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# Bennett's $50 billion provision cut from stimulus bill
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# Mayors reflect on guiding Utah's capital
# Bill would benefit large land owners
# Legislative committee Schedule for Friday Feb. 13
# Hill commander leaving post
# Air controllers call FAA proposal unsafe
# Cuts may mean shorter school year
# Intrigue, lobbyists surround ambulance bill
# Questar, state to boost natural gas for vehicles
# Mother of baby who was given away will not be charged
# Resolution supporting horse slaughter passes
# Rolly: What's more, all for a good cause
# I-15 to close overnight Saturday for bridge demolition
# Expert says state victimized by Nigerian scam
# Willem Kolff, former University of Utah medical pioneer, dead at 97
# Pileup on I-15 leaves baby dead
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# Bicyclist killed by car had just entered crosswalk
# Man who sued after he hurt himself at '02 Bud party gets a new trial
# Bennett proposes bill to aid St. George airport
# Utah man charged with possession of sawed-off shotgun
# Teacher licensing bill moves forward in Utah Senate
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# Water year 'looking very good'
# Commander of Hill AFB leaving for Ohio
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# Sheriff's investigators bust alleged gambling ring
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Utah autism insurance mandate clears first hurdle
By Heather May
The Salt Lake Tribune
Posted: 02/12/2009 11:15:01 AM MST
Despite opposition from insurance companies and a small business association, a bill that would mandate coverage of autism therapy for children passed a Senate committee Thursday.
Called "Clay's Law," SB 43 would require insurance to pay up to $50,000 a year for early behavioral therapy, which typically involves one-on-one instruction at least 25 hours a week.
Eight other states require similar coverage, and Nevada lawmakers are expected to pass an autism bill as well. Utah has one of the highest rates of autism, with 1 in 133 children affected, compared to the national rate of 1 in 150.
To accommodate the large crowd of parents and children who appeared in support of the bill, the Senate Health and Human Services moved to a larger room. The group cheered and clapped after the committee voted 5-1 for the bill. It now moves to the Senate floor.
"Every kid needs and should have a life as great as mine. I love being me," said Clay Whiffen, the 8-year-old for whom the bill is named.
Diagnosed with autism as a child, boy received therapy because his Highland parents were able to afford the $60,000 cost. He told the senators he now likes to write in cursive, talk with his friends and can hold a handstand for six seconds.
"Just being a kid is hard enough," he said. "Having autism is a whole lot worse."
Another parent with three autistic children said she had to choose which child to help because she couldn't
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afford full time therapy for all of them. Noting one of her children had cancer, she said she would choose a cancer diagnosis over autism because of insurance coverage.
Fraser Bullock, who was in charge of the 2002 Winter Olympics' budget, also spoke in favor of the bill. His granddaughter has autism, but he was able to help pay for the expensive treatment. Now managing director of the Utah-based private equity firm Sorenson Capital, Bullock said business owners he contacted support the mandate even though they will bear some of the costs.
NOTE: his granddaughter she have a autism, but she was able to help for the expensive treatment.
"This cost does not give us a second thought," he said.
No fiscal note has been attached, but supporters and opponents estimate it will cost the state $1 million a year to cover government employees. Supporters also say it would increase private premium costs by less than 1 percent.
Jim Olsen, president of the Utah Retail Merchants Association, said those incremental costs add up. More of his members are dropping insurance coverage for their employees altogether due to escalating premium costs, in part due to unfunded mandates, he said.
Kelly Atkinson, executive director of the Utah Health Insurance Association, also spoke against the bill, saying the mandate would only apply to 33 percent of insured Utahns. For two-thirds of the families in the room, "nothing you do today will impact them."
NOTE: Klly atkinson he is the exclusive director of the Utah health insurance assosiation.
After nearly 90 minutes of testimony, senators had little time to debate the bill. They wondered how effective the treatment is -- up to 50 percent of children could become indistinguishable from their peers, according to a pediatrician -- and whether the diagnosis of autism is reliable since it requires observation instead of, for example, a lab test.
Only Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, voted against the bill. Noting that he is fighting to save funding for autism preschools and a registry to track the prevalence and risk factors for autism, he said the bill shifts money from one group to another. "Where do we draw the line with mandates?" he asked.
But sponsoring Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, said young families pay for therapies for older people and now it's others' turn to help them. "This is an appropriate conservative approach," he said.
hmay@sltrib.com
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Saturday, February 14, 2009
HARTFORD GOT RELIEF FOR EX--MANAGER TURNED REGULATOR
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Hartford Got Relief From Ex-Manager Turned Regulator (Update1)
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By Andrew Frye
Feb. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., the insurer that lost $2.75 billion last year, got almost $1 billion in reserve relief from a state regulator who is a former executive at the company.
Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Thomas Sullivan rebuffed a Feb. 10 request by the Consumer Federation of America and the Center for Economic Justice to recuse himself from matters involving his former employer. He approved a change in accounting standards that reduces the amount of money Hartford must hold for customer obligations by about $987 million. The insurer announced the action in a regulatory filing today.
"It has been nearly two years since I left my position in the insurance industry," Sullivan said yesterday in an e-mail to Birny Birnbaum of the Center for Economic Justice and CFA's Bob Hunter, a former insurance regulator for Texas. "Neither I nor my spouse or children have any financial interest in the insurance industry that would serve as a conflict of interest prohibited by the Connecticut Code of Ethics for Public Officials."
NOTE:The insurer announced the action in a regulatiory filling today.a former insurance are
regulator for texas.
Sullivan, who was senior vice president of Hartford's Specialty Risk Services, was appointed commissioner in 2007 by Governor Jodi Rell. He told Bloomberg today in an e-mail that his statement to the groups was "self evident." Shannon Lapierre, a spokeswoman for the Hartford, Connecticut-based company declined to comment.
Trust Compromised
Sullivan's decision not to recuse himself may diminish consumers' trust in his supervision of the industry, according Michael Hoffman, executive director of the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Sullivan could have avoided the perception of a conflict of interest by asking a committee to decide on his suitability to consider the issue, Hoffman said.
"You have to be very careful" when asked to step aside, Hoffman said. "That's a very dangerous thing to decide on your own."
Sullivan isn't the only regulator to ease standards. New York's Eric Dinallo allowed life insurers in his state to get a benefit from equity-market hedges when calculating reserve needs. MetLife Inc., the biggest U.S. life insurer, said in December the change would give the firm a benefit of about $1.8 billion. Regulators in Iowa and Ohio have signaled they may provide relief.
