USC in the News 11/5/2009

The New York Times ran an op-ed by Dan Schnur of the USC College about the November 3 elections. "Despite what Republican spinners have argued, the message delivered by voters in Virginia, New Jersey and upstate New York yesterday carried neither a partisan nor an ideological bent to it. Rather, it was the latest indicator of a populist anger that rages against any convenient target of either party," Schnur wrote. "More important than the message we heard, though, is what the few dozen moderate and conservative Democratic members the president needs to pass health care and climate change legislation extracted from the election returns. They learned that even a very popular president does not have coattails and that they will face the twin challenges of motivating the party base and reaching out to swing voters without a great deal of help from the White House. That may increase their reluctance to cast politically risky votes on behalf of the Obama policy agenda."

Los Angeles Times reported that it and the USC College are teaming up to sponsor polls of California residents. The joint effort, called the University of Southern California College of Letters, Arts & Sciences/Los Angeles Times Poll, will begin Sunday and run through the 2010 election season. "We are extremely pleased to team up with The Times to offer in-depth insight and analysis of the historic 2010 campaign," said USC College Dean Howard Gillman. "The partnership will provide unique experiential learning opportunities for USC college students, and will also enhance the ability of our faculty to address issues that are critical to California's future." Professors from the College's Department of Political Science will work on the project, and discussions on methodology and analysis of the poll results will be incorporated into graduate and undergraduate classes, The Sacramento Bee reported.

The New York Times quoted Richard Little of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development about the new water package that would overhaul the state's troubled water system. "This is the most comprehensive water resources action that California has taken since the state water project in the '60s," Little said. "First of all, there is so much in it. And for the first time, they are tying ecosystem enhancement and environmental restoration directly to the infrastructure. Before, we always planned the projects and then mitigated the impacts. Now it is all on co-equal footing." The Press-Enterprise also quoted Little on the subject.

Los Angeles Times quoted USC Radio President Brenda Barnes in a story about possible radio broadcast outlets for the National Endowment for the Arts opera awards. "We already do a lot of opera programming, so it's tough to add another one to the schedule," Barnes said. The station offers weekly Saturday morning and Sunday night opera programs, as well as broadcasts of performances by Los Angeles Opera and the Metropolitan Opera, the story noted.

USA Today quoted Timothy Biblarz of the USC College about new research which found that gay and lesbian households with children have more in common than not with their heterosexual counterparts who are also raising children. Biblarz said that too little long-term, large-scale research exists to conclude that being raised by same-sex couples doesn't affect sexual identity. "That's an area that the next decade of research might really be able to pioneer," he said.

Newsweek included "Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original" by Robin D.G. Kelley of the USC College in a list of recommended biographies.

Reuters cited the recent Ballotwatch report from USC's Initiative and Referendum Institute. "Rejection of spending limits in Maine and Washington hint that voters may not be overly concerned with growth in government spending, despite a huge expansion in federal spending over the last year," the report stated. American Public Media's "Marketplace" also highlighted the report.

Wired reported that USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate student Kyla Gorman won $10,000 from the Penny Arcade Scholarship, an academic grant that recognizes one student with the potential to positively affect the games industry. "I'll be forever thankful for the opportunity the PA Scholarship has given me to attend USC, one of the world's best game design curriculums," Gorman said.

Pocono Record ran an op-ed by Susan Estrich of the USC Gould School about gender equality. "Last week, the president's all-male basketball game became a front-page story questioning the absence of women from the game," Estrich wrote. "The reason the basketball game got attention is because the media are finally asking, as they should, whether the Obama White House is really all that different from those that preceded it, at least in terms of gender. Yes, there are more people of color at the table. But are there more women?"

RedOrbit featured research by Costas Synolakis of the USC Viterbi School which found that community-based education and awareness programs minimized the death toll from the recent Samoan tsunami, though there are still ways to improve the warning and evacuation process. "Many perished trapped inside cars waiting in congested small roads or in long lines behind vehicles stopped by landslides or debris on the road," Synolakis said. "I have been on more than 20 tsunami field surveys, and in many ways this was one of the most surprising in terms of how carnage varied over fairly short distances. This was also the first time we noted what we suspected: misinformation kills. Although there are warning signs along the beaches in American Samoa, there is no information about where the evacuation routes are."

