uncnews.unc.edu

Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina people and programs cited recently in the media:

International Coverage

Obama to name 2 to CPSC; boost budget
United Press International
...Obama also said he would nominate Robert S. Adler as a CPSC commissioner. Adler is a law professor at the University of North Carolina and spent 11 years as an attorney-adviser to two commissioners at the CPSC in Washington. Adler was elected six times to the board of directors of Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine.

Brain abnormalities in autistic toddlers
United Press International
Autistic toddlers appear more likely to have an enlarged amygdala, a brain area associated with processing faces and emotion, U.S. researchers suggest. Matthew W. Mosconi and colleagues at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill say this brain abnormality appears to be associated with the ability to share attention with others -- a fundamental ability thought to predict later social and language function in children with autism.
UNC News Release: http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2517/107/

Enlarged brain region found in toddlers with autism: study
Canadian Broadcasting Centre (Wire service/Canada)
Toddlers with autism seem more likely to have a larger area of the brain linked with facial recognition and emotion, a brain scanning study suggests. Using MRI brain scans, researchers found the brain's amygdala region was on average 13 per cent larger in toddlers with autism compared with children without the disorder. The study by Dr. Joseph Piven, a psychiatry professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his colleagues appears in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

National Coverage

Obama moves to bolster consumer product safety agency
McClatchy Newspapers
President Barack Obama on Wednesday chose former South Carolina schools superintendent Inez Tenenbaum to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission and charged her with revitalizing a dormant federal agency. Obama also named Robert Adler, a former commission aide who teaches business ethics and product safety at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, to one of the panel's seats, which carry seven-year terms.
Related Links:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/obama-picks-new-product-safety-leadership/
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus6-2009may06,0,4220708.column
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/05/AR2009050503624.html

Brain Anatomy Could Point to Autism
ABC News.com
Autistic toddlers seem more likely to have an enlarged amygdala, a brain area linked with facial recognition and emotions, University of North Carolina researchers report. This brain abnormality appears to be tied to the ability to share attention and experiences with others, the team said. "This study adds clarification to a potential fundamental brain mechanism underlying social deficits in autism. It provides potential insights into how this behavior develops," said lead researcher Dr. Joseph Piven, a professor of psychiatry.
Related Link:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518982,00.html
UNC News Release: http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2517/107/

French Retailers Fight Downturn With Store Brands
The Wall Street Journal
French supermarket chains Carrefour SA (CA.FR) and Casino Guichard-Perrachon et Cie SA (CO.FR) are increasingly turning to their own cheaper store brands to offer protection against the economic downturn. ..."Private labels are a great way for retailers to put pressure on [name] brand manufacturers to give them a better deal," Jan-Benedict Steenkamp, professor of marketing at the University of North Carolina, said in a conference call organized by Bernstein research.

Regional Coverage

Tenenbaum is Obama’s consumer safety pick
The State (Columbia, S.C.)
President Barack Obama on Wednesday chose former South Carolina schools superintendent Inez Tenenbaum to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission and charged her with revitalizing a dormant federal agency. Obama also named Robert Adler, a former commission aide who teaches business ethics and product safety at UNC-Chapel Hill, to one of the panel’s seven-year seats.
Related Link:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090506/ARTICLE/905061059/2055/
NEWS?Title=Obama-aims-to-oust-chief-of-consumer-safety-over-drywall

Scientists side with Drakes Bay oyster farmer
The San Francisco Chronicle (California)
Supporters of a Marin County oyster farmer claimed victory Tuesday after a panel of scientists concluded that National Park Service officials made errors, selectively presented information and misrepresented facts in a series of reports about his Drakes Bay shellfish operation. ...Pete Peterson, a professor of marine biology at the University of North Carolina who chaired the study committee, said political pressure, funding issues and conflicting mandates, not deliberate misconduct, are concerns.
Related Link:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_12302288

Turning a critical eye to the Bible (Book Review)
The Boston Globe
...You learn such things if you go to seminary or divinity school, says Bart Ehrman, but pastors usually don't pass them on in sermons or religious-education classes - and as a churchgoer, I can attest that that's true. So Erhman, a University of North Carolina religion professor, has published "Jesus, Interrupted," a rundown of what scholars have believed and taught about the Bible, in some cases for a century or more, using the "historical-critical" approach to scripture rather than a purely pious one.

State and Local Coverage

Prof for product safety? (Under the Dome)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
A UNC-Chapel Hill professor may oversee consumer product safety. President Barack Obama has nominated Robert S. Adler, a professor of legal studies and ethics at UNC-Chapel Hill, to be commissioner of the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission. Adler's research and teaching focus on consumer protection, product liability, ethics, regulation and negotiation.

