Quoted: James Seward, an associate professor of finance, investment and banking at UW-Madison, said if GM files for bankruptcy, it likely would terminate the pension plan and offload its obligations to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.
Experts are warning central Wisconsin residents to stock up on bug spray as the number of dangerous deer ticks appears to be increasing.
Quoted: Susan Paskewitz, a University of Wisconsin-Madison entomologist.
When economists read the statistical tea leaves, seeking signs of an easing recession, they often look for a bottoming of the stock market or an uptick in factory orders.
But the economic picture for thousands of working people across Wisconsin won’t improve until the job picture brightens. And on the jobs front, there’s some good news for Madison, which was just rated No. 1 among medium-sized cities for so-called Next Generation workers. These are younger, tech-savvy people who want “a good job in a great city,” according to Next Generation Consulting, which produced the list.
Quoted: Noel Radomski, director of the Wisconsin Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Education (WISCAPE)
Quoted: Frederick Langheim, a neuroscientist and psychiatry resident at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Mentions a revealing book titled “Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion” (Harvard University Press), edited by Ronald Numbers, a historian of medicine at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
The Wisconsin State Journal recently endorsed Senate Bill 175. If passed, it would change the rules for math and science teacher licensing in Wisconsin.We strongly disagree with the endorsement.
A column by Peter Hewson, a professor of science education at UW-Madison, and Eric Knuth, a professor of mathematics education at UW-Madison.
Quoted: Barry Orton, professor of telecommunications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Quoted: Charles Franklin, a University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor.
Quoted: “It will look substantially different. All types of securities markets will be a lot more regulated and less vibrant. â?¦ The trade-off will be fewer crises,” said Menzie Chinn, associate director of the Robert M. LaFollette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin.
Quoted: “It’s likely farmers have been getting influenza from their pigs infected with the disease for more than 60 years, says Dr. Bernard C. Easterday, University of Wisconsin-Madison veterinary scientist.”
Quoted: “We’re actually paying much higher interest rates than they have in the past because, basically, there’s been a breakdown in the credit markets and people don’t know who to trust. And so almost all of us are paying a premium for that lack of trust in the economy,” says University of Wisconsin financial specialist Michael Collins.
Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have made a significant discovery in understanding the way human embryonic stem cells function.
They explain nature’s way of controlling whether these cells will renew, or will transform to become part of an ear, a liver, or any other part of the human body. The study is reported in the May 1 issue of the journal Cell.
The research team includes James Thomson, who provided an important proof to the research effort. Thomson, an adjunct professor at UCSB, is considered the “father of stem cell biology.”
Quoted: University of Wisconsin bioethicist Norman Fost says “the horror stories about the medical claims, some of them are just frankly made up.”
Quoted: â??Itâ??s kind of a nebulous term,â? explained Carrie Laboski, a professor and extension soil scientist at University of Wisconsin, Madison. â??Manured soil over time may have a little more structure to it. Water penetrates it nicely, and it drains nicely.â?
The number of confirmed swine flu cases in Wisconsin increased from three to five Tuesday and the state public health officer said it likely will rise higher, even as some schools closed because of the outbreak prepared to reopen Wednesday.
Most of the 119 probable swine flu cases in Wisconsin will likely be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the coming days, Dr. Seth Foldy told the state Assembly’s Public Health Committee.
Quoted: Dr. Dennis Maki, UW-Madison professor of medicine
Quoted: John Witte, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who has studied charter and voucher schools extensively.
Quoted: â??Iâ??m not sure he knows or accepts that he came to power through the support of one side of the conflict,â? said Thongchai Winichakul, a specialist in Southeast Asian studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. â??Iâ??m not sure he has enough guts and that he has gathered enough political clout to break away from the people who brought him to power.â?
Quoted: “The allergy season is off to a potent start,” said Dr. Mark Moss, a UW Hospital allergist.
Quoted: One study of individuals who were new to meditating showed measurable brain and behavior differences after just two weeks of daily 30-minute sessions, says Richard Davidson, director of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But meditation is like any other workout: To reap the benefits, don’t stop.
Quoted: “We would like to think that this market would strengthen by the summer. But that’s not certain, there are a couple of clouds on the horizon,” says University of Wisconsin Business School real estate expert Steve Malpezzi.
Noted: “It’s impossible to say with any assurance what’s going to happen,” said Dr. Christopher Olsen, a molecular virologist who studies swine flu at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Veterinary Medicine. “Influenza viruses can evolve quite quickly.”
Living and working in the New York region’s financial-media complex in 2009 means daily, compulsory attendance at a gathering of the glum. The economy may be shrinking at a 6 percent annual rate, but finance and media have contracted by about 30 percent. For the past year, the daily routine has meant sitting in a depopulated office (assuming you still have a job); following the latest grim news of magazine closings, buyouts, and layoffs; and commiserating with friends, family, and neighbors. And, of course, the angst extends far beyond directly affected companies. Finance dominates the area’s economy to such a degree that everybodyâ??lawyers, accountants, real estate brokers, waiters, retailers, and cab driversâ??have all been affected.
