| Blog and Media Roundup - Wednesday, March 3, 2010; News Roundup | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 3 2010, 05:57 AM (249 Views) | |
| abb | Mar 3 2010, 05:57 AM Post #1 |
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http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/6549024/article-Timing-on-transit-tax-eyed?instance=homefirstleft Timing on transit tax eyed 03.02.10 - 10:01 pm By Ray Gronberg gronberg@heraldsun.com; 419-6648 DURHAM -- Early planning in Durham, Orange and Wake counties all points to the likelihood that they'd use some of the proceeds of a half-cent sales surcharge tax for transit to pay for major, early expansions of bus service. Even given conservative, recession-driven revenue projections, it looks like there'd be money enough to expand the Durham Area Transit Authority's offerings by a third and double service on Raleigh's Capital Area Transit, Durham Transportation Director Mark Ahrendsen said during a Tuesday briefing for Durham elected officials. But one key question remains the timing of legislatively mandated, separate referendums on the tax in each of the three counties. Administrators have been assuming their governments would put the question the voters in the fall of 2011, but Tuesday's discussion showed the county commissioners who would decide the matter for Durham aren't sure conditions will be right then. They and Triangle Transit General Manager David King all said the key issue would be the economy. "For that to happen, the economy has got to get better," King said, referring to the fall 2011 timetable. "No just more [gross domestic product], but more jobs. People have got to feel in their gut a sense of economic security." King and Ahrendsen stressed, however, that local officials have to spend the remainder of 2010 preparing the transit plans for each of the counties that the General Assembly last year set as precondition for any referendums. "It's easy to postpone the vote based on economic conditions not having measured up," King said. "But if conditions do improve, if the plan's not ready you can't force it to be ready in time for a vote in fall 2011." Tuesday's briefing -- conducted for members of the City Council and County Commissioners -- highlighted some of the design and political issues the plans have to address. Officials figure on front-loading bus service in any plan to show voters an early return on their money, build ridership and generate more support for transit. But as they have for a couple decades now, they see rail service eventually becoming the backbone of a regional system. And as it always has, that confronts officials with a design dilemma -- namely, that there isn't any one rail technology that promises to work immediately everywhere in the Triangle. Planners have long assumed that in relatively dense places like Chapel Hill and western Durham, commuters would board streetcar-like "light rail" cars capable of frequent stops. But to get from there to more distant locales like Raleigh or Clayton, it looks like they'd need heavier, mainline-capable rail cars that would run faster but make fewer stops. Current thinking by administrators and Triangle Transit officials suggests using both technologies -- as did an earlier plan stymied by Bush administration policy changes, and a spring 2008 report from a citizens group tasked with reviewing transit policy. Durham Mayor Bill Bell, however, said Tuesday he prefers the idea of using light rail throughout the system, to create what he termed "a seamless" experience for riders. Transit planners floated that as a possibility starting in the fall of 2008, when officials with the N.C. Railroad signaled they'd be open to seeing light rail share the existing rail corridor between Durham and Raleigh. But light rail is roughly four times as expensive as mainline-style service, mainly because of the provisions builders would have to make for powering the cars electrically. Ahrendsen said the recession-lowered revenue estimates for the sales-tax surcharge county finance types are insisting on don't promise money enough to cover that everywhere. There's also not enough housing around RTP to justify the extra expense of light rail between Durham and Raleigh. "We're not really fixing the RTP issue until redevelopment happens" there, City Councilman Mike Woodard said, backing Ahrendsen. Bell remained dubious. "Long term, I'm not convinced if we start with express rail we'll ever get the light rail piece," he said. |
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| abb | Mar 3 2010, 05:58 AM Post #2 |
