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Released: 5-Nov-2009 2:30 PM EST
Mom Was Right: Nice Guys Don’t Always Finish Last
Binghamton University, State University of New York

Picture it: One jerk in a bar spends the night delivering bad come-ons to women. By the end of the evening, the women aren’t receptive to even the nicest guys around. It’s a scenario with a basis in evolutionary theory. Males increase their fitness by acquiring more mates; however, this is often not the case for females – and therein lies the conflict.

   
Released: 5-Nov-2009 12:00 PM EST
Prof Writing Bio of Auschwitz Angel of Death's Mentor
Clarkson University

A Clarkson University professor has received a $277K NSF grant to write the biography of Dr. Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer (1896-1969), a controversial human geneticist who worked during Germany's Nazi era. von Verschuer was arguably Germany’s most controversial 20th century human geneticist.

Released: 4-Nov-2009 9:00 PM EST
Anthony Sowell: Why Did He Kill? Why Did He Keep the Bodies?
Alliant International University

The death toll at Anthony Sowell’s home rose to an astonishing eleven bodies today (including one skull), making this the most gruesome and deadliest crime scene in Cleveland history. Why would someone rape and kill eleven people, and keep their bodies so close? Reports of a horrific stench are now coming from neighbors, a terrible smell they had endured for years. How can someone live in that type of environment, and allegedly continue to rape and kill seemingly without remorse?

Released: 4-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
What Is Unique in the Brain of an Arabic Speaker?
University of Haifa

Literary Arabic is expressed in the brain of an Arabic speaker as a second language and not as a mother tongue. This has been shown in a new study by Dr. Raphiq Ibrahim of the University of Haifa's Department of Learning Disabilities.

Released: 4-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
War Crimes Expert Writes of Atrocities, Comments on Karadzic Trial
University of Iowa

Mark Osiel, a war crimes expert in the University of Iowa College of Law and author of a new book on mass atrocities, says the trial of Radovan Karadzic can continue, even if the defendant boycotts the proceedings.

Released: 3-Nov-2009 12:50 PM EST
Radical Reappraisal of Mark Twain Nets Professor Award for Best Book on Southern Studies
Baylor University

Discovering overlooked or misinterpreted writings by Mark Twain -- including anonymous newspaper articles he penned -- helped an author reappraise the man who wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Released: 2-Nov-2009 3:25 PM EST
Professor Reflects on the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of Berlin Wall
University of Alabama at Birmingham

As the world observes the 20th anniversary of the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Professor of History and University Scholar James F. Tent, Ph.D., is available to discuss the history and legacy of the wall that once separated East and West Germany and became a symbol of the Cold War.

Released: 28-Oct-2009 12:00 PM EDT
Embracing the Elements: Weather-Sensitive Architecture
Toronto Metropolitan University

Filiz Klassen’s (Ryerson University, School of Interior Design) material innovations research in architecture has produced a series of building skins to create responsive structures which can be described as hot, cold, wet or dry.

Released: 28-Oct-2009 12:05 AM EDT
Gossip in the Workplace: a Weapon Or Gift
Indiana University

Workplace gossip can be a weapon or a gift and can offer clues to power not found on organizational charts. Indiana U. researchers details how the weapon is wielded -- and deflected -- in a rare study that catches this national pastime on video.

Released: 27-Oct-2009 8:00 AM EDT
Journalism Professor’s New Book Explores the Southern Press
Washington and Lee University

A new book by Washington and Lee University journalism professor Doug Cumming explores the history of the Southern press.

21-Oct-2009 8:00 PM EDT
Growth in Secular Attitudes Also Leaves Room for Belief in God
University of Chicago

The nature of the American religious experience is changing as a rising number of people report having no formal religious affiliation, even though the number of Americans who say they pray is increasing. Those twin trends suggest a growing number of people are “spiritual but not religious,” a new survey shows.

