty member Francesca Viola says Savitch was a pioneer. "She had the skill and the guts to pursue a career in TV
journalism when there was no clear path for women," Viola said, "which means there's now room for all of us, even the plunging-neckline happy-talkers who riddle cable news. I doubt that even those women would be sitting there now if
it weren't for women like Jessica."
October 2008 | National Jurist
With the number of students seeking Master's of Law (LL.M.) degrees increasing, more law schools are offering innovative LL.M. programs. Temple's Beasley School of Law is attracting experienced attorneys and recent law grads to its LL.M. program in transnational law. The program educates students about transnational transactions and litigations and helps them understand how different cultures approach the law, said Louis Thompson, the new assistant dean for Graduate and International Studies. Temple also offers an LL.M. in trial advocacy.
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