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http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story_news_durham/6549150/article-Former-Vice-President-Al-Gore-to-speak-at-Duke?instance=main_article Former Vice President Al Gore to speak at Duke 03.02.10 - 10:23 pm DENMARKCLIMATESUMMIT.JPG From staff reports DURHAM -- Former Vice President Al Gore, who received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his advocacy of environmental causes, will give the 2010 spring Duke Environment and Society Lecture on April 8. Gore, the 45th vice president and former presidential candidate, left politics in 2000 after losing his bid for the presidency to President George W. Bush. He then wrote "An Inconvenient Truth," the best-selling book on the threat of and solutions to global warming. The movie made from the book received an Academy Award in 2007 and is one of the best-known documentary films in history. On Oct. 12, 2007, Gore was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations' global warming committee. Gore was an early voice for confronting climate change, championing the cause in both the House and the Senate, where he served from 1977 to 1985. He discussed these efforts in his 1992 book "Earth in Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit," describing the struggle over environmental damage as the central organizing principle of world civilization. As vice president, he led the administration's efforts to protect the environment in ways that strengthened the economy. "Since the beginning of his career, Al Gore has been relentless in his quest to bring the truth about global warming to the world, even when the world wasn't listening," said William Chameides, dean of Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment. "But the world can hear him now. We are fortunate and thrilled to have him bring his message to Duke." Gore is co-founder and chairman of Generation Investment Management, a firm focused on a new approach to sustainable investing. He also is co-founder and chairman of Current TV, an independently owned cable and satellite television network for young people based on viewer-created content and citizen journalism, and is on the board of directors of Apple Inc. and a senior adviser to Google. Sponsored by the Nicholas School, the free public lecture will take place at 6 p.m. in Page Auditorium on Duke's West Campus. Tickets are required for admittance. Ticket and event information are available online at www.nicholas.duke.edu/deanseries. |
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| abb | Mar 3 2010, 06:28 AM Post #3 |
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http://falserapesociety.blogspot.com/2010/03/hero-priest-in-mccaffrey-case-saluted.html Tuesday, March 2, 2010 Hero priest in McCaffrey case saluted by the New York Post A priest showed the way She thought she might get off with a few Hail Marys. Instead, she got three years in prison. The 27-year-old New Jersey woman who cried rape and put away an innocent man had no idea what coming clean would cost her when she stepped into a confessional a year ago and told her priest everything. "She was going to confess this was her sin and that was it," said a source familiar with the shocking recantation of Biurny Peguero Gonzalez, who on Tuesday was sentenced to one to three years in prison for falsely accusing William McCaffrey of a violent sexual assault in 2005. McCaffrey, whom Gonzalez had accused of raping her on a deserted Inwood street, served nearly four years of a 20-year sentence. The Bronx man, now 33, was exonerated in December after Gonzalez, a mother of two, admitted concocting the tale to gain sympathy from friends. Although Gonzalez desperately wanted McCaffrey freed, "I don't think she felt that it was going to go beyond that confession. She just happened to pick a priest who said, 'Oh, no, no, no . . .' " The priest, the Rev. Zeljko Guberovic of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Union City, made it clear to her that her obligation didn't end with admitting the lie. He told her she had to do everything in her power to get McCaffrey out, said sources familiar with the case. That eventually put her in the cross hairs of Manhattan prosecutors, who charged her with perjury, but Gonzalez never wavered, they said. "She's the hero, not me," Guberovic told The Post. Gonzalez's admission in March 2009 was her first trip to the confession booth since McCaffrey's conviction four years earlier, and it may have been the first in her life, the sources said. "The priest said, 'The only way you can make this right is to get a lawyer and get this man out of jail,' " said Gonzalez's lawyer, Paul Callan. She agreed, and Guberovic contacted a lawyer he knew who in turn reached out to Callan. "It took enormous courage to turn herself in. It was something that was spiritually motivated. She had nothing to gain and everything to lose," Callan said. Gonzalez was tormented by her lie, Callan said. "She was having trouble sleeping. She's been haunted by guilt," he said. Guberovic's active role in the case left Biurny "enormously grateful," Callan said, but it drew criticism from some parishioners who questioned whether he acted appropriately. And the Newark Archdiocese reminded the reverend he was not to reveal the contents of any confession. "He's not supposed to say anything," Callan said. "There's a thing called priest-penitent privilege." brad.hamilton@nypost.com Link: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/rape_liar_confession_booth_to_clink_5QSIBo9DIql5NcPMm11u3H |