Quoted: “Politicians like a new thing and we’re in the peak in the moment of the Twitter fad,” said University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin, who also tweets. “In that sense, it’s not surprising to see them get on it.”
This week, President Obama said waterboarding is torture but gave no indication he is planning to hold anyone accountable for authorizing it. Interviewed is University of Wisconsin professor, Alfred McCoy, author of A Question of Torture: CIA Interrogation, from the Cold War to the War on Terror. (Video.)
Noted: Long before this outbreak of swine flu, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Vicki Bier imagined the worst. She authored a report in 2007 that makes the case that pandemic diseases aren’t just health problems.
“It’s not just something you can hand off to public health (departments) and say, ‘Fix it for us,'” said Bier, a professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.
Quoted: Economists ”used to say consumers are completely rational; they look at all the attributes and make a decision. Now we know that’s not true,” said Joann Peck, an assistant marketing professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studies consumer behavior.
Noted: “The volume of specimens coming into my laboratory has been sharply increasing, and we would anticipate that given the public health concern,” said Pete Shult, director of the communicable disease division of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, who is overseeing the testing.
Quoted: UW-Madison economist Andy Reschovsky agreed the tax was regressive but said the increase would be relatively small for even a poor drinker.
Quoted: Charles Franklin, UW-Madison professor.
Quoted: Before Mr. Obama signed the stimulus measure in February, much energy research relied on companies, and the money was scarce, says Glenn R. Bower, a faculty associate who directs automotive research at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. “Companies more and more don’t really want to fund things that are superfundamental, because 19 out of 20 times they don’t produce anything” with a competitive edge, Mr. Bower says.
Quoted: Tody’s attorney, Byron Lichstein, said the decision means judges should automatically remove their family members from jury pools. He said his research turned up one other Wisconsin case where a judge’s mother was a juror in a 1990s murder case and about 10 others nationwide.
”This is a decision that helps safeguard the way juries work in our state,” said Lichstein, of the University of Wisconsin law school.
Eaton’s mother was among the potential jurors who showed up for Tody’s one-day trial. During jury selection, the judge jokingly asked her whether she was related to anyone in law enforcement. ”The judge,” she responded.
Quoted: ‘Let’s not lose track of the fact that the normal seasonal influenza is a huge public health problem that kills tens of thousands of people in the U.S. alone and hundreds of thousands around the world,’ Dr Christopher Olsen, a molecular virologist who studies swine flu at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, told reporters.
Quoted: UW-Madison professor Andrew Reschovsky, who teaches applied economics, agreed that $172 seemed high and could be skewed by wealthier people buying more expensive items such as luxury cars and boats.
A leading expert in Wisconsin on swine flu virus is urging caution, before there’s any projection about the potential of this current disease strain.
UW-Madison School of Veterinary School of Veterinary Medicine swine flu virus expert, Dr. Christopher Olsen has been quoted by ABC News, and L.A.Times and other national news outlets that this current epidemic may not be much different than regular flu outbreaks.
“My reason for making those comments is that we have some framework in which to rationally think about what has happened up to this point,” Olsen said.
The World Health Organization Wednesday raised its swine flu pandemic alert to the second highest of its six levels. UW infection disease specialist Dennis Maki says a pandemic refers to a new strain of a virus that no one has a natural immunity to, meaning everyone is susceptible.
Dr. Maki predicts if rates continue at their current levels, 500 people may be infected worldwide by the end of the week.
Quoted: Alan Turnquist, outreach specialist at the Program on Agriculture Technology Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison,
Wisconsin customers must give car repair shops advance authorization for repairs or they do not have to pay, an appeals court ruled Wednesday.
Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and the consumer law litigation clinic at University of Wisconsin-Madison also praised the decision.
As the World Health Organization raised its infectious disease alert level Wednesday and health officials confirmed the first death linked to swine flu inside U.S. borders, scientists studying the virus are coming to the consensus that this hybrid strain of influenza — at least in its current form — isn’t shaping up to be as fatal as the strains that caused some previous pandemics.
In fact, the current outbreak of the H1N1 virus, which emerged in San Diego and southern Mexico late last month, may not even do as much damage as the run-of-the-mill flu outbreaks that occur each winter without much fanfare.
Quoted: Dr. Christopher Olsen, a molecular virologist who studies swine flu at UW-Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine.
Quoted: Dr. Christopher Olsen, professor of public health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dead men tell no tales. As it turns out, though, their teeth might.
Chemicals found in the teeth of the crew of Christopher Columbusâ?? 1492 voyage to America may reveal new insights about their origins, according to scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in a recent study.
Quoted: Students have a golden opportunity to discuss their goals at the end of an interview, says Greg Iaccarino, career and internship adviser at the University of Wisconsin. That’s when most interviewers solicit questions. Ask what kinds of projects previous interns were given and discuss what specific ideas they might have for you.
