UA In the News — Nov. 11-13

UA In the News — Nov. 11-13

Alabama Law School Receives 1.5 Million for Endowed Chair
U.S. News – Nov. 11
The University of Alabama School of Law has received a $1.5 million gift to fund a Constitutional law chair.
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Nov. 12
San Francisco Gate – Nov. 12
Houston Chronicle (Texas) – Nov. 12
NBC 12 (Montgomery) – Nov. 12
The Island Packet (South Carolina) – Nov. 12
Fox 8 (New Orleans, Louisiana) – Nov. 12
Bristol Herald Courier (Virginia) – Nov. 12
Macon Telegraph (Georgia) – Nov. 12
Sacramento Bee (California) – Nov. 12
Biloxi Sun-Herald (Mississippi) – Nov. 12
Decatur Daily – Nov. 12
Bryan Eagle (Texas) – Nov. 12
Florence Times Daily – Nov. 12

UA added as member of University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 12
The University of Alabama was recently accepted into a nonprofit consortium of more than 100 North American universities focused on research and training in the atmospheric and related Earth system sciences. UA was one of six new member institutions added in October to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, or UCAR.

Yes, the G.O.P. Can Block Roy Moore
New York Times – Nov. 12
Last week’s allegations of sexual misconduct against Roy Moore, the Republican candidate for Senate in Alabama, have drawn bipartisan denunciations in Washington, with many of his would-be colleagues calling on him to leave the race. Here in Alabama, however, the reaction has been considerably more muted. (Ronald J. Krotoszynski Jr. is a law professor at the University of Alabama.)

Walmart Rolls Out Digital Features at Alabama Store
U.S. News – Nov. 12
In an example of Walmart’s evolving e-commerce strategy, a company supercenter in Mobile County is allowing customers to digitally “try on” makeup through a virtual reality system called ModiFace. “There are less than five of these in the country,” said John Wimsatt, store manager of the Tillman’s Corner Walmart, during a tour of the newly interactive store on Wednesday …”Every move Walmart makes is to compete with Amazon,” said Stacey Robinson, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Alabama. She said the new pick-up towers at Walmart are “in direct response” to Amazon’s locker network, launched in 2011.
Washington Times – Nov. 12
Kansas City Star (Missouri) – Nov. 12
Macon Telegraph (Georgia) – Nov. 12
Biloxi Sun Herald (Mississippi) – Nov. 12
Centre Daily Times (Pennsylvania) – Nov. 12
San Luis Obispo Tribune (California) – Nov. 12
The Fresno Bee (California) – Nov. 12
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (Georgia) – Nov. 12
The State (South Carolina) – Nov. 12
The Island Packet (South Carolina) – Nov. 12
Raleigh News and Observer (North Carolina) – Nov. 12
Charlotte Observer (North Carolina) – Nov. 12
Lexington Herald-Leader (Kentucky) – Nov. 12
Belleville News-Democrat (Illinois) – Nov. 12
Sacramento Bee (California) – Nov. 12
Modesto Bee (California) – Nov. 12
Miami Herald (Florida) – Nov. 12

Are evangelical voters giving a ‘blank check’ to Roy Moore?
Al.com – Nov. 12
Roy Moore has been a darling among the Protestant evangelical voter ever since his first social crusade in refusing to remove his Ten Commandments monument from the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery … The “evangelical voter” is a “nebulous term” that can include Southern Baptists, but also includes Pentecostal or the Holiness side of American Protestantism, according to Michael Altman, a religious studies professor at the University of Alabama.

Denny Chimes plays for veterans
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 10
A tribute for our veterans today at the University of Alabamaat one of the best-known spots on campus. At noon today, Denny Chimes played a variety of special tunes, God Bless America, My Country Tis of Thee, and of course, our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. Patriotic music chimed across the quad and campus for about 20 minutes.

UA instructors to discuss book on rural Cuba on Sunday
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 11
A reception Sunday in Tuscaloosa will mark the publication of a bilingual book featuring photography of the Cuban countryside. “Campesinos: Inside the Soul of Cuba” is a chronicle of the travels of Chip Cooper and Julio Larramendi, who are Honors College instructors at the University of Alabama. Cooper and Larramendi will discuss their interactions with the campesinos, people living in rural areas on the island.

People are self-identifying as ‘insomniacs’ and it could be just as dangerous as actually having a sleep problem
Business Insider – Nov. 10
Thinking you have a sleep problem—even if you don’t—may be just as bad for your overall well-being as actually having a sleep disorder, a new review published in Behaviour Research and Therapy suggests. Kenneth L. Lichstein, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Alabama, reviewed 20 existing studies that looked at both how people described their own sleep and how researchers measured the quantity and quality of their sleep.
Long Room – Nov. 11

NIST research: Timing is everything
The Hill – Nov. 10
Imagine not having GPS to find a new destination, locate your smart phone or help soldiers navigate the battlefield. If President Trump’s fiscal year 2018 budget is implemented, which calls for a significant cut to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the cutting-edge work NIST is responsible for – such as the GPS — would be in great jeopardy. (Patrick R. LeClair is professor and department chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Alabama.)