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| abb | Mar 3 2010, 06:40 AM Post #4 |
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http://dukechronicle.com/article/al-gore-will-lecture-nich-school Al Gore will lecture at Nich school By Chronicle Staff March 3, 2010 Al Gore, former U.S. vice president and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, will deliver the Duke Environment and Society Lecture April 8. The event in Page Auditorium at 6 p.m. is free, but a ticket is required. The Nicholas School of the Environment sponsors the lecture. “Since the beginning of his career, Al Gore has been relentless in his quest to bring the truth about global warming to the world, even when the world wasn’t listening,” Bill Chameides, dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment, said in a statement Tuesday. “But the world can hear him now. We are fortunate and thrilled to have him bring his message to Duke.” Gore won the Nobel Prize in 2007 for his environmental advocacy work with scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global warming committee of the United Nations. Gore was the 45th vice president and a candidate for president in the 2000 presidential election. The same year, Gore wrote “An Inconvenient Truth,” a book on global warming and possible solutions to it. The book was a best-seller and inspired an Academy Award-winning documentary film in 2007. |
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| abb | Mar 3 2010, 06:41 AM Post #5 |
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http://dukechronicle.com/article/sacs-renews-university-s-accreditation SACS renews University’s accreditation By Christine Chen March 3, 2010 The University has been granted reaccreditation, officials announced Tuesday. The process has been a year in the making, as the University submitted its Quality Enhancement Plan last January for reaccreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The QEP states how the University can improve, and Duke’s document emphasized the University’s commitment to internationalization efforts despite the effects of the recession. “Accreditation is an essential aspect for any institution of high education,” said Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations. Accreditation allows the University to award baccalaureate, masters, doctorate and professional degrees to its students. It also gives Duke the ability to offer services such as financial aid. Institutes seek reaccreditation every 10 years from the SACS. President Richard Brodhead and Judith Ruderman, former vice provost for academic and administrative services, headed the QEP committee. To be accredited, a school must adhere to the standards outlined by the “Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement” and the policies and procedures of the Commission on Colleges. Last January, Duke was found noncompliant in 10 areas, including competency and qualification of faculty. The University then submitted a second report and underwent an on-site review last March. Schoenfeld said the reaccreditation process is very broad and covers a range of issues. “There are always particular issues that the University pays attention to, but overall the end result is accreditation,” he said. As part of Duke’s commitment as stated in the QEP, the University implemented the Winter Forum, held the week before the start of Spring semester. Steve Nowicki, dean and vice provost of undergraduate education, told the Academic Council last month that 95 percent of participants said they would recommend the experience to other students. Schoenfeld said the Winter Forum was received positively by the SACS review. He also noted that the University takes the review very seriously, and that the accreditation process is not merely routine. “I expect what an accreditor looked for 10 years ago is different from today,” Schoenfeld said. SACS is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education, and accredits schools located in the southern states. It also accredits some institutions in Latin America and other international areas, according to the SACS Web site. |
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| abb | Mar 3 2010, 06:42 AM Post #6 |