Released: 22-Oct-2009 2:55 PM EDT
AED Applauds Fashion Industry Leaders Who Challenge Unhealthy Ultra-Thin Images of Beauty
Academy for Eating Disorders (AED)

The Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) expresses support for members of the fashion industry who have recently expressed opposition to practices that promote idealization of an unhealthy thin beauty ideal through the use of underweight models.

Released: 22-Oct-2009 12:00 PM EDT
New Volume of Ulysses S. Grant Papers Issued
Mississippi State University

The 31st--and final--volume of Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs are now published with assistance from Mississippi State University, which is home to the Grant presidential papers.

Released: 20-Oct-2009 11:00 AM EDT
Upton Sinclair Satirized, Promoted Healthful Living
Indiana University

Health historian Ruth Engs brings together nine previously unpublished works by Upton Sinclair, introducing his Progressive Era health reformer side. The comedies and satire speak as much to current health trends as they do Sinclair's time.

Released: 15-Oct-2009 4:40 PM EDT
Confronting Bad Behavior: Is There a Social Payoff?
Washington State University

In “The Rewards of Punishment: A Relational Theory of Norm Enforcement,” WSU sociologist Christine Horne develops her theory that people sanction because they want to look good to others. Further, her research indicates that the more cohesive or interdependent the group, the more likely people are to sanction bad behavior.

Released: 15-Oct-2009 7:00 AM EDT
Hispanics Increasingly Leaving Established U.S. Gateway Communities
University of New Hampshire

The Hispanic population in the United States has experienced a transformation in migration in the last two decades as Hispanics have left traditional gateway communities for the economic opportunities in new communities, according to new research by the University of New Hampshire.

22-Sep-2009 2:20 PM EDT
Illness Devastates Uninsured Older Adults’ Finances
Health Behavior News Service

For the more than four million uninsured adults in the United States nearing retirement age, a serious illness often spells financial disaster, according to a recent study.

Released: 14-Oct-2009 5:00 PM EDT
'Wild Things' Film Brings Sendak’s ‘Classic Hero’s Story’ to Big Screen
Rowan University

Where the Wild Things Are, the children's book which has become a Spike Jonze film, is "a classic hero's story--or home-adventure-home journey--in which the protagonist undertakes a journey and returns a wiser person," says Rowan University education professor Holly Willett.

Released: 13-Oct-2009 6:15 PM EDT
Researchers Recommend Using Jails to Help, Not Punish, the Homeless
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Jails could be a point of strategic intervention in helping homeless people access treatment for substance abuse and mental health problems, according to a study at the University of Arkansas.

Released: 13-Oct-2009 3:00 PM EDT
Study Finds Differing Long-term Effects of Hand-held Cellphone Bans on Driver Hand-held Cellphone Use
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

Hand-held phone use was an estimated 65 percent lower in Connecticut, 24 percent lower in New York, and 43 percent lower in the District of Columbia than would have been expected without the laws.

Released: 13-Oct-2009 12:00 PM EDT
'Where the Wild Things Are' Is Classic Because of Storyline That Focuses on the Basic Needs of Children, Says Expert
Kansas State University

Kansas State University's Philip Nel, children's literature expert and professor of English, said Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are" is a classic because it centers on children's basic needs and desires while also pushing the boundaries of the picture book.

Released: 8-Oct-2009 3:00 PM EDT
Uncovering the Graffiti of Pompeii
Washington and Lee University

A Washington and Lee University professor is using the graffiti of Pompei to fill in some blanks in history.

Released: 6-Oct-2009 8:25 PM EDT
American University Student Invited to Share Project with Dalai Lama
American University

Sophomore Ellie Ezzell has been asked by the International Campaign for Tibet to put her multimedia independent study project into book form for the visiting spiritual leader, who will deliver a talk on Buddhism at the university’s Bender Arena.

22-Sep-2009 2:00 PM EDT
Traumatic Childhood Might Take Years Off Adult Life
Health Behavior News Service

Many U.S. children face a terrible burden of stressors that can harm the development of their brains and nervous systems, ultimately causing some to die prematurely, a CDC study finds.

