Georgia State University News & Events

University Relations Tip Sheet - January 13, 2004

Expert: Presidential primary is anyone's game
The Jan. 19 Iowa primary kicks off a long and hotly contested political season - and the outcome is anyone's guess, says a Georgia State University political science professor. "For months there's been news coverage of who's ahead and who's behind, and that's largely based on polls. This is going to be the first actual test for candidates - and it's going to be interesting," says Michael Binford, associate professor of political science. Though former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is currently considered the front-runner, his campaign could crumble if he doesn't capture the attention of voters in Iowa and New Hampshire. "Dean is the favorite going in, but he's also the one with the most potential to fall apart if he doesn't meet expectations," says Binford. And though there's also possibility for long-shot candidates to come from behind to secure the Democratic nomination - much like Jimmy Carter did in 1976 - Binford expects the field will be "dramatically condensed" once the primary results are in. Contact him at 404-651-4846 or polmbb@panther.gsu.edu.

Martha Stewart: Living behind bars?
Recent developments in the case against Martha Stewart, who's set to stand trial at month's end, might make it more difficult for the homemaking icon to prove she's innocent of obstruction of justice, making false statements and securities fraud. Georgia State University law professor Ellen Podgor finds it surprising that prosecutors waited until early January to file a superseding indictment that broadens the scope of her alleged conduct that could be considered criminal. "Why did the government wait until right before the trial to modify the charges against Martha Stewart?" Podgor wonders. "They had all the information in their hands for some time. Is it fair for the defense counsel to suddenly have to be provided with modified charges just before the beginning of the trial?" The charges against Stewart stem from her sale of nearly 4,000 shares of ImClone Systems stock in late 2001, a day before regulators rejected the company's application for approval of Erbitux, an experimental cancer drug. Instead of insider trading, Stewart will be tried for her alleged misconduct in dealing with investigators. Podgor, author of "White Collar Crime in a Nutshell" and "White Collar Crime: Law and Practice," is available to comment on developments in the case as they unfold. Contact her at 404-651-2087 or epodgor@gsu.edu.

Textbook jackets part of wider marketing trend
Textbooks bound with protective covers - that also serve to advertise products - are part of a dangerous trend toward commercialism in schools, according to a Georgia State University education professor. Such book jackets, featuring cartoon characters, snack foods, sports drinks, athletes, celebrities and televisions shows, are actually part of a larger effort to market products to schoolchildren. Often supplied free to schools, the covers also can serve to subtly reinforce stereotypes about race and gender, transmit certain values and encourage the consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, says Deron Boyles, an associate professor of educational policy studies. "Schools should not be places where teachers allow the uncritical acceptance of any narrative, much less the clearly lopsided narrative put forward by corporate advertising campaigns (disguised as) book covers," says Boyles, an expert on corporate influence in schools. For more, contact Boyles at 404-651-1192 or dboyles@gsu.edu.

What would Puffy do?
From cars to booze, product name-dropping in today's hip-hop hits has become standard practice. Why do artists incorporate endorsements into their songs and videos? According to one music industry expert, it's because much of hip-hop culture is based on pride of possessions. "The genre is saturated with songs about Bentleys, Rolex watches, Cristal or Courvoisier, and expensive tennis shoes," says Marcus Thomas, coordinator of music management at Georgia State University. "Hip-hop consumers learn to identify themselves according to what Puffy is wearing and driving. From what I've seen, at least half of all hip-hop videos are four-minute advertisements selling fashion, cars, jewelry, drinks and 'hip-pop' culture." For more, contact Thomas at 404-651-3434 or musmxt@langate.gsu.edu.

Recess advocate leads fight to restore playtime in Georgia schools
Most adults fondly remember playground games and schoolyard antics from their youth - but for many children in Georgia, recess is becoming a thing of the past. Georgia State University education expert Olga Jarrett is trying to change that. Backed by her research findings, Jarrett and a team of bipartisan legislators and teachers are advocating a return to recess in Georgia's elementary and middle schools. The group plans to introduce a bill in the Georgia General Assembly that would require schools to provide students with at least one 15-minute break each day. "Kids can't maintain concentration for long periods of time - and adults can't either," says Jarrett, an associate professor of early childhood education. "While there's a lot of pressure to improve test scores, there's the mistaken idea that if you can just get someone to work longer, you can accomplish more." House Bill 1013 would mandate an unstructured break without lengthening the school day or shortening a teacher's planning period. For more information, contact Jarrett at 404-651-2584 or ojarrett@mindspring.com.