Residents talk Carolina North traffic
The Chapel Hill News
...It's a scene that may get repeated in future years as town and gown figure out how to move lots of people -- in cars, buses and bikes -- to and from the planned campus north of Estes Drive and west of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The citizens group Neighborhoods for Responsible Growth held the forum to share ideas before this week's release of a draft traffic impact analysis, showing how many trips the project Carolina North may add to local roads.
Related Link:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1515383.html

NC’s Offshore Energy: Is it Worth the Pursuit?
WNCT-TV (CBS/Greenville)
The debate over offshore drilling is primed to heat up again. The summer driving season is just around the corner, and that could push gas prices higher. ...“There’s no question that there is a threat,” says UNC-CH researcher Pete Peterson. ...He has spent decades studying offshore drilling and its effects on the environment. Peterson is a renowned researcher and professor at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Institute of Marine Sciences in Morehead City.

Simple, really (Letter to the Editor)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
The N.C. Supreme Court's decision that prohibits the State Medical Board from disciplining physicians who participate in executions, though unfortunate, is hardly earth-shaking or even relevant. The issue is very simple: Doctors are forbidden by the Hippocratic Oath to help the state kill anyone. (Arthur L. Finn, M.D., Professor of Medicine, emeritus, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine)

Time to veg out (Column)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Get ready for veggies. For any number of reasons -- the economy, health or as gesture of support for a more environmentally friendly way of life -- we're expecting to eat more veggies more often this season. It's a goal worth supporting. And one that you can make easier to reach by making sure you're prepared with the equipment and skills you need to get the full benefits of these foods. (Suzanne Havala Hobbs is a registered dietitian and a clinical assistant professor in the department of health policy and administration in the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill.)

House salutes Tar Heels (Under the Dome)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
The Tar Heels were praised on the floor of the U.S. House on Tuesday. North Carolina's congressional delegation unanimously cosponsored a resolution honoring the NCAA champion men's basketball team of UNC-Chapel Hill. ...Rep. Mike McIntyre, who got bachelor's and law degrees from UNC-CH, said Williams' coaching sent a strong message that "dreams, dedication and determination" lead to success.

Chapel Hill welcomes Anoop home
The Chapel Hill News
The stage was smaller, the star just as gracious. "Anoop's amazing performances have won the hearts of millions of people," Mayor Kevin Foy said, declaring Monday Anoop Day in Chapel Hill. "He has honored UNC and Chapel Hill with his participation on 'American Idol.' ... Anoop will always be Chapel Hill's Idol."
Related Link:
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/5082876/

Anoop picks up key to city at Town Hall
The Chapel Hill Herald
Fans of "American Idol" contestant Anoop Desai clamored for autographs, handshakes and camera phone pictures Monday when the newly minted star made an appearance at Town Hall. ...Moments before, Desai had quietly taken a seat in the second row among family and friends as residents snapped pictures and craned their necks for a peek at the 22-year-old UNC alumnus and graduate student.

Chancellor honors six Massey winners
The Chapel Hill News
UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp on April 25 recognized the recipients of the 30th anniversary of the C. Knox Massey Distinguished Service Awards, one of the most coveted honors bestowed by Carolina. Thorp selected this year's recipients based on nominations from the campus community.
UNC News Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2480/107/

$106,000 raised for Family House
The Chapel Hill Herald
The first annual Butch & Tammy Davis Tailgate Golf Tournament and BBQ raised $106,000 for SECU Family House, with some funds still trickling in. ...Bill Bolen, Chancellor Holden Thorp and Terri Houston provided the music, and Ramses, both the mascot and the live animal, were also on hand. SECU Family House, an independent, nonprofit organization, offers temporary housing, supportive services, and a nurturing environment to adult critical care patients receiving treatment at UNC Hospitals and affiliated clinics.

Taxes should not support leftists (Letter to the Editor)
The Salisbury Post
...It is regrettable that this letter is written so long after the event at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. ...As a taxpayer in North Carolina, I am very resentful of my tax dollars going to a university that allows behavior such as that which occurred at Bingham Hall. Yes, Chancellor Holden Thorp offered an apology to Tom Tancredo for the conduct of the leftists. (Andrew Garner, Rockwell)

Issues and Trends

An academic arms race (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Denver Post (Colorado)
...But now we'd like to praise CU President Bruce Benson for taking a fiscally responsible step by cutting some salaries as a way to help mitigate anticipated tuition increases. Still, much more work needs to be done. ...Faculty at the University of North Carolina will take pay cuts after the state legislature cut $150 million from UNC's budget; Idaho State University anticipates an across-the-board 10 percent pay cut; news reports and blogs suggest that New York University is moving toward a nine-month compensation model that could cut some salaries up to 25 percent.