Quoted: Dr. Melissa Meredith, an endocrinologist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, suggests the following:
Quoted: “She was one of only three situations that we knew of where there was strong evidence of person-to-person illness,” said Dr. Christopher Olsen, professor of public health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Quoted: Finances may not be the only reason for job cuts, said Mason Carpenter, UW-Madison School of Business professor of management and human resources.
Quoted: â??A divided primary can be destructive but it also can be good for the party to have a contested primary,â? said Charles Franklin, a political scientist at UW-Madison. â??It gives both candidates the chance to make their case to the primary voters, and while they do that theyâ??ll be talking and advertising to the rest of the state.â?
Twitter messages are so short â?? a 140-character limit â?? that you have to really think about what you want to say. For Adam Wilson, thinking is all he has to do. Earlier this month, Wilson thought of a tweet (the name for a post to the social networking site) and poof, his computer read his mind and sent the darn thing. At just 23 characters, Wilson’s message, “using EEG to send tweet,” was done with a computer setup that interprets brain waves.
Quoted: Consumers tend to be staunchly loyal when it comes to their auto brands, but bad news surrounding a brand and concerns about a company’s future can eventually tip the balance, said Deborah Mitchell, a marketing professor at the University of Wisconsin’s business school.
The establishment by the Government of a neo-natal screening programme for cystic fibrosis will have a major impact on the quality and longevity of Irish people with the disease, a leading international pioneer of the technique has said.
American expert Prof Philip Farrell said the establishment of a neo-natal programme in Ireland would lead to a marked improvement in the quality of life as it would help people suffering to lead healthier and longer lives.
Before delivering his paper at the conference, Prof Farrell, from the school of medicine and public health at the University of Wisconsin, explained how the introduction of neo-natal screening for the CF gene has had a huge impact on the lives of American CF sufferers.
Quoted: Scientists said Sunday that they were unable to predict what this new swine flu would do next.
“It’s impossible to say with any assurance what’s going to happen,” said Dr. Christopher Olsen, a molecular virologist who studies swine flu at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison. “Influenza viruses can evolve quite quickly.”
Quoted: Confronted by a prolonged recession and a rising 8.5 percent unemployment rate, the highest U.S. rate in a quarter-century, some college seniors have grown “so anxious and worried they are paralyzed” and are not looking for a job, said University of Wisconsin, Madison, career services director Leslie Kohlberg.
Noted: At some point in reporting this article, someone pointed me to the MySpace page of Blood Jewel, a goth industrial band in the spirit of Marilyn Manson. Stylistically it could not be more different from the zaniness of Gory Bateson and the Ethnogs. Blood Jewel’s Web page seems designed to shock, full of depictions of violence and sexual bondage, and it features a music video called “Speedkilla,” a commentary on the student who carried out the horrific shootings at Virginia Tech two years ago.
This, too, is an academic project.
Blood Jewel’s leader, who goes by the stage name Detonator, is Neil L. Whitehead, a professor of anthropology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He studies depictions of sexual violence. He started the band three years ago as a way to get a new perspective on the culture of goth industrial music â?? and to propose a new approach to anthropology.
Quoted: “My impression is that it is largely ignored (today), having been superseded on the right by think tanks on the one hand and neo-Nazi groups and conservative religious groups on the other,” said Pamela Oliver, a University of Wisconsin-Madison sociology professor who in the 1980s co-authored a study of media coverage of the John Birch Society.
This is partly due to the animalsâ?? natural tendencies and partly a matter of training, says Patricia McConnell, a certified applied animal behaviorist and adjunct zoology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Quoted: But while property auctions are increasing nationally as foreclosures rise and the housing market slows, “there isn’t really a consensus among economists whether (a person bidding at) an auction ends up getting a better price,” said Stephen Malpezzi, professor of real estate development at the UW-Madison School of Business.
Quoted: “Weâ??re starting to see some serious financial strains,” said Bruce Jones, a UW-Madison professor of agricultural economics. “The dairy sector has taken some significant hits with milk prices being quite low and expensive feed costs.”
Quoted: University of Wisconsin Hospital’s Nan Peterson called 2008 “the year of the crib recall.”
The researchers who developed the evidenced-based education model that Gov. Ted Strickland used for his school-funding overhaul say most states don’t need to increase spending significantly to improve student performance.
Professors Allan R. Odden and Lawrence O. Picus say it generally should cost an additional 2 percent to 9 percent annually to finance smaller class sizes, more professional development for teachers and other proven strategies contained in the plan.
Odden, an education professor at the University of Wisconsin, said the evidence-based model calls for implementing strategies shown to improve student performance.
“Quoted: “We can choose the cattle not only based on their traits but also based on the sequences of the genes that matter,” said Bret Payseur, an assistant professor of medical genetics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. “You can imagine that that’s going to be much more efficient.”
Quoted: Nearly a dozen people who attended a meeting last night on Madison’s West Side claim their pets have been attacked by coyotes in recent weeks. “It’s almost impossible to assess a risk factor,” said UW-Madison urban wildlife expert Scott Craven, who addressed the residents. “The threat posed by coyotes is infinitesimally small, but not zero.”