NAIC Vote
Life insurers are turning to state regulators after losses on mortgage-backed securities and guaranteed-return retirement products depleted assets. The industry failed to win nationwide capital relief when the National Association of Insurance Commissioners voted down a series of proposals by the American Council of Life Insurers last month.
Sullivan supported the nationwide reform, while CFA's Hunter opposed it.
Hartford Chief Financial Officer Lizabeth Zlatkus said on a conference call with analysts last week that the insurer requested the reserve changes because the rules were "unduly" conservative. The relief from Connecticut allows Hartford greater use of anticipated tax benefits.
NOTE:Sullivan is supported the nationwide reforme, in the rilief from connected allows harford greater use of anticipated tax benefits.
Hartford has plummeted more than 80 percent in the last year in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Frye in New York at afrye@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: February 12, 2009 17:16 EST
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Hartford Got Relief From Ex-Manager Turned Regulator (Update1)
Email | Print | A A A
By Andrew Frye
Feb. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., the insurer that lost $2.75 billion last year, got almost $1 billion in reserve relief from a state regulator who is a former executive at the company.
Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Thomas Sullivan rebuffed a Feb. 10 request by the Consumer Federation of America and the Center for Economic Justice to recuse himself from matters involving his former employer. He approved a change in accounting standards that reduces the amount of money Hartford must hold for customer obligations by about $987 million. The insurer announced the action in a regulatory filing today.
"It has been nearly two years since I left my position in the insurance industry," Sullivan said yesterday in an e-mail to Birny Birnbaum of the Center for Economic Justice and CFA's Bob Hunter, a former insurance regulator for Texas. "Neither I nor my spouse or children have any financial interest in the insurance industry that would serve as a conflict of interest prohibited by the Connecticut Code of Ethics for Public Officials."
NOTE:The insurer announced the action in a regulatiory filling today.a former insurance are
regulator for texas.
Sullivan, who was senior vice president of Hartford's Specialty Risk Services, was appointed commissioner in 2007 by Governor Jodi Rell. He told Bloomberg today in an e-mail that his statement to the groups was "self evident." Shannon Lapierre, a spokeswoman for the Hartford, Connecticut-based company declined to comment.
Trust Compromised
Sullivan's decision not to recuse himself may diminish consumers' trust in his supervision of the industry, according Michael Hoffman, executive director of the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Sullivan could have avoided the perception of a conflict of interest by asking a committee to decide on his suitability to consider the issue, Hoffman said.
"You have to be very careful" when asked to step aside, Hoffman said. "That's a very dangerous thing to decide on your own."
Sullivan isn't the only regulator to ease standards. New York's Eric Dinallo allowed life insurers in his state to get a benefit from equity-market hedges when calculating reserve needs. MetLife Inc., the biggest U.S. life insurer, said in December the change would give the firm a benefit of about $1.8 billion. Regulators in Iowa and Ohio have signaled they may provide relief.
NAIC Vote
Life insurers are turning to state regulators after losses on mortgage-backed securities and guaranteed-return retirement products depleted assets. The industry failed to win nationwide capital relief when the National Association of Insurance Commissioners voted down a series of proposals by the American Council of Life Insurers last month.
Sullivan supported the nationwide reform, while CFA's Hunter opposed it.
Hartford Chief Financial Officer Lizabeth Zlatkus said on a conference call with analysts last week that the insurer requested the reserve changes because the rules were "unduly" conservative. The relief from Connecticut allows Hartford greater use of anticipated tax benefits.
NOTE:Sullivan is supported the nationwide reforme, in the rilief from connected allows harford greater use of anticipated tax benefits.
Hartford has plummeted more than 80 percent in the last year in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Frye in New York at afrye@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: February 12, 2009 17:16 EST
Advertisement: Do stocks outperform bonds? Learn about the power of an all-bond portfolio.
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Friday, February 13, 2009
MARS &MCLENNAN CHIEF SEES INSURANCE PRICE INCREASES
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Marsh & McLennan Chief Sees Insurance Price Increases (Update1)
Email | Print | A A A
By Andrew Frye
Feb. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Marsh & McLennan Cos., the second- biggest insurance broker, said carriers around the world are demanding higher rates on some lines of business coverage after losing money on investments backing policies.
"Insurance is showing price increases," Chief Executive Officer Brian Duperreault said today in a telephone interview from New York. "More in reinsurance, but there are some signs in primary as well."
U.S. business insurers are seeking to reverse four years of rate decreases after losses on corporate bonds and mortgage- backed securities weighed on financial results. Natural disasters in the U.S., including Midwest tornados and the worst hurricane season since 2005, also contributed to profit declines and losses across the industry last year.
Marsh & McLennan jumped the most in 27 years in New York trading today after 2,200 job cuts at the flagship brokerage boosted fourth-quarter operating profit. It rose $2.70, or 14 percent, to $21.41 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, the second-biggest gainer in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.
NOTE: Mars& Mclennan was jumped the most in 27 years in the new york.in new york stock exchange composite traiding.
"There's been a recalibration of what is the cost of risk to start with and the ability of companies to take it," Duperreault said. "Capacity has been diminished dramatically given the effects of the capital markets."
Travelers Cos., the second-biggest U.S. commercial carrier, and Chubb Corp. reported profit declines last year while No. 1 American International Group Inc. submitted to a government takeover after a liquidity crunch.
Declines Slowing
In the fourth quarter, U.S. commercial-insurance rates fell 6.4 percent, the slowest pace of decline since 2006, according to a survey by the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers. Insurers posted their worst underwriting result since 2001.
Still, that may not translate to higher prices for insurance buyers, according to Meyer Shields, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus & Co. Insurers will continue to slash prices to win business from competitors as the slumping economy reduces demand, Shields said.
NOTE: In hte fourth quarter,U.S. in the comercial insurance the rate was felt 6.4 persent.
the insurance wasstill continue to slash thwe price.
"When we look at this industry, it's still overpopulated," said Shields, based in Baltimore. "Underwriting talent is spread too thin so there are some people that are going to set prices too low. I can't argue with the logic that prices should increase, I just don't know if that's going to happen yet."
Policy Sales
Policy sales by U.S. property and casualty insurers probably fell for a second straight year in 2008, the first back-to-back decline since the 1930s, according to a study by A.M. Best Co. Duperreault said the recession will make it harder for insurers to raise prices even as their capacity to take risk shrinks.
"Which one wins is the question we're all watching this year," Duperreault said.
Duperreault braced New York-based Marsh & McLennan for the recession last year, his first on the job, by reducing staff across the brokerage and consulting units. Marsh & McLennan, Aon Corp., the biggest broker, and No. 3 Willis Group Holdings Ltd. make commissions by helping companies shop for insurance.
