August 2003 Archive

Chicago murder another sign of failed public policy

Wednesday’s murder of six people at Chicago’s Windy City Core Supply is the latest in a depressingly familiar string of reminders of this country’s greatest pathology — homicide. About 16,000 people will be murdered this year. Our homicide rate in 2001, the latest year for which nationwide figures are available, was 5.6 per 100,000, compared to only 1.6 in England and Wales. Other Western European nations exhibit similarly low levels of lethal violence.

Filed under Op-Eds on Thursday, August 28, 2003.

UF Researchers Find Spousal Attention May Be Too Much Of A Good Thing For Those With Chronic Pain

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - "Honey, let me help you with that" is music to the ears of most spouses, especially when it comes to unpleasant tasks, such as washing dishes or taking out the trash.

Filed under Research on Thursday, August 28, 2003.

Honor and Two Reconstructions: Iraq and the American South

American indifference to Iraqi society and values is proving calamitous. That’s because American authorities remain dismissive of Middle Eastern culture, in which the powerful and ancient code of honor determines behavior and ideals. That code fuels the enmity of our opponents throughout the Arab world. Yet Washington policymakers seem oblivious to Arab motivationn and how best to deal with resistance to American peacekeeping.

Filed under Op-Eds on Wednesday, August 27, 2003.

UF Survey: Gloomy Job Picture Still Hurts Florida Consumer Confidence

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Consumer confidence among Floridians fell in August for the second month in a row amid growing concerns over a gloomy job market, University of Florida economists report.

Filed under Research on Tuesday, August 26, 2003.

UF Professor Says Classics Had Influence On Martin Luther King

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Thursday marks the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s "I Have a Dream" speech, and a University of Florida professor who has studied his discourses says the civil rights leader drew his inspiration not only from the Bible but also from classic works about civil disobedience, such as the Greek tragedy "Antigone."

Filed under Research on Tuesday, August 26, 2003.

UF Study: Kindergarten Readiness May Sometimes Hinge On Birth Weight

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A rough start in kindergarten most likely can be traced to low birth weight that gives the child a difficult beginning in life, a new UF study finds.

Filed under Research on Thursday, August 21, 2003.

Research Offers Promising Solution To Worsening Mercury Pollution

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Efforts to reduce mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants and other industrial sources may benefit from a new approach to removing the deadly metal — pioneered as part of research for the space program.

Filed under Research on Wednesday, August 20, 2003.

UF Receives Record $458.1 Million In Research Grants In 2002-03

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida received a record $458.1 million in research funding during fiscal year 2002-03, due in large part to a $26 million increase in funding to its Health Science Center.

Filed under Awards & Honors, Research on Wednesday, August 20, 2003.

Research: Coral Reefs’ Decline Actually Began Centuries Ago

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Global warming and pollution are among the modern-day threats commonly blamed for decline of coral reefs, but new research shows the downfall of those resplendent and diverse signatures of tropical oceans actually may have begun centuries ago.

Filed under Research on Thursday, August 14, 2003.

UF Researchers Control Mosquitoes With Tiny Crustaceans

VERO BEACH, Fla. — At a time when the number of West Nile virus cases is setting new records, University of Florida researchers are developing an environmentally friendly way of controlling mosquitoes without pesticides.

Filed under Research on Wednesday, August 13, 2003.