KPCC-FM interviewed Margo Pensavalle of the USC Rossier School about an annual survey by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing that gave high marks to beginning teachers who entered the profession through fast-track alternative certification programs. "I don't know how it can be OK that we send teachers in to teach schools if they haven't had a foundation of learning theory and social context and how children learn and how to adapt to pedagogy for highest outcomes," Pensavalle said.

Los Angeles Times quoted Elizabeth Currid of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development in an article about real estate agents holding public open houses for homes valued at more than $10 million. Curried said that having people going through desirable properties has a positive spillover effect. "It's like gallery openings. The art may not be bought on the walls, but it bumps up people's interest. You are generating buzz," Currid said. "Yes, you take the risk of real estate tourists showing up at a $25-million open, but the flip side is those people may start thinking about their own homes. You plant the seed that it is worth it to look at the real estate market again."

Los Angeles Times quoted Richard Green of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate in a story stating that the commercial real estate industry is expected to hit bottom in 2010. Green said that real estate industry leaders who are meeting at the Urban Land Institute's annual gathering in San Francisco are more optimistic than they were at this time last year, because they can see the reckoning finally on the horizon. Green added that he isn't sure whether bankers will do what he thinks they should. "One thing that is worrisome is that banks are still delusional," he said, adding that they are extending weak loans while hoping for a turnaround that will preserve older, higher property values.

Long Beach Press-Telegram featured research by Rob McConnell of the Keck School of USC and colleagues which found that children living or attending school close to major trade corridors suffered asthma rates significantly higher than students across town and in neighborhoods further distanced from the port. "Our results indicate that there is a substantial proportion of childhood asthma that may be caused by living within 81 yards of a major road in Long Beach and Riverside," McConnell said. "The impact of roadway proximity on the overall burden of asthma-related illness is remarkable. Air pollution is a more important contributor to the burden of childhood asthma than is generally recognized, especially to more severe episodes requiring visits to a clinic or emergency room." The Press-Enterprise also featured the research.

Stockton Record highlighted Stephen Hartke of the USC Thornton School, who composed the string quartet work "Night Songs for a Desert Flower." The four-movement piece was commissioned by New York-based chamber musicians, who will perform it Saturday at the University of the Pacific. Hartke will be in attendance, the story reported.

ABC News Los Angeles affiliate KABC-TV reported that USC this week hosted a Los Angeles County health department H1N1 vaccine clinic. There was large demand for the vaccine, the story stated. "I think there's a bit of panic, which is sometimes driven by pictures and TV and media," said Lawrence Neinstein of the Keck School of USC. "If you look over the years with the flu, when we have a large supply, you can't give the vaccine away. In years that there's a shortage, everybody lines up and lines up. It's kind of human nature."

ABC News Green Bay, Wis., affiliate WBAY-TV cited research by Jaimie Davis of the Keck School of USC which found that eating more fiber could help reduce belly fat, which is the type of body fat associated with the most risk. Young people in the study who upped their fiber intake by six grams a day experienced a significant decrease in belly fat.

The Mercury News quoted Dan Schnur of the USC College about California gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell, who despite being the candidate with the least funding is performing well in the polls. "He's doing so well because none of the others has begun advertising seriously yet," Schnur said.

The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted Dan Schnur of the USC College in an article on who Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger might choose to replace Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, who was elected to Congress this week. One of the apparent candidates is Republican state Sen. Abel Maldonado, the story stated. Schnur said that Democrats in the Legislature would have to decide whether picking up another Senate seat is worth elevating a Republican to a statewide political figure.

Contra Costa Times quoted Glenn Melnick of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development in an article about Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center acquiring a minority interest in EPIC Management, a Redlands-based physician group management company. The financial performance of medical groups has weakened in the least 18 months, and as a result many are seeking buyers, Melnick said.