Marsh & McLennan said fourth-quarter operating profit per share advanced 54 percent to 37 cents, beating by 5 cents the average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Net income slipped 5.9 percent to $80 million on the severance costs and a drop in brokerage revenue.
'Not Completely Hostage'
Results were "very strong," Stifel Nicolaus's Shields said in an interview. "They're not completely hostage to the economy and primary insurance rate decreases."
The brokerage division more than doubled its profit margin to 14.8 percent, excluding the impact of items including severance pay, even as insurance rates slipped.
Profitability declined at the consulting divisions, which offer advice on human resources and corporate security, and Duperreault said he expects the businesses to contribute less to profit and revenue as the recession deepens.
Marsh & McLennan will focus on reducing expenses on technology, travel and entertainment and may make further workforce cuts, Duperreault said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Frye in New York at afrye@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: February 11, 2009 17:04 EST
Advertisement: Do stocks outperform bonds? Learn about the power of an all-bond portfolio.
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•
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•
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Marsh & McLennan Chief Sees Insurance Price Increases (Update1)
Email | Print | A A A
By Andrew Frye
Feb. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Marsh & McLennan Cos., the second- biggest insurance broker, said carriers around the world are demanding higher rates on some lines of business coverage after losing money on investments backing policies.
"Insurance is showing price increases," Chief Executive Officer Brian Duperreault said today in a telephone interview from New York. "More in reinsurance, but there are some signs in primary as well."
U.S. business insurers are seeking to reverse four years of rate decreases after losses on corporate bonds and mortgage- backed securities weighed on financial results. Natural disasters in the U.S., including Midwest tornados and the worst hurricane season since 2005, also contributed to profit declines and losses across the industry last year.
Marsh & McLennan jumped the most in 27 years in New York trading today after 2,200 job cuts at the flagship brokerage boosted fourth-quarter operating profit. It rose $2.70, or 14 percent, to $21.41 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, the second-biggest gainer in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.
NOTE: Mars& Mclennan was jumped the most in 27 years in the new york.in new york stock exchange composite traiding.
"There's been a recalibration of what is the cost of risk to start with and the ability of companies to take it," Duperreault said. "Capacity has been diminished dramatically given the effects of the capital markets."
Travelers Cos., the second-biggest U.S. commercial carrier, and Chubb Corp. reported profit declines last year while No. 1 American International Group Inc. submitted to a government takeover after a liquidity crunch.
Declines Slowing
In the fourth quarter, U.S. commercial-insurance rates fell 6.4 percent, the slowest pace of decline since 2006, according to a survey by the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers. Insurers posted their worst underwriting result since 2001.
Still, that may not translate to higher prices for insurance buyers, according to Meyer Shields, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus & Co. Insurers will continue to slash prices to win business from competitors as the slumping economy reduces demand, Shields said.
NOTE: In hte fourth quarter,U.S. in the comercial insurance the rate was felt 6.4 persent.
the insurance wasstill continue to slash thwe price.
"When we look at this industry, it's still overpopulated," said Shields, based in Baltimore. "Underwriting talent is spread too thin so there are some people that are going to set prices too low. I can't argue with the logic that prices should increase, I just don't know if that's going to happen yet."
Policy Sales
Policy sales by U.S. property and casualty insurers probably fell for a second straight year in 2008, the first back-to-back decline since the 1930s, according to a study by A.M. Best Co. Duperreault said the recession will make it harder for insurers to raise prices even as their capacity to take risk shrinks.
"Which one wins is the question we're all watching this year," Duperreault said.
Duperreault braced New York-based Marsh & McLennan for the recession last year, his first on the job, by reducing staff across the brokerage and consulting units. Marsh & McLennan, Aon Corp., the biggest broker, and No. 3 Willis Group Holdings Ltd. make commissions by helping companies shop for insurance.
Marsh & McLennan said fourth-quarter operating profit per share advanced 54 percent to 37 cents, beating by 5 cents the average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Net income slipped 5.9 percent to $80 million on the severance costs and a drop in brokerage revenue.
'Not Completely Hostage'
Results were "very strong," Stifel Nicolaus's Shields said in an interview. "They're not completely hostage to the economy and primary insurance rate decreases."
The brokerage division more than doubled its profit margin to 14.8 percent, excluding the impact of items including severance pay, even as insurance rates slipped.
Profitability declined at the consulting divisions, which offer advice on human resources and corporate security, and Duperreault said he expects the businesses to contribute less to profit and revenue as the recession deepens.
Marsh & McLennan will focus on reducing expenses on technology, travel and entertainment and may make further workforce cuts, Duperreault said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Frye in New York at afrye@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: February 11, 2009 17:04 EST
Advertisement: Do stocks outperform bonds? Learn about the power of an all-bond portfolio.
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Wednesday, February 11, 2009
APELLA UNIVERSITY NAMES DR. DEBORAH BUSHWAY DEAN OF HAROLD ABEL SCHOLL OF PSYCHOLOGY
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Capella University Names Dr. Deborah Bushway Dean of Harold Abel School of Psychology
Posted : Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:08:30 GMT
Author : Capella Education Company
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MINNEAPOLIS - (Business Wire) Capella University, an accredited* online university that has built its reputation by providing quality online education for working adults, has named Deborah Bushway, PhD, as dean of its Harold Abel School of Psychology. Dr. Bushway joined Capella University in 2007 as the school's associate dean and most recently served as the school's acting dean. As dean, she will act as chief academic officer of the Harold Abel School of Psychology, which offers three online degree programs in 10 specializations.
Dr. Bushway brings more than 20 years of psychology, higher education, and leadership experience to the position. Prior to joining Capella, she spent 17 years at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minn., where she was a full professor and chair of the Psychology Department. She also worked at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, as a clinical counselor and coordinator of outreach programs. Dr. Bushway continues to practice psychology as a licensed clinician, a career that has extended more than 20 years. She earned both her Master of Science in Psychology and PhD in Psychology from Iowa State University and has authored numerous articles, book chapters, and conference presentations throughout her career.
NOTE: DR. bushway is bring more than 20 year of psychology.
"Dr. Bushway brings an ideal blend of leadership, academic credentials, and practitioner experience to her role as dean," said Christopher Cassirer, ScD, MPH, acting president of Capella University. "Her commitment to excellence, dedication to students success, and strong leadership skills will continue to move Capella's reputation forward as the University leading the definition of high-quality education for adult professionals."