Released: 5-Oct-2009 12:35 PM EDT
Archivist Opens Hilton Vault to ‘MadMen’ Writers
University of Houston

The director of the Hospitality Industry Archives at the University of Houton Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management counseled writers for the series “MadMen” for episodes in which Conrad Hilton appears.

Released: 2-Oct-2009 2:45 PM EDT
When Is Rape Not Rape?
Wake Forest University

The defenders of film director Roman Polanski – charged with raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977 and then fleeing the country – are starting down a slippery slope by trying to redefine what rape is.

Released: 1-Oct-2009 9:30 PM EDT
American University Experts Available to Comment on Dalai Lama’s North American Visit
American University

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet, has embarked on a North American Tour through October 11. Several American University experts will be following the Dalai Lama’s visit and are available to discuss his life’s work and impact.

Released: 1-Oct-2009 3:25 PM EDT
Horror Flicks Have Lost their Fangs, Says Texas Tech Librarian/Pop-Culture Guru
Texas Tech University

Why moviegoers are more likely to be stifling yawns than screams this Halloween.

Released: 1-Oct-2009 3:00 PM EDT
'Queer Political Performance and Protest' Title of New Book
New York City College of Technology

The role of fun, creativity, pleasure and play in social movements -- especially the theatrical approach to protest and community building taken by the gay liberation movement and “queer activism” -- is explored in City Tech Human Services Assistant Professor Benjamin Shepard's new book published by Routledge.

Released: 30-Sep-2009 11:50 AM EDT
New Study Finds Clergy Dismiss Depression, Anxiety The Most Often
Baylor University

Baylor researchers have built upon prior research and have found that depression and anxiety are the mental illnesses that are dismissed the most often by clergy.

Released: 30-Sep-2009 9:00 AM EDT
Old Police Reports May Shed New Light on Zodiac Murders
Weekly Scientist

Old police reports may shed new light on characteristics common to victims of the notorious Zodiac killer, a serial murderer who terrorized California in the late 1960s.

Released: 25-Sep-2009 10:00 AM EDT
Virginia Tech Acquires Carter-Cash Family Music Collection
Virginia Tech

Materials related to musicians of the Carter and Cash families, including June Carter and Johnny Cash, are now available at Virginia Tech University Libraries' Special Collections.

Released: 24-Sep-2009 3:00 PM EDT
University Lab Demonstrates 3-D Printing in Glass
University of Washington

Less than a year ago a UW engineering lab was the first to generate ceramic objects in a 3-D printer. Now the lab has done it again, for glass.

Released: 24-Sep-2009 1:50 PM EDT
Understanding Poverty: Urban Institute Analyses
Urban Institute

In an array of timely analyses, Urban Institute researchers offer perspectives and insights into the circumstances of nearly 40 million poor men, women, and children.

Released: 24-Sep-2009 11:15 AM EDT
“Bubble Trouble” Team Hits the Lab for Good Hygiene
American Cleaning Institute

Three New Jersey students hit the science lab for a project to help spread messages on the importance of hand hygiene. Their work has been honored by the Healthy Schools, Healthy People: It’s a SNAP Program, a joint initiative of The Soap and Detergent Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Released: 23-Sep-2009 9:00 AM EDT
Expert Comment Available on IOC Selection of Olympic City
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

According to University of Arkansas sport management professor, "The makeup of the IOC memberships is heavily skewed in favor of Europe, which may hinder Chicago's hopes."

Released: 23-Sep-2009 8:00 AM EDT
Yom Kippur in Amsterdam
Boston College

Tenth book by noted author and Boston College Professor Maxim D. Shrayer offers tales of the modern immigration experience, and perspective on Jewish-Christian relations.

Released: 22-Sep-2009 1:00 PM EDT
‘Weird’ Coincidence Links City Tech to Hit Broadway Show ‘Billy Elliot’
New York City College of Technology

What’s the probability of two complete strangers -- whose sons as of October 6 will both star on Broadway as “Billy” in the Tony-Award-winning hit Billy Elliot the Musical -- being hired by the same employer?

