Research Archive

RSS

Survey Finds Shoplifting And Employee Theft Cost Retailers Billions

GAINESVILLE — The nation’s retailers lost an estimated $25.7 billion last year from employee theft, shoplifting, administrative error and vendor fraud, according to the seventh annual National Retail Security Survey. The survey of retail security executives by researchers at the University of Florida was released today.

Filed under Research, Business on Wednesday, November 26, 1997.

Americans Ring In The Holiday Season With Still More Credit Card Debt

GAINESVILLE — With the busiest shopping day of the year upon them, millions of American shoppers will be reaching for their credit cards to spread a little holiday cheer and a lot of post-holiday debt.

Filed under Research, Business, Family, Florida on Wednesday, November 26, 1997.

UF Economists: Consumer Confidence Experiences First Drop In Months

GAINESVILLE — Even though Florida’s consumer confidence fell in November for the first time in seven months, its relative strength bodes well for lucrative holiday sales, University of Florida economists report.

Filed under Research, Business, Florida on Tuesday, November 25, 1997.

UF Helps Animals Get Leftover Treats From Theme Parks and Restaurants

GAINESVILLE — You’ve eaten your Thanksgiving dinner, cleaned up the kitchen and scraped the leftovers into Fido’s dish. That’s easy for one family, but what do you do if you’re, say, Walt Disney World and you have 35 tons of leftovers to get rid of — every day of the year?

Filed under Research, Business, Agriculture on Tuesday, November 25, 1997.

UF Survey: Shoppers Say Stores Jump The Gun With Christmas Displays

GAINESVILLE — If it seemed like the plastic light-up Santa Claus in the toy aisle was dangerously close to rubbing elbows with the Fourth of July Uncle Sam cutout over in lawn and garden, join the crowd: Most people think retailers are putting up their Christmas displays earlier than ever, according to a recent University of Florida survey.

Filed under Research, Business, Florida, Religion on Monday, November 24, 1997.

Rice Industry and Consumers Can Reap Benefits Of Adding Silicon To Soils

BELLE GLADE—Instead of using expensive pesticides to control crop diseases, South Florida rice growers can save thousands of dollars in production costs and boost yields simply by adding some silicon to the soil.

Filed under Research, Florida, Agriculture on Friday, November 21, 1997.

UF/UC Researchers Design Fusion Reactor To Power The Future

GAINESVILLE — Researchers at the University of Florida and University of California, Irvine, have designed a fusion reactor that will produce electricity twice as efficiently as a traditional coal-burning power plant and, unlike nuclear power plants, will involve no radioactive fuels or byproducts.

Filed under Research, Engineering, Environment, Florida, Sciences on Thursday, November 20, 1997.

Students With Drinking Problems Think They Can’t Cope, UF Research Shows

GAINESVILLE—College students who feel unable to cope with bad moods are much more likely than their peers to become problem drinkers, a new University of Florida study indicates.

Filed under Health on Thursday, November 20, 1997.

El Niño Forecasting Model Could Save Millions In Energy Costs

GAINESVILLE — A computerized forecasting model designed to predict more accurately the financial impact of El Niño weather patterns could save millions of dollars in energy costs in affected countries, including the United States, says a University of Florida professor who helped create the model.

Filed under Research, Environment, Sciences, Hispanic on Tuesday, November 18, 1997.

Can Trees And Bushes Help Stop Terrorist Acts? UF Students Say Yes

GAINESVILLE — A group of University of Florida students is helping the Department of Defense see if such seemingly unlikely things as landscaping and street design can help protect a military installation in the midst of a tourist mecca from a terrorist bomb blast.

Filed under Research, Architecture, Environment, Florida on Friday, November 14, 1997.