About Capella University
Capella University (www.capella.edu) is an accredited*, fully online university that has built its reputation by providing quality education for working adults. Eighty-three percent of Capella students are currently enrolled in master's or doctoral degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, psychology, public health, and public safety. Capella also offers bachelor's degree programs in business, information technology, and public safety. Within those areas, Capella currently offers 114 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 15 certificate programs. More than 24,000 learners were enrolled as of Sept. 30, 2008, from all 50 states and 45 other countries. Capella is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth. Founded in 1993, Capella University is a wholly owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit http://www.capella.edu or call 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552).
NOTE: capella also pffer bachelor's degree programs in business.
* Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), www.ncahlc.org.
Capella University, 225 South Sixth Street, Ninth Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402, 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552), www.capella.edu.
Learn more about earning an online degree at Capella University:
online education (http://www.capella.edu/online_education.aspx)
distance learning (http://www.capella.edu/distance_learning.aspx)
online university (http://www.capella.edu/online_university.aspx)
Capella Education Company
Media Contact:
Irene Silber, 612-977-4132
Irene.Silber@capella.edu
Copyright © 2008 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
More...
Article : Capella University Names Dr. Deborah Bushway Dean of Harold Abel School of Psychology
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Capella University Names Dr. Deborah Bushway Dean of Harold Abel School of Psychology
Posted : Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:08:30 GMT
Author : Capella Education Company
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MINNEAPOLIS - (Business Wire) Capella University, an accredited* online university that has built its reputation by providing quality online education for working adults, has named Deborah Bushway, PhD, as dean of its Harold Abel School of Psychology. Dr. Bushway joined Capella University in 2007 as the school's associate dean and most recently served as the school's acting dean. As dean, she will act as chief academic officer of the Harold Abel School of Psychology, which offers three online degree programs in 10 specializations.
Dr. Bushway brings more than 20 years of psychology, higher education, and leadership experience to the position. Prior to joining Capella, she spent 17 years at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minn., where she was a full professor and chair of the Psychology Department. She also worked at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, as a clinical counselor and coordinator of outreach programs. Dr. Bushway continues to practice psychology as a licensed clinician, a career that has extended more than 20 years. She earned both her Master of Science in Psychology and PhD in Psychology from Iowa State University and has authored numerous articles, book chapters, and conference presentations throughout her career.
NOTE: DR. bushway is bring more than 20 year of psychology.
"Dr. Bushway brings an ideal blend of leadership, academic credentials, and practitioner experience to her role as dean," said Christopher Cassirer, ScD, MPH, acting president of Capella University. "Her commitment to excellence, dedication to students success, and strong leadership skills will continue to move Capella's reputation forward as the University leading the definition of high-quality education for adult professionals."
About Capella University
Capella University (www.capella.edu) is an accredited*, fully online university that has built its reputation by providing quality education for working adults. Eighty-three percent of Capella students are currently enrolled in master's or doctoral degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, psychology, public health, and public safety. Capella also offers bachelor's degree programs in business, information technology, and public safety. Within those areas, Capella currently offers 114 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 15 certificate programs. More than 24,000 learners were enrolled as of Sept. 30, 2008, from all 50 states and 45 other countries. Capella is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth. Founded in 1993, Capella University is a wholly owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit http://www.capella.edu or call 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552).
NOTE: capella also pffer bachelor's degree programs in business.
* Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), www.ncahlc.org.
Capella University, 225 South Sixth Street, Ninth Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402, 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552), www.capella.edu.
Learn more about earning an online degree at Capella University:
online education (http://www.capella.edu/online_education.aspx)
distance learning (http://www.capella.edu/distance_learning.aspx)
online university (http://www.capella.edu/online_university.aspx)
Capella Education Company
Media Contact:
Irene Silber, 612-977-4132
Irene.Silber@capella.edu
Copyright © 2008 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
More...
Article : Capella University Names Dr. Deborah Bushway Dean of Harold Abel School of Psychology
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By PEGGY ORENSTEIN
Published: February 5, 2009
There is nothing like the suggestion of a cancer riskto freak out a parent, especially one of the hypereducated, ecoconscious ilk. So you can imagine the reaction when a recent USA Today investigation of air quality around the nation's schools singled out those in the smugly green hamlet of Berkeley, Calif., as being among the worst in the country. The city's public high school, as well as a number of day care centers, preschools, elementary and middle schools (including the one my daughter attends), fell in the lowest 10 percent — some in the bottom 1 percent. Industrial pollution in our town had supposedly turned students into living science experiments inhaling a laboratory's worth of manganese, chromium and nickel each day. This in a city that mandates school cafeterias to serve organic meals. Great, I thought, organic lunch, toxic recess.
Skip to next paragraph
Enlarge This Image
NOTE: In the industrisl pollution in our town had supposedly turened students into living science experiments inhaling a laboratory's worth of manganese.
Since December, when the report came out, the mayor, neighborhood activists and various parent-teacher associations have engaged in a sometimes-acrimonious, acronym-laced battle over its validity: over the culpability of the steel-casting factory on the western edge of town, over union jobs versus children's health and over what, if anything, ought to be done. With all sides presenting their own experts throwing down the gauntlets of conflicting scientific studies, whom should parents believe? Is there truly a threat here, we asked one another as we dropped off our kids, and if so, how great is it? And how does it compare with the other, seemingly incessant health scares we confront, like panic over lead in synthetic athletic turf or Bisphenol A in dental sealants? Rather than just another wacky episode in the town that brought you tree sitters and the Naked Guy, this latest drama, repeated in various permutations in so many communities, is a crucible for how today's parents perceive risk, how we try to keep our kids safe — whether it's possible to keep them safe — in what feels like an increasingly threatening world. It raises the question of what, in our time, "safe" could even mean.
Every morning, as part of their daily routine, my husband slathers our daughter with all-natural sun block that claims to ward off skin cancer without causing something worse. Because of suspected harmto children's reproductive systems, we don't microwave in plastic or use shampoo containing phthalates. We limit tuna, since elevated mercury levels are linked to learning delays. Better safe than sorry, I say. But safe from what? And, more to the point, safe from which? My own mother forbade me to drink the water in the Minneapolis suburb where I spent my teens: creosote from a closed plant had leached into several of the town's wells. Although they were shut down, she remained suspicious. Better safe than sorry, she said. Still, during six years of daily showers, my skin would have absorbed plenty of whatever may have been lurking there. Could that be why I scored lower on my SAT's than I thought I should have? Might the creosote have contributed to my breast-cancer diagnosis at age 35? Or was the culprit the pesticide sprayed each year over my summer camp to combat mosquitoes? (To be fair, we were told to put our pillows under our blankets beforehand.)