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http://dukechronicle.com/article/freshman-between-pipes A freshman between the pipes By Danny Vinik March 3, 2010 For freshman goalie Dan Wigrizer, it’s all about keeping the game simple. Stay poised, stop the ball and clear it. “I don’t let anything get to my mind,” Wigrizer said. “I don’t look around [or] look at the crowd. [I just] keep focused. [It’s] just like playing another game, just like another day in the office.” So far so good for Wigrizer, who is first in the ACC in saves per game to this point. In the Blue Devils’ 12-11 overtime victory over then-No. 19 Bucknell to open the season, Wigrizer made 17 saves and kept Duke in the game throughout. “He deserves credit for winning us the Bucknell game,” defenseman Parker McKee said. “Coming in freshman year, first time playing with the squad and he makes 17 saves. That’s a hell of a job. That’s above and beyond his call of duty.” Wiggy, as his teammates call him, stands at just 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, significantly smaller than last year’s starter, fifth-year senior Rob Schroeder. What the freshman lacks in size, though, he makes up for in natural ability and hard work. “Schro[eder] was a bigger presence in net, because he was like [6-foot-1], 230, but Wiggy brings the unexpected presence to the net,” McKee said. “He’s a freshman and he’s small so you don’t expect him to bring much to the table, but it’s not the size of the dog, it’s the heart inside of him. [The] kid has a lot of heart and he’s very talented.” A graduate of the Haverford School in Haverford, Penn., Wigrizer was a three-year starter who earned both first-team all-county and first-team all-state recognition three times. His junior season, Haverford went 17-7 with Wigrizer in net and lost in the league semifinals. He was selected as an Under Armour Junior All-American and was named a U.S. Lacrosse High School All-American. In his senior year, though, Wigrizer became one of the elite high school goalies in the country and earned Haverford a 16-8 record and a league championship. Wigrizer was selected as an Under Armour Senior All-American and county Player of the Year along with earning his second U.S. Lacrosse High School All-American selection. With high school over, however, Wigrizer has had to transition to the college game, specifically the quicker pace. “The ball moves a lot faster just around the field as a whole,” Wigrizer said. “People are faster, the shots are faster and they are better-placed shots. It’s tough to get used to. In one second, the ball can [move] from one side of the field to the other.” The speed of the game may have increased, but with the guidance of assistant coach Pat DeBolt, the freshman is trying to remain focused and keep his anxiety from affecting his game. “He gets very anxious sometimes, but he’s done a great job having poise, making big saves and moving the ball up the field and into the appropriate spots that he needs to,” DeBolt said. “When I first came in here, I used to always tell him, ‘Just take a big breath. Take a big breath.’ If you ever watch us during warm-ups, I’ll say, ‘Wiggy, just take two big breaths for me and just relax.’” The transition has been made easier by the fact that Wigrizer is playing under two great coaches in DeBolt and head coach John Danowski. “Throughout the first three games, I feel like I’m a ten times better goalie than I was when I stepped onto the field in the beginning of the season, let alone when I stepped onto the field at the beginning of fall,” Wigrizer said. “There are even times during the game when Coach DeBolt will call me over and give me more pointers and more hints. It’s just awesome having their support throughout the entire time.” Wigrizer’s luck does not stop at his coaching staff, as he is fortunate enough to be playing in front of the experienced defensive group of McKee, junior Michael Manley and senior Dan Theodoridis. Wigrizer said the defense’s experience and talent has helped him keep his composure in the crease, and added that he expects his defensemen to allow only shots from beyond 12 yards out, a distance he is expected to make saves from. DeBolt echoed Wigrizer’s comments in that playing behind such skilled, veteran defenders takes the pressure off the freshman goalie and allows him to focus purely on ball-stopping, rather than both ball-stopping and communication. “[The] defense has been together long enough that they know how to communicate to themselves and not depend upon the goalie necessarily,” DeBolt said. “I tell the defense, ‘You guys are going to have to talk more and to depend more on yourselves rather than your goalie.’” Even with the great coaching and strong defensemen in front of him, Wigrizer knows that he cannot sit back and expect those around him to carry him. Instead of being known as a freshman goalie, he wants to be known as the goalie of a national contender. “I want to be able to walk out onto the field and [have the other team] worry about the goalie in net [instead of them saying,] ‘It’s only a freshman goalie. Take a lot of shots.’” Wigrizer said. “As long as I’m able to save the ball, I feel like that can build my reputation and people won’t look at me as the freshman goalie anymore, but instead as the Duke goalie.” While one of Wigrizer’s goals is to earn respect from his opponents, his top priority echoes the main target for the rest of his team: He wants to win a national championship. And to make it to the championship game in Baltimore this May, all he has to do is keep it simple. |
