Yale Bulletin and Calendar

March 3, 2000

Volume 28, Number 23

In the News

"I will become a werewolf before I change from a taxpayer to a 'customer' of the IRS."

-- Law School professor Michael J. Graetz, about the efforts of the IRS to become more service-oriented, "Incredible Shrinking Tax Collector," The Christian Science Monitor, Feb. 23, 2000

"Fudging is just part of the profession [of politics]."

-- Political scientist David Mayhew, "In Age of Spin, Voters Yearn for the Blunt," The Christian Science Monitor, Feb. 4, 2000.

"This leads to the following nonmultiplechoice question for Bradley and Bush: If you got into an Ivy League college for reasons other than 'qualifications' narrowly defined as grades and test scores, what is so terrible about bending the same rules on behalf of African Americans?"

-- Historian Geoffrey Kabaservice, in his article "Winners Who Didn't Test Well," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Feb. 6, 2000.

"If we go ahead with the [Organization of American Historians] convention we will be doing it under protest. We will be using the convention not only to pursue the academic work to which we are devoted and which is the purpose of our existence, but also to use it as a moment for public methods of teaching about the past, present and future of racial discrimination in the United States."

-- Historian David Montgomery, "Groups Reconsider Bookings at Hotels Accused of Racial Bias," The New York Times, Feb. 9, 2000.

"The welfare-to-work push on single mothers is placing a growing number of children in mediocre and disorganized child-care settings."

-- Research scientist Sharon Lynn Kagan, "School & Learning Section: Low Marks for Day Care," The Washington Post, Feb. 22, 2000.

"One day some university will see a truck pulling up with all my papers inside."

-- School of Architecture dean Robert A.M. Stern, of his plans to donate his design archive to an institution someday, "America's Design Legacy . . . Going, Going, Going," The New York Times, Feb. 17, 2000.

"If the swing by a right-hand batter is seven milliseconds too late, the squarely hit ball will sail foul past first base. If the swing is early, the ball will be foul on the third base side."

-- Physicist Robert K. Adair, "Hitting Big League Fastball 'Clearly Impossible'," AP Worldstream, Feb. 19, 2000.

"If you deprive [children] of bringing guns to nursery school, they will use their finger or they will use a block."

-- Child Study Center research scientist Dorothy Singer, "Toy Makers Wrestle With Their Role in Violence," The Record (Bergen County, NJ), Feb. 16, 2000.

"Donation limits have . . . reduced the number of candidates running for office, given wealthy candidates an advantage, increased corruption of the political process, and led to more negative campaigns. Why anyone thinks more of the same medicine will suddenly have the reverse effect is not obvious."

-- Law School postdoctoral associate John R. Lott Jr., "Campaign Donation Calibration," The Washington Times, Feb. 14, 2000.

"If you look at [art historian Beryl J. Wright's] work, it spans the 20th century. It's an important legacy to leave, especially for the studies of African-American artists. I speak for many when I say her loss will be missed in the community."

-- Assistant professor Kellie Jones, "African-American Art Historian Beryl Wright," Star Tribune, Feb. 4, 2000.

"[Reports that physician-prescribed euthanasia did not work 16% of the time] will come as a shock to the many members of the public -- including legislators and even some physicians -- who have never considered that the procedures involved in physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia might sometimes add to the suffering they are meant to alleviate."

-- School of Medicine professor Dr. Sherwin Nuland, "Assisted Suicides Can Go Awry, Researchers Find," The Vancouver Sun and elsewhere, Feb. 24, 2000.

"The [royal Thai] palace had all the grandeur -- it's what you read about. But it was clear that the quiet presence and warmth of the king overshadowed all the trappings that were there."

-- School of Music Dean Robert Blocker, "East Meets West: Dean Honors Thai King, Who Has 'The Soul of an Artist'," New Haven Register, Feb. 20, 2000.

"Cultural studies gets such bad press these days, but here is somebody blessed with 360-degree vision and literate in all sorts of fields, orchestrating their coming together in a very attractive way."

-- Sociologist Paul Gilroy on Steve Waksman's book, 'Instrument of Desire: The Electric Guitar and the Shaping of Musical Experience,' "A Metalhead Turns His Passion for Music Into a Scholarly Pursuit," The Chronicle of Higher Education, Feb. 11, 2000.

"[Law enforcement agents] may play it so safe that they don't do their jobs as vigorously and effectively as they should."

-- Law professor Peter H. Schuck, about a federal court's ruling that law enforcement agencies can be held liable if they harm 'an innocent nontarget,' "F.B.I. Cast a Wide Net With Many Tangles in Aerospace Industry Inquiry," The New York Times, Feb. 9, 2000.

"Previous studies showed that during disasters, there's an increase in sudden death, mostly from cardiac problems."

-- School of Medicine assistant professor Dr. Rachel Lambert, "Stressed Out? Scientists Report it Could Kill You," New Haven Register, Feb. 24, 2000.

"I recommend that we develop a more militant attitude about the toxic food environment, like we have about tobacco."

-- Psychologist Kelly Brownell, "Lifestyle Goosesteppers Update," The Washington Times and elsewhere, Feb. 19, 2000.

"Just because something seems silly doesn't mean that it is silly. When I was studying facial expressions several years ago, people would say, 'Oh please, that's not important,' and now we know that they make a huge difference in understanding what's going on between parents and kids."

-- Psychologist Marianne LaFrance, "Tress Distress Respects No Gender," The Chronicle of Higher Education, Feb. 18, 2000.

"My only knowledge of Vietnam is of broken bodies. I'm not sure what will come of my visit, but I hope something good."

-- Associate research scientist at the School of Nursing Linda A. Schwartz, "Connecticut Vet Among Delegation to Vietnam," The Associated Press, Feb. 19, 2000.

"We knew that smoking was associated with heavy drinking; these findings suggest that in fact smoking may directly increase the amount of alcohol consumed."

-- Psychiatrist Stephanie O'Malley, on a study by the University of Toronto, "Tobacco Use Can Reinforce Alcohol Consumption: Study," Agence France Presse, Feb. 15, 2000.

"Many argued that African 'savages' actually benefited from slavery by becoming Christians and civilized, and that slaves were not subject to harsh treatment. They even denied that slavery had to do with the Civil War."

-- Sterling Professor of History David Brion Davis, "Myth of Slavery Benefits Debunked at Yale Center," Connecticut Post, Feb. 23, 2000.

"[Preschoolers with imaginary friends are] more independent, cooperative with teachers and peers, generally happier and less aggressive than their peers and have a richer vocabulary."

-- Psychology professor Jerome L. Singer, "Out of Sight: Children's Imaginary Friends Can Play Positive Roles," San Antonio Express-News, Feb. 22, 2000.

T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S

Yale to construct $176 million building for medical research and education

Hockey player is humanitarian outside the rink

Scientist invents device for at-home testing of glaucoma

Professor brings presidential expertise to PBS series

Test reveals voters' unconscious presidential preferences

Executive decries 'disturbing trends' in the media

Writer describes her passion for her craft at master's tea

Study shows tongue's temperature affects taste

Alumna extols virtues of studying math

Seminar seeks to spark interest on Latino health issues

Yale surgeon is using a new, less-invasive treatment for easing carpal tunnel syndrome

Veteran sports writers help Yale journalists hone their craft

Law School colloquium to explore welfare 'reform'

Researchers discover role of 'duet' in cell function

Musical Break

Neuroscientist is honored by Danish university

Dr. Sherwin Nuland will discuss early myths about the body at book signing

A very moving work of art

Sports Scoreboard

In the News