"There's no way around the uncertainty," says Kimberly Thompson, president of Kid Risk, a nonprofit group that studies children's health. "That means your choices can matter, but it also means you aren't going to know if they do." A 2004 report in the journal Pediatrics explained that jittery parents have more to fear from fire, car accidents and drowning than from toxic chemical exposure (with the exception of lead, which still threatens the health of millions of children). To which I say: Well, obviously. But such concrete hazards are beside the point. It's the dangers parents can't — and may never — quantify that gobump in the night. That's why I've purged my pantry of microwave popcorn (the bags are coated with a potential carcinogen), but although I've lived blocks from a major fault line for more than 12 years, I still haven't bolted our bookcases to the living room wall.
Paul Slovic, a psychology professor at the University of Oregon, calls that skewed response "intuitive toxicology." When the potential impact of a chemical is catastrophic — cancer or birth defects — we tend to act from the gut, ignoring the actual probability of harm. I wouldn't expect parents to have the same risk tolerance as experts. Yet, I wonder sometimes if avoiding the vinyl lunch box — I don't care if it has "Hello Kitty" on the front — is just another blade in a helicopter parent's propeller, another version of the overzealous monitoring that has produced kids who leave for college without ever having crossed the street by themselves. In this era when children symbolize emotional fulfillment rather than free household labor, we cling to the belief that if we just do everything right — starting with what a woman eats before she's even pregnant — we can protect them from pain or failure or sadness. We can make them perfect and, in the process, prove ourselves beyond reproach. But of course, that control is illusory: even if it were possible to do everything "right," it could still come out wrong. What if it wasn't the creosote or the pesticide that gave me cancer but something even more frightening — plain old bad luck? What is a parent supposed to do about that?
NOTE:poul slovic,he is the professor at the university of origon call that skwed response
"intuitive texicology.
As it turned out, further investigation showed that my daughter and her classmates were not soaking up heavy metals with their three R's. That's a relief, but how long until something equally scary surfaces? Diesel fumes anyone? Tin-can liners? Chlorinated swimming pools? And how do we know that whatever replaced the bad stuff in baby bottles is safer? You can't raise your kid in a bubble. Especially one made of plastic.
Peggy Orenstein, a contributing writer, is the author of the memoir "Waiting for Daisy."
Next Article in Magazine (16 of 21) » A version of this article appeared in print on February 8, 2009, on page MM17 of the New York edition.
Download the historic Nov. 5 issue of The New York Times Electronic Edition.
Past Coverage
* A New Cigarette Hazard: 'Third-Hand Smoke' (January 3, 2009)
* NATIONAL BRIEFING | WASHINGTON; E.P.A. To Ban Use of a Pesticide (July 25, 2008)
* Lead Poisoning Cases Decline (July 3, 2008)
* Canada Takes Steps to Ban Most Plastic Baby Bottles (April 19, 2008)
Related Searches
* Hazardous and Toxic Substances Get E-Mail Alerts
* Children and Youth Get E-Mail Alerts
* Education and Schools Get E-Mail Alerts
* Chemicals Get E-Mail Alerts
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5. As Layoffs Surge, Women May Pass Men in Job Force
6. Proof: Why (and How) I Drink
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By PEGGY ORENSTEIN
Published: February 5, 2009
There is nothing like the suggestion of a cancer riskto freak out a parent, especially one of the hypereducated, ecoconscious ilk. So you can imagine the reaction when a recent USA Today investigation of air quality around the nation's schools singled out those in the smugly green hamlet of Berkeley, Calif., as being among the worst in the country. The city's public high school, as well as a number of day care centers, preschools, elementary and middle schools (including the one my daughter attends), fell in the lowest 10 percent — some in the bottom 1 percent. Industrial pollution in our town had supposedly turned students into living science experiments inhaling a laboratory's worth of manganese, chromium and nickel each day. This in a city that mandates school cafeterias to serve organic meals. Great, I thought, organic lunch, toxic recess.
Skip to next paragraph
Enlarge This Image
NOTE: In the industrisl pollution in our town had supposedly turened students into living science experiments inhaling a laboratory's worth of manganese.
Since December, when the report came out, the mayor, neighborhood activists and various parent-teacher associations have engaged in a sometimes-acrimonious, acronym-laced battle over its validity: over the culpability of the steel-casting factory on the western edge of town, over union jobs versus children's health and over what, if anything, ought to be done. With all sides presenting their own experts throwing down the gauntlets of conflicting scientific studies, whom should parents believe? Is there truly a threat here, we asked one another as we dropped off our kids, and if so, how great is it? And how does it compare with the other, seemingly incessant health scares we confront, like panic over lead in synthetic athletic turf or Bisphenol A in dental sealants? Rather than just another wacky episode in the town that brought you tree sitters and the Naked Guy, this latest drama, repeated in various permutations in so many communities, is a crucible for how today's parents perceive risk, how we try to keep our kids safe — whether it's possible to keep them safe — in what feels like an increasingly threatening world. It raises the question of what, in our time, "safe" could even mean.
Every morning, as part of their daily routine, my husband slathers our daughter with all-natural sun block that claims to ward off skin cancer without causing something worse. Because of suspected harmto children's reproductive systems, we don't microwave in plastic or use shampoo containing phthalates. We limit tuna, since elevated mercury levels are linked to learning delays. Better safe than sorry, I say. But safe from what? And, more to the point, safe from which? My own mother forbade me to drink the water in the Minneapolis suburb where I spent my teens: creosote from a closed plant had leached into several of the town's wells. Although they were shut down, she remained suspicious. Better safe than sorry, she said. Still, during six years of daily showers, my skin would have absorbed plenty of whatever may have been lurking there. Could that be why I scored lower on my SAT's than I thought I should have? Might the creosote have contributed to my breast-cancer diagnosis at age 35? Or was the culprit the pesticide sprayed each year over my summer camp to combat mosquitoes? (To be fair, we were told to put our pillows under our blankets beforehand.)
"There's no way around the uncertainty," says Kimberly Thompson, president of Kid Risk, a nonprofit group that studies children's health. "That means your choices can matter, but it also means you aren't going to know if they do." A 2004 report in the journal Pediatrics explained that jittery parents have more to fear from fire, car accidents and drowning than from toxic chemical exposure (with the exception of lead, which still threatens the health of millions of children). To which I say: Well, obviously. But such concrete hazards are beside the point. It's the dangers parents can't — and may never — quantify that gobump in the night. That's why I've purged my pantry of microwave popcorn (the bags are coated with a potential carcinogen), but although I've lived blocks from a major fault line for more than 12 years, I still haven't bolted our bookcases to the living room wall.