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| abb | Mar 3 2010, 06:44 AM Post #7 |
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http://dukechronicle.com/article/communication-leadership Communication is leadership By Editorial Board March 3, 2010 The role of the modern university president is impossibly broad. They must manage faculty, staff and students, oversee admissions and alumni relations and ensure financial sustainability—all while presenting a vision for growth and adhering to the fundamental values of an academic institution. The rapid growth in the scope and function of American higher education, however, has only increased these pressures and demands. In response, university presidents have reasonably tasked legions of vice presidents and administrative assistants to keep their institutions up and running and continue their expansion. But as the day-to-day operation of the university occupies less of the president’s schedule, delegation can only go so far. In all of this, the president must remain a central figure and actively maintain responsibility for delivering core messages to the university’s diverse stakeholders. To this task, every university president brings a unique style and set of talents. President Richard Brodhead’s is professorial in nature. He speaks eloquently, employs theoretical language and seeks to develop a strong connection with his audience as if he is engaging in academic dialogue. Brodhead is not a populist president, and students or faculty are not likely to see him rubbing shoulders on the quad. This approach has served him well during his presidency’s few times of normalcy. Although we wish he had made more public statements across constituencies during his first term in office, Brodhead used his communication skills to define a university committed to “knowledge in the service of society” and build relationships with separate stakeholders. But in times of crisis, like our current hour, the importance of presidential communication is heightened. Brodhead must recognize that—more than any vice president or public relations official—his voice is most recognizable, most legitimate and carries the most weight. Since the financial crisis hit last Fall, Brodhead has sought to keep the University community abreast of decisions after they are made. While it is understandable to avoid drumming up hysteria by sending a constant barrage of messages, communication should also be made during the decision-making process. Students, faculty, staff and alumni do not need to know all of the financial details, but they must be reassured that the administration is up to the challenge. During times of uncertainty, this responsibility falls squarely with the president. In recent weeks, Brodhead has actively fulfilled this role. On Feb. 10, he delivered a State of the University address to the faculty, and the following Tuesday, he spoke candidly to employees about the University’s plan to combat budget shortfalls head on. Both speeches were suitably tailored to their audiences and delivered a salient message. This level of communication with the public should continue, and it should not exclude the student body. Although students have yet to tangibly feel the effects of budget cuts, as financial stakeholders in the future of the University, they deserve to know how Duke is progressing under financial uncertainty. Brodhead himself should deliver this message. As the administration continues to pinches pennies and cut budgets, Brodhead must do what he alone can—reassure the University community that its future is strong. |
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| abb | Mar 3 2010, 07:41 AM Post #8 |
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http://e-goldtrade.info/university-cap-and-gown-lawrence-ma Chapter One: (pp. 1-15) p. 1: Author interview with Devon Sherwood. p. 2: Devon Sherwood interview. “Indeed, more than one sorority hired . . .” : “Only Race Matters: A Duke Woman Speaks,” Liestoppers, 25 Jan. 2007. “Emulating the movie Old School”: USA Today, 25 Jan. 2005. Tom Wolfe, I Am Charlotte Simmons (New York: Picador, 2005). p. 3: “All fighting to get rammed . . .”: http://dukeobsrvr.livejournal.com/2508.html, entry for 14 Feb. snip |
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| Kerri P. | Mar 3 2010, 08:25 AM Post #9 |
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LieStoppers is quoted several times in this one. You just have to sit there and read down all the lists.
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| Quasimodo | Mar 3 2010, 09:37 AM Post #10 |
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Good work, Liestoppers! Your standard of factual correctness, and thorough examination of all the issues involved, has made the Liestoppers blog a valuable resource for those wanting to study this case. |
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