Think you know what you're talking about? Think again
A thimbleful of knowledge can be a dangerous thing - especially in the hands of those who think they know more than they actually do. Just ask Georgia State University's Paul Ferraro, who studies the relationship between confidence and competence in economic decision-making, such as trading stocks and buying insurance. Ferraro, assistant professor of economics, believes the overconfidence of novice online stock traders fueled the economic bubble of the late 1990s. "If you looked at the bulletin boards on the Web, everybody felt they were a great stock trader," he says. His research shows that people who are least proficient at a task tend to underestimate the depth of their own incompetence. The concept also applies to other life skills - which may explain why, for instance, the most dangerous drivers tend to be the ones who buy the least amount of liability insurance coverage. "The skills that engender competence in a certain domain, whether driving or marital skills or work efforts, are the same skills that are required to evaluate competence," says Ferraro. "And so here lies the dilemma: If you don't have the skills to be competent in a certain area, you're not going to have the skills to be able to correctly or accurately assess your own abilities." Contact Ferraro at 404-651-1372 or pferraro@gsu.edu.

Astronomers solve mystery of star pair
A team of astronomers led by Todd Hillwig of Georgia State University has solved a 26-year-old mystery by discovering the origins of high-speed spiraling gas jets from one of the stars in a bizarre two-star system. Nicknamed SS 433, the system is 16,000 light years away in the Milky Way and consists of a faint, large star orbiting a compact, bright star. For years, astronomers had observed that the smaller star of the pair was shooting out spiraling jets of gas at one-quarter the speed of light. Experts believed the bigger star was dumping gas into the smaller star, but the little star's light was so bright that astronomers couldn't see exactly what was happening. Hillwig's team decided to observe the bigger star during an eclipse when it blocked its brighter partner. The group confirmed the bigger star does in fact transfer gas to the smaller star, which in turn spits into the atmosphere the gas it can't "digest." For more information contact Todd Hillwig at 404-651-1882 or thillwig@chara.gsu.edu.

Happening at Georgia State University:

Symposium to explore alternatives to the bar exam
The College of Law's 2004 Law Review Symposium Jan. 29 will explore alternatives to the bar exam for licensing attorneys. The symposium, which will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the ballroom of the Student Center, will include panel discussions featuring distinguished legal scholars from around the world, including Hulett H. Askew, director of the Office of Bar Admissions at the Supreme Court of Georgia; John T. Berry, executive director of the State Bar of Michigan; and Judith Wegner, former dean of the University of North Carolina's law school. Georgia State University Law Review, a legal journal published four times a year by second- and third-year law students, will produce an issue dedicated to the symposium's topic in conjunction with the event. For more information on the symposium, which is free and open to the public, call the Law Review office at 404-651-2047 or visit http://law.gsu.edu/lawreview/symposium/index.htm.

MLK convocation honors slain civil rights leader
In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Georgia State University's Office of Student Life and Leadership/Intercultural Relations will sponsor the 21st annual MLK Convocation at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 22 in the Recital Hall (corner of Gilmer Street and Peachtree Center Avenue). This year's theme is "Stepping into the Future…Climbing the Ladder of the Past." Longtime civil rights leader U.S. Rep. John Lewis is the keynote speaker. A reception will follow the program. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. For more information, call 404-463-9031.

Pianists Katia and Marielle LaBèque to perform at Rialto
Pianists Katia and Marielle LaBèque, a pair of sisters who are helping revive the concept of the piano duo in classical music, will perform at 8 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts (corner of Forsyth and Luckie streets). The sisters' spirited, intense performances have won them a worldwide following, including stints with the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony and Vienna Philharmonic, among others. The current tour celebrates great American composers George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein, featuring Gershwin's "Three Preludes" for two pianos and an instrumental version of Bernstein's "West Side Story," orchestrated for two pianos and two percussionists. Joining the LaBèque sisters are drummer/percussionist Marque Gilmore, Scottish percussionist Colin Currie and British composer Dave Maric. Tickets range from $20 to $50 and may be purchased at www.rialtocenter.org or by calling 404-651-4727. For more information, contact Amy Moudy Comeau at 404-651-2981 or acomeau@gsu.edu.

Art exhibit and symposium: 'PG-13: Male Adolescent Identity in the Age of Video Culture'
New York artists Janet Biggs and Barbara Pollack examine the influence of pop culture on adolescent boys in a video installation Jan. 15 through March 5 at the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design Gallery at Georgia State University. Biggs and Pollack look at gender as enacted by boys who