Paul Slovic, a psychology professor at the University of Oregon, calls that skewed response "intuitive toxicology." When the potential impact of a chemical is catastrophic — cancer or birth defects — we tend to act from the gut, ignoring the actual probability of harm. I wouldn't expect parents to have the same risk tolerance as experts. Yet, I wonder sometimes if avoiding the vinyl lunch box — I don't care if it has "Hello Kitty" on the front — is just another blade in a helicopter parent's propeller, another version of the overzealous monitoring that has produced kids who leave for college without ever having crossed the street by themselves. In this era when children symbolize emotional fulfillment rather than free household labor, we cling to the belief that if we just do everything right — starting with what a woman eats before she's even pregnant — we can protect them from pain or failure or sadness. We can make them perfect and, in the process, prove ourselves beyond reproach. But of course, that control is illusory: even if it were possible to do everything "right," it could still come out wrong. What if it wasn't the creosote or the pesticide that gave me cancer but something even more frightening — plain old bad luck? What is a parent supposed to do about that?
NOTE:poul slovic,he is the professor at the university of origon call that skwed response
"intuitive texicology.
As it turned out, further investigation showed that my daughter and her classmates were not soaking up heavy metals with their three R's. That's a relief, but how long until something equally scary surfaces? Diesel fumes anyone? Tin-can liners? Chlorinated swimming pools? And how do we know that whatever replaced the bad stuff in baby bottles is safer? You can't raise your kid in a bubble. Especially one made of plastic.
Peggy Orenstein, a contributing writer, is the author of the memoir "Waiting for Daisy."
Next Article in Magazine (16 of 21) » A version of this article appeared in print on February 8, 2009, on page MM17 of the New York edition.
Download the historic Nov. 5 issue of The New York Times Electronic Edition.
Past Coverage
* A New Cigarette Hazard: 'Third-Hand Smoke' (January 3, 2009)
* NATIONAL BRIEFING | WASHINGTON; E.P.A. To Ban Use of a Pesticide (July 25, 2008)
* Lead Poisoning Cases Decline (July 3, 2008)
* Canada Takes Steps to Ban Most Plastic Baby Bottles (April 19, 2008)
Related Searches
* Hazardous and Toxic Substances Get E-Mail Alerts
* Children and Youth Get E-Mail Alerts
* Education and Schools Get E-Mail Alerts
* Chemicals Get E-Mail Alerts
Next Article in Magazine (16 of 21) »
Advertise on NYTimes.com
MOST POPULAR
* E-Mailed
* Blogged
* Searched
1. Paul Krugman: On the Edge
2. Op-Ed Contributor: Till Children Do Us Part
3. Japan's Big-Works Stimulus Is Lesson
4. Reinvent Wheel? Blue Room. Defusing a Bomb? Red Room.
5. As Layoffs Surge, Women May Pass Men in Job Force
6. Proof: Why (and How) I Drink
7. David Brooks: The Gang System
8. Art Review: Main Street Postcards as Muse
9. Op-Ed Contributor: Please Raise My Taxes
10. Fitness: Dieting? Put Your Money Where Your Fat Is
Go to Complete List »
1. On the Edge
2. Two Senators Seek to Strip $200 Billion From Stimulus
3. 598,000 Jobs Lost as Jobless Rate Hits 7.6% in January
4. Japan's Big-Works Stimulus Is Lesson for U.S.
5. Democrats Cite Jobs Report as Stimulus Talks Continue
6. Google and Amazon to Put More Books on Cellphones
7. U.S. Women Set to Surpass Men in Labor Force
8. The Gang System
9. Need a Creative Boost? Find the Blue Room.
10. Scientists Point to Possible Link Between Dam and China Quake
Go to Complete List »
1. madoff
2. obama
3. february 3, 2009
4. krugman
5. china
6. stimulus
7. education
8. michael phelps
9. maciel
10. january 28, 2009
Go to Complete List »
The New York Times Health
nytimes.com/health
Put your money where your fat is
Also in Health:
* Can nurses care too much?
* Warm chick pea and broccoli salad
* The buzz on tinnitus
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Get Times Reader Free. A Digital Newspaper That Reads Like The Real Thing.
Inside NYTimes.com
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Dear Amish Diary: After Floods, Made a Quilt
Dear Amish Diary: After Floods, Made a Quilt
Opinion »
Travel »
36 Hours in Dallas
36 Hours in Dallas
Opinion »
Editorial: Arpaio's America
Editorial: Arpaio's America
Escapes »
Spa for the Unpretentious
Spa for the Unpretentious
U.S. »
Town Seeks Landmark Status for Water Tower
Movies »
Cornered in a Parallel World
Art & Design »
Main Street Postcards as a Muse
Opinion »
Escapes »
Vintage Homes and Postcard Panoramas
Opinion »
Op-Ed: A Pinch of Science
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School achievers: Ashland U announces promotions
February 6, 2009
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ASHLAND -- The following area students were inducted into the Department of Teacher Education at Ashland University in the fall:
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# Christine Conti, Galion, daughter of Anthony and Rhonda Conti, majoring in vocal music education.
# Mallory Griffith, Lexington, daughter of William and Shelley Griffith, majoring in early childhood education.
# McKenzie Wallace, Lexington, daughter of Rita Wallace, majoring in early childhood education.
# Joan Thomas, Loudonville, majoring in early childhood education.
The purpose of the Department of Teacher Education induction is to recognize the potential of teacher education candidates. Candidates may apply for admission upon a successful completion of the PRAXIS 1 test, oral communication screening and prerequisite field experiences. Inductees must maintain a 2.5 or higher major grade point average.
NOTE:the candidates may apply for admission upon a successful completion of the PRAXIS 1 TETS.
These students help promote healthy lifestyles through campus projects and events and the student-run organization Peers Promoting Organized Wellness:
# Brad Copeland, Shelby, son of Craig and Laura Copeland majoring in sports management.
# Kaitlin Kreim, Shelby, daughter of Robert and Shirley Kreim.
ASHLAND -- A number of Ashland University faculty members have received promotions or tenure. They take effect on July 1, the beginning of AU's 2009-10 academic year.
Those promoted to the rank of full professor are Dr. Herbert Broda, education; Dr. Brenda Colijn, biblical interpretation and theology; Dr. Mitchell Metzger, psychology; Dr. Mason Posner, biology; Dr. Robert Rogers, economics; and Dr. Lee Wetherbee, counseling.