Elementary school aged children are viewing extreme pornography. What you can and SHOULD do about it
Bloomington Herald-Times (Indiana) – Nov. 11
Pornography is a serious topic, which apparently still stirs up some controversy. When I’ve written on this subject in the past, I’ve received some backlash from readers who insist it’s “no big deal’, that it’s “just sex” or that viewing porn as a couple (seemingly) helps their marriage … “Two of the most respected pornography researchers, Jennings Bryant and Dolf Zillman at the University of Alabama, studied the effects of porn and media for more than 30 years. They found that consuming pornography makes many individuals less satisfied with their own partners’ physical appearance, sexual performance, sexual curiosity, and affection.
Somerset Daily American (Pennsylvania) – Nov. 11
Aberdeen News (South Dakota) – Nov. 11

It’s time to deal with the mental health scandal
Citrus County Chronicle (Florida) – Nov. 11
If mental health is the issue, let’s do something about mental health. The mass shooting last week resulted in the death of 26 Texans whose only crime was to attend services at the small community’s local Baptist church … A study produced by Adam Lankford, a professor at the University of Alabama, documents that 31 percent of the mass shootings worldwide between 1966 and 2012 were done by Americans. We only have 4.4 percent of the world’s population.

UA Unified Football Team Falls to Ole Miss
Druid City Living – Nov. 12
The University of Mississippi’s Special Olympics College Unified football team defeated The University of Alabama 51-27 Sunday at the UA Rec fields. Alabama’s loss evened the series at 1-1 ahead of next Sunday’s “Unified Iron Bowl” against Auburn’s Special Olympics College team. Unified Sports is a burgeoning, inclusive sports initiative in which teams must have at least 50 percent young adults with intellectual disabilities (athletes) and the offset from typical students (partners) enrolled at UAUA Special Olympics College has more than 20 area athletes and competes in football, basketball and volleyball.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 12

‘Handmaid’s Tale’ author Margaret Atwood will discuss her books
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 11
World-renowned writer Margaret Atwood will read and talk about her work 7-8 p.m. Tuesday at the Bama Theatre. Tickets for the free event were snapped up within hours of becoming available, according to John Estes, director of the University of Alabama’s undergraduate creative writing program. Atwood’s appearance is part of the 2017-2018 UA Visiting Writers Series, through the College of Arts and Sciences. She’ll sign books afterward, some of which will be available for sale at the Bama.
Crimson White – Nov. 12

Will Alabama pick a Democrat over Moore?
Gadsden Times – Nov. 11
It’s no secret that if Roy Moore is going to lose his race for U.S. Senate, it’s going to happen in Alabama’s suburbs. And on Friday, a day after allegations emerged that the outspoken Christian conservative had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl decades ago, at least a few Republicans in one Birmingham suburb were having second thoughts about their party’s nominee … That’s more along the lines of the reaction that Connors and retired University of Alabama political science professor Bill Stewart expect rural voters to have. “In rural Alabama, they don’t seem to be putting a lot of stock in this story,” Stewart said. “They don’t believe it.”
Yahoo! – Nov. 11
San Francisco Gate (California) – Nov. 11
Texarkana Gazette (Texas) – Nov. 11
The Vindicator (Youngstown, Ohio) – Nov. 11
NECN (Boston, Massachusetts) – Nov. 11
NBC 5 (Chicago, Illinois) – Nov. 11
NBC 4 (Washington, D.C.) – Nov. 11
Crescent News (Defiance, Ohio) – Nov. 11
Muskogee Phoenix (Oklahoma) – Nov. 11
Northwest Herald (Illinois) – Nov. 11
The Progressive Farmer – Nov. 11

Nonprofit Schoolyard Roots seeks new leader
Gadsden Times – Nov. 13
A healthy garden, by definition, grows. Planted in early 2010 as the Druid City Garden Project with plots for students to get their hands dirty growing and tending organic vegetables, the newly renamed Schoolyard Roots now operates in 11 Tuscaloosa area schools, seven in the city and four in the county system … Working with the Caroline Boxmeyer, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the University of Alabama, Schoolyard Roots tracks effectiveness via students’ enthusiasm for their gardens, willingness to try and eat more vegetables, and involvement in meal preparation at home.
U.S. News – Nov. 13
Washington Times – Nov. 13
Lancaster Farming (Pennsylvania) – Nov. 13

Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger enters last week of competition
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 10, 11 and 12
The annual event features Alabama and Auburn competing to see who can collect the most canned foods. Collection bins have been placed all around campus, and off campus at Buffalo wild wings and the Tuscaloosa public library. All the donations that Alabama earns will go to the west Alabama food bank.

UA Law professor on Roy Moore allegations (Live Interview)
MSNBC – Nov. 10
The question remains, what do voters of Alabama think? For more on that, I am joined by Joyce Vance, former U.S. Attorney and a professor at The University of Alabama Law School. Her husband, Bob Vance, ran unsuccessfully against Roy Moore for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court in 2012.