Released: 22-Sep-2009 1:00 PM EDT
New Links Between Alcohol Abuse, Depression, Obesity in Young Women
University of Washington

There is new evidence that depression, obesity and alcohol abuse or dependency are interrelated conditions among young adult women but not men.

Released: 22-Sep-2009 1:00 PM EDT
Housing Crash Widens Tax Disparities
University of Southern California (USC)

A steep decline in California housing prices is undermining the effectiveness of the state’s property tax system that was created through Proposition 13 three decades ago, according to a study by University of Southern California professor Dowell Myers.

Released: 22-Sep-2009 8:45 AM EDT
Study Reveals Distinct Differences Between Truthful and False Handwriting
University of Haifa

A new study analyzes differences between truthful and false content in the flow of writing, height and length of strokes and pressure of the pen on the page. "This method can improve our ability to identify lies in handwriting," the researchers noted.

Released: 17-Sep-2009 9:00 PM EDT
Robot Sculpture Draws Attention, Provokes Thought
University of Alabama

Goldie, the sculpture that looks like a rusty, prone robot, lies mute on Woods Quad. Curious, delighted visitors drawn to the enchanting novelty of a dead or sleeping robot hanging out on the grass in the middle of the University stand next to it and pose for pictures.

Released: 17-Sep-2009 9:00 PM EDT
Professor’s Biography Returns Civil Rights Leader to Prominence
University of Alabama

Dr. David T. Beito, professor of history at The University of Alabama, and his wife, Dr. Linda Royster Beito, have published "Black Maverick: T.R.M. Howard's Fight for Civil Rights and Economic Power," a civil rights leader.

Released: 17-Sep-2009 4:15 PM EDT
In Mad Men, History Is a Main Character
Temple University

Temple U. historian says popular Mad Men series realistically portrays power systems of the 60s.

Released: 17-Sep-2009 4:00 PM EDT
Why Starbucks Matters
Temple University

Temple U. historian turns his attention to Starbucks and what it says about America, Americans and our search for meaning, community, justice and relevance in the 21st century.

Released: 17-Sep-2009 12:50 PM EDT
Researcher Says Media and Technology Are Rapidly Transforming Arab Culture
Missouri University of Science and Technology

The Arab world is watching television, and a lot of it. In fact, western ideas are starting to transform Arab culture at a pace that might be too fast, according to a researcher at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Released: 16-Sep-2009 12:45 PM EDT
Settled Armed Conflicts Reignite at Historic Rate
University of Maryland, College Park

Most recent armed conflicts around the world have been flare-ups of previously settled wars, concludes a new report from University of Maryland researchers. The report also identifies current terrorism as largely "a by-product of the war in Iraq." Using a statistical approach, the report finds significantly increasing instability in regions and nations where dangers were already very high.

Released: 15-Sep-2009 5:00 PM EDT
Seniors and Less-Educated More Concerned About Terrorist Attacks on Water Supplies
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

A University of Arkansas study on terrorism and water supplies demonstrates that less-educated people – those with a high school diploma or less – are significantly more concerned about terrorist attacks against municipal water supplies than individuals with at least some college credits. The study also revealed that older people are more concerned than young people, women more than men and religious people more than those who consider religion as only “fairly” or “not very” important.

Released: 15-Sep-2009 4:15 PM EDT
Reading Kafka Improves Learning
Association for Psychological Science

Reading a book by Franz Kafka ––or watching a film by director David Lynch ––could make you smarter. According to research by psychologists at UC Santa Barbara and the University of British Columbia, exposure to surrealism enhances the cognitive mechanisms that oversee implicit learning functions.

Released: 15-Sep-2009 12:20 PM EDT
Analyzing “The Office”: Study Merges Scranton and Shakespeare
Brigham Young University

Just in time for the season premiere of NBC’s “The Office,” new research shows how your favorite character from the show is likely based on a centuries-old formula for comedic greatness.



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