Promoted to associate professor are Dr. Linda Joyce Brown, English; Dr. Marla Butke, music; Dr. Allison Dickey, education; Dr. Tom Harvey, business administration; Dr. Boris Kerkez, computer science; Dr. Jill Lynch, education; Dr. Justin Lyons, political science; Dr. Paul Milton, sport sciences; Dr. Nate Myers, education; Dr. David Silverberg, education; and Dr. Patricia Saunders, biology.
NOTE: thoes people was promoted to the rank of the full professor.
Tenure was granted to Dr. Judy Alston, associate professor of education administration; Dr. Cynthia Bowman, associate professor of education; Brown; Butke; Dickey; Dr. Janet Kearney, associate professor of education; Kerkez; Lynch; Lyons; Dr. Louis Mancha, assistant professor of philosophy; Dr. William Payne, associate professor of evangelism/ missions; Dr. Wyndy Corbin Reuschling, professor of ethics and theology; Saunders; Dr. Howard Walters, associate professor of education; and Dr. Rachel Wlodarsky, associate professor of education.
To get your school achievement news into this column, e-mail to yournews@mansfieldnewsjournal.com with "school achiever" in the subject line. Be sure to provide a name and phone number in case we have questions. Photos may be attached in .jpg format for consideration. Submission implies permission to publish in print or online.
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School achievers: Ashland U announces promotions
February 6, 2009
* Post a Comment
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ASHLAND -- The following area students were inducted into the Department of Teacher Education at Ashland University in the fall:
Advertisement
Click Me! Quantcast
# Christine Conti, Galion, daughter of Anthony and Rhonda Conti, majoring in vocal music education.
# Mallory Griffith, Lexington, daughter of William and Shelley Griffith, majoring in early childhood education.
# McKenzie Wallace, Lexington, daughter of Rita Wallace, majoring in early childhood education.
# Joan Thomas, Loudonville, majoring in early childhood education.
The purpose of the Department of Teacher Education induction is to recognize the potential of teacher education candidates. Candidates may apply for admission upon a successful completion of the PRAXIS 1 test, oral communication screening and prerequisite field experiences. Inductees must maintain a 2.5 or higher major grade point average.
NOTE:the candidates may apply for admission upon a successful completion of the PRAXIS 1 TETS.
These students help promote healthy lifestyles through campus projects and events and the student-run organization Peers Promoting Organized Wellness:
# Brad Copeland, Shelby, son of Craig and Laura Copeland majoring in sports management.
# Kaitlin Kreim, Shelby, daughter of Robert and Shirley Kreim.
ASHLAND -- A number of Ashland University faculty members have received promotions or tenure. They take effect on July 1, the beginning of AU's 2009-10 academic year.
Those promoted to the rank of full professor are Dr. Herbert Broda, education; Dr. Brenda Colijn, biblical interpretation and theology; Dr. Mitchell Metzger, psychology; Dr. Mason Posner, biology; Dr. Robert Rogers, economics; and Dr. Lee Wetherbee, counseling.
Promoted to associate professor are Dr. Linda Joyce Brown, English; Dr. Marla Butke, music; Dr. Allison Dickey, education; Dr. Tom Harvey, business administration; Dr. Boris Kerkez, computer science; Dr. Jill Lynch, education; Dr. Justin Lyons, political science; Dr. Paul Milton, sport sciences; Dr. Nate Myers, education; Dr. David Silverberg, education; and Dr. Patricia Saunders, biology.
NOTE: thoes people was promoted to the rank of the full professor.
Tenure was granted to Dr. Judy Alston, associate professor of education administration; Dr. Cynthia Bowman, associate professor of education; Brown; Butke; Dickey; Dr. Janet Kearney, associate professor of education; Kerkez; Lynch; Lyons; Dr. Louis Mancha, assistant professor of philosophy; Dr. William Payne, associate professor of evangelism/ missions; Dr. Wyndy Corbin Reuschling, professor of ethics and theology; Saunders; Dr. Howard Walters, associate professor of education; and Dr. Rachel Wlodarsky, associate professor of education.
To get your school achievement news into this column, e-mail to yournews@mansfieldnewsjournal.com with "school achiever" in the subject line. Be sure to provide a name and phone number in case we have questions. Photos may be attached in .jpg format for consideration. Submission implies permission to publish in print or online.
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* 4 French students heading to Paris Post a Comment
* School achievers: Ashland U announces promotions
* Area school briefs: Kindergarten registration starts Tuesday for Mansfield Post a Comment
Latest headlines
* Some TV stations to end analog signal on Feb. 17 Read Comments(1)
* 'Glorious cat' dies Post a Comment
* Dog rescue almost costs man his life Post a Comment
* Stores see January sales fall; Wal-Mart posts rise Read Comments(1)
* Man who killed mom awaits clemency decision Read Comments(1)
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SCHOOLS TO OBSERVE DARWIN'S 200TH BIRTHDAY
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Schools to observe Darwin's 200th birthday
By HEATHER HACKING - Staff Writer
Posted: 02/04/2009 12:00:00 AM PST
CHICO — A combination of educational events will take place in honor of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, the English naturalist who was the author of "On the Origin of Species."
With Chico Unified School District off all next week, a family-friendly event will take place 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 12 at Sylvester's Creekside Cafe at Chico State University.
Other events such as a book club, an anthropology exhibit, talks and walks are also planned for the 200th birthday and 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's famous writing.
"It's an opportunity to celebrate science and biology and our understanding of the natural world," explained Chris Ivey, assistant professor of the Department of Biological Sciences at Chico State and one of the organizers of the events.
"Darwin was a pioneer in helping us understand how the world works. He was the first one to put together any coherent mechanism for how we got such an amazing world filled with diverse organisms."
NOTE: darwin's was a pioneer he was helping to us and to understand how the world works.
Ivey said Darwin's work was expanded upon and helped lead to understanding how to combat disease and fight agricultural pests.
His work helps scientists understand how microbes evolve to resist "tools we have to fight them." Other results are understanding of invasive species, genetic diversity, and on and on.
With the 200th birthday, this is the first big series of programs for Chico, in part from a grant from the Society of the Study of Evolution, Ivey explained, while other communities
Advertisement
hold special events each year.
One of the remarkable things about Darwin is how much ahead of his time his ideas were, Ivey said. Darwin's writing came long before the structure of DNA was understood, and research on chromosomes helped fill in the groundwork made by Darwin.
NOTE: Darwin's is how much ahead of his time his ideas were.
Some of the upcoming forums show the way that Darwin's work has influenced other disciplines, such as morality and ethics, psychology and philosophy.
For the Feb. 12 kids and family event, organizers will have games, displays of insects and plants, a reading nook for kids and grown-ups, arts and crafts, computer games and a scavenger hunt.
Tours will be available of the Anthropology Museum and the green house. There will also be birthday cake.
That evening at 7 p.m. the film "Inherit the Wind" will be shown in Holt Hall Room 170. That film is about the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, where a teacher was arrested for teaching Darwin's theories.
Other events:
#
Feb. 11 from 7-8 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in Chico, philosophy professors from Chico State will lead a book discussion on what "On the Origin of Species" has meant to Western religion and morality.
#
Feb. 12 the Museum of Anthropology, 301 Langdon Hall, will have extended hours.
#
Feb. 13, a seminar will be held at 4 p.m. in Holt Hall 170 about butterflies in post-European California and Argentina.
#
Feb. 14, 7 a.m., a field trip to the Llano Seco unit of the Sacramento River National Wildlife Reserve. Meet by the palm tree on the east side of Holt Hall at Chico State.
#
Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m., Performing Arts Center 134, a forum by the Center for Applied and Professional Ethics at Chico State, about "Evolutionary Psychology: Can Natural Selection Explain Human Behavior," with psychology professor Edward Vela.
#
March 3, 7:30 p.m., PAC 134, CAPE forum on "Emerging social ethics for animals" with Colorado State University professor of philosophy Bernard Rollin.
To view the complete schedule, with links to more information, go to:
http://myweb.csuchico.edu/%7Ectivey/dday.html.
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Print Email Font Resize
Schools to observe Darwin's 200th birthday
By HEATHER HACKING - Staff Writer
Posted: 02/04/2009 12:00:00 AM PST
CHICO — A combination of educational events will take place in honor of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, the English naturalist who was the author of "On the Origin of Species."
With Chico Unified School District off all next week, a family-friendly event will take place 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 12 at Sylvester's Creekside Cafe at Chico State University.
Other events such as a book club, an anthropology exhibit, talks and walks are also planned for the 200th birthday and 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's famous writing.
"It's an opportunity to celebrate science and biology and our understanding of the natural world," explained Chris Ivey, assistant professor of the Department of Biological Sciences at Chico State and one of the organizers of the events.
"Darwin was a pioneer in helping us understand how the world works. He was the first one to put together any coherent mechanism for how we got such an amazing world filled with diverse organisms."
NOTE: darwin's was a pioneer he was helping to us and to understand how the world works.
Ivey said Darwin's work was expanded upon and helped lead to understanding how to combat disease and fight agricultural pests.
His work helps scientists understand how microbes evolve to resist "tools we have to fight them." Other results are understanding of invasive species, genetic diversity, and on and on.
With the 200th birthday, this is the first big series of programs for Chico, in part from a grant from the Society of the Study of Evolution, Ivey explained, while other communities
Advertisement
hold special events each year.
One of the remarkable things about Darwin is how much ahead of his time his ideas were, Ivey said. Darwin's writing came long before the structure of DNA was understood, and research on chromosomes helped fill in the groundwork made by Darwin.
NOTE: Darwin's is how much ahead of his time his ideas were.
Some of the upcoming forums show the way that Darwin's work has influenced other disciplines, such as morality and ethics, psychology and philosophy.
For the Feb. 12 kids and family event, organizers will have games, displays of insects and plants, a reading nook for kids and grown-ups, arts and crafts, computer games and a scavenger hunt.
Tours will be available of the Anthropology Museum and the green house. There will also be birthday cake.
That evening at 7 p.m. the film "Inherit the Wind" will be shown in Holt Hall Room 170. That film is about the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, where a teacher was arrested for teaching Darwin's theories.
Other events:
#
Feb. 11 from 7-8 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in Chico, philosophy professors from Chico State will lead a book discussion on what "On the Origin of Species" has meant to Western religion and morality.
#
Feb. 12 the Museum of Anthropology, 301 Langdon Hall, will have extended hours.
#
Feb. 13, a seminar will be held at 4 p.m. in Holt Hall 170 about butterflies in post-European California and Argentina.
#
Feb. 14, 7 a.m., a field trip to the Llano Seco unit of the Sacramento River National Wildlife Reserve. Meet by the palm tree on the east side of Holt Hall at Chico State.
#
Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m., Performing Arts Center 134, a forum by the Center for Applied and Professional Ethics at Chico State, about "Evolutionary Psychology: Can Natural Selection Explain Human Behavior," with psychology professor Edward Vela.
#
March 3, 7:30 p.m., PAC 134, CAPE forum on "Emerging social ethics for animals" with Colorado State University professor of philosophy Bernard Rollin.
To view the complete schedule, with links to more information, go to:
http://myweb.csuchico.edu/%7Ectivey/dday.html.
Print Email Font ResizeReturn to Top
POST YOUR COMMENTS:
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Related Stories
*
Chico Enterprise-Record
Letter: Rioters give city, university a bad name
*
Chico Enterprise-Record
Officials' message on Thursday's incident
*
Chico Enterprise-Record
Letter: Work needed to prevent student deaths
*
Chico Enterprise-Record
Chico State student skewered while climbing over metal fence
*
Chico Enterprise-Record
Campus leaders condemn students' disruptive behavior
Related Topics
* Places - Chico, CA
* Science/Technology - Entomology, Science
* Life - Education Etc.
* Most Viewed
* Most Emailed
(From the last 12 hours)
1. Chico High athlete's death ruled a suicide
2. Early morning crash on Neal Road injures one
3. Sacramento girl pistol whipped, robbed at Thermalito home
4. Parolees with drugs arrested in south-of-campus car stop
5. Mother doesn't contest lesser charge of giving pot brownie to her...
6. Trustees vote to reorganize 11 schools: Changes will largely affect...
7. Suspect arraigned in fatal beating
8. Death Notices for Feb. 4
9. Glenn planning director retiring amid controversy
(From the last 12 hours)
1. Trustees vote to reorganize 11 schools: Changes will largely affect...
2. Chico High athlete's death ruled a suicide
3. Early morning crash on Neal Road injures one
4. Glenn planning director retiring amid controversy
5. Sacramento girl pistol whipped, robbed at Thermalito home
6. Suspect arraigned in fatal beating
7. Mother doesn't contest lesser charge of giving pot brownie to her...
8. Make Valentine's Day a date to remember
9. On the edge: Chico woman faces loss of home, uncertain future
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Click for Details
3 BEDROOM, 2 BATH (Homes)
Click for Details
2 BEDROOM, 1 BATH (Homes)
Click for Details
SPACIOUS 3 BEDROOM (Homes)
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