TEMPLE TIPSHEET FOR JUNE 23RD - JUNE 30TH, 2000
OPEC INCREASE UNLIKELY TO SPELL DECREASE FOR CONSUMERS -- OPEC's announcement earlier this week that it will increase its output of oil by 750,000 barrels a day will likely have very little effect on the price of gasoline at the pump says Dr. George Lady, Temple professor of economics.
"The amount of oil we're talking about, three-quarters of a million barrels, isn't really all that much," says Lady. "I don't think the yield out of a barrel of oil is as much as half gasoline. So when you get down to it, you're not really talking about much in terms of gasoline."
Reach Lady at his home, 609/261-4942, or through the Office of News and Media Relations, 215/204-7476.
SUMMERTIME ADVICE FOR TAKING CARE OF THE LAWN AND GARDEN -- The arrival of summer this week means hotter and drier days are fast approaching. But unless we get a repeat of last year's drought, most weekend warriors can keep their lawns lush and gardens bountiful with just a little work, says Dr. David L. Hensley, chair of Temple's Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture.
"Obviously, for the lawns watering is the most important thing," he says. "People should try to give their grass approximately three-quarters of an inch of water each week." An easy way to check how much watering you've done is to place a tuna can on the lawn while running the sprinkler. "Once it's filled up you know you're done." It's also important that grass not be cut too short. "You don't want to remove more than one-third of the leaf blade. Most people have blue grass, which you want to keep at about one-and-a-half inches long." Grubs and webworms can also cause lawn problems over the summer months so if you start to see a lot of dead spots in your grass you need to check to see if the roots are invested with the critters, warns Hensley.
As for landscaping, mites can cause damage to just about anything, he says. Since they're just about impossible to see, the only way to tell if they're affecting your trees, shrubs and flowers is to look for webbing underneath any off-color foliage. "Unless it's really bad you might just want to leave them alone. A lot of times things will just treat themselves. There are good mites that will eat the bad mites but if you spray you kill them all."
Reach Dr. Hensley through the Office of News and Media Relations.
REACHING OUT TO KIDS WITH ANXIETY DISORDERS -- It's summertime and the living is easy...unless you're a child with social phobia or excessive anxiety, fearfulness, or worry. "There are thousands and thousands of kids with anxiety disorders," says Temple psychologist Phil Kendall, an internationally recognized expert on children's anxiety.
"And it's often very difficult to get services for kids who suffer from excessive anxiety. Kids who don't receive treatment are at risk for depression, substance abuse and adult anxiety disorders." Armed with a $2 million grant from the National Institute for Mental Health, Temple's Child and Adolescent Anxiety Disorders Clinic, which Kendall heads, is providing free counseling and evaluation services for eligible children ages 9-13. The clinic helps children learn relaxation techniques, problem solving skills, self evaluation and self-reward techniques, and skills to modify negative thinking, while also exposing them to challenging situations.
"We use a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral approach," says Kendall. "And we're currently conducting research to evaluate the effectiveness of our approches to treatment."
Reach Dr. Kendall through the Office of News & Media Relations.
This Week at Temple...
Friday, June 23-Tuesday, June 27: INTERGENERATIONAL RETREAT -- About 75 people ranging in age from 14 to 90-plus will live and learn together at "Link Ages," Temple's 21st annual intergenerational retreat. The goal of the five-day residential retreat is to break down age and cultural stereotypes through discussion groups, sports, and cultural activities. (Temple's Ambler Campus, 580 Meetinghouse Road, just off Butler Pike)
Wednesday, June 28, 8:30 a.m.-noon: "E-BUSINESS BUILDING BLOCKS" -- Leading e-commerce practitioners will lead concurrent breakout sessions designed to provide the region's top companies with a review of the skills needed for creating a solid e-business strategy. The forum is co-sponsored by Temple University's Center for Advanced Technology, The Irwin L. Gross e-Business Institute and the Department of Management Information Systems in Temple's Fox School of Business. (Temple's Fort Washington campus, 425 Commerce Drive)
Wednesday, June 28, 2-4 p.m.: "HUGS AND HANDSHAKES" -- As his presidency nears an end, Temple's chief exec Peter J. Liacouras will personally say "So long, and thanks!" to members of the University community at an informal reception. (The Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad St.)
Visit the Office of News and Media Relations website at
http://www.temple.edu/news_media
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