How Victory Could Trick Democrats
New York Times – Nov. 13
Virginia. New Jersey. Washington. Maine. In all of those states, progressives celebrated election victories last week, and deservedly so. The wins were important. But do you know what else those states have in common? Hillary Clinton won them last fall, and her coalition obviously wasn’t large enough to win the White House … In The Times. “Mitch McConnell and other Senate leaders have the constitutional authority to prevent Mr. Moore from actually serving if he is elected,” argues Ronald Krotoszynski, a University of Alabama law professor. “The real question is whether the party’s leadership is prepared to use this authority.”

Doug Jones and Roy Moore = Slow Political Change in Alabama?
Alabama Public Radio – Nov. 11
You can hear this story tomorrow during Morning Edition on Alabama Public Radio. It was a weekend of denials following reports in the Washington Post about Roy Moore. The paper quotes four women from Alabama who say the Republican candidate pursued them sexually when they were teenagers … “When people think about public opinion change, they have this conversion image like people go to bed thinking one way, and they wake up one way completely differently,” says Dr. Steve Borrelli. He teaches Southern political science at the University of Alabama.
BPR (North Carolina) – Nov. 12

What are the Senate campaign strategies after allegations surface on Roy Moore’s past?
Al.com – Nov. 10
The campaign strategies for the two opponents in Alabama’s U.S. Senate race have been as different as the candidates themselves: Republican and conservative Roy Moore has run a more behind-the-scenes operation, while Democrat and left-leaning Doug Jones has traveled the state … “I do believe that any turnout above that previously expected would favor Moore,” said William Stewart, professor emeritus of political sciences at the University of Alabama.

UA political science professor comments on Roy Moore allegations
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 10
At the time Moore was a 32-year-old assistant district attorney. Now he is the republican nominee for the upcoming election for the Alabama U.S. Senate seat, and these accusations have raised some concerns we spoke with University of Alabama political science professor Allen Linken to hear his thoughts on the upcoming election.

UA community encouraged to donate blood at Beat Auburn Blood Drive
Crimson White – Nov. 12
University of Alabama students and faculty have the power to help saves lives by participating in the annual American Red Cross “Beat Auburn” Blood Drive. The American Red Cross has partnered with SGA to host this year’s drive. The overall goal for the blood drive is to have 300 donors over the course of three days.

Echoes of Steve Windom Charges in Roy Moore allegations
Yellowhammer News – Nov. 11
A prominent Alabama Republican facing a tough election weeks away gets hit with sexual misconduct allegations that threaten to derail his campaign. Roy Moore, 2017? Yes, but also Steve Windom, 1998 …“This would even go lower than the skunk ad, which was silly in some respect,’” University of Alabama political scientist William Stewart told the Associated Press at the time, referring to an attack ad run two years earlier comparing a state Supreme Court candidate to the smelly animal.

US firearm ownership explains why so many mass shootings happen ‒ professor
AlexPoucher.com – Nov. 11
From 1966 to 2012, 31 percent of the gunmen involved in mass shootings worldwide were Americans, according to a University of Alabama study. RT America’s Ashlee Banks asks Adam Lankford, the criminal justice professor who conducted that study, why these events seem to be uniquely American.

THE PORT RAIL: Service to our country deserves our respect
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 12
This column is dedicated to all who have served in the military, or, for that matter, all who are now serving and will one day become veterans. It is a time to remember not those who have died in service — celebrated on Memorial Day — but recognize those still living. (Larry Clayton is a retired University of Alabama history professor. Readers can email him at larryclayton7@gmail.com.)

BUSINESS BUZZ: November 12, 2017
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 12
Tabitha Bostick, WVUA 23′s senior account executive, was recently awarded the 2017 AAF District 7 Governor’s Award at the American Advertising District 7 Leadership Conference held in Tuscaloosa. The “Volunteer of the Year” award, coordinated and funded by former district governors, honors one District 7 member annually who has gone above and beyond in service to the AAF community.

Bama Theatre hosts free showing of “10 Things I Hate About You”
Crimson White – Nov. 12
Classic Shakespeare meets modern high school romance in the Hudson Strode Program’s presentation of “10 Things I Hate About You.”  Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles star in this 1999 adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” … The Hudson Strode Program is a part of the Renaissance Studies in the English Department at the University of Alabama. It promotes the study of English literature ranging from Skelton to Milton.

Elect Her event inspires University women to run for office
Crimson White – Nov. 12
On November 12th, The University of Alabama held a workshop called Elect Her in the hope of building confidence in young women to take initiative and run for offices, whether it be an office in SGA or Congress.
College and University – Nov. 12

UA Gospel Choir sings in benefit concert
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Nov. 12
With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, several local schools came together for a concert benefiting their music departments. Billed as a night of worship and inspiration, the concert featured 7 local schools along with the University of Alabama’s Afro American Choir. Money raised will benefit the schools, but this year the group made a special gift presentation to the Birmingham police department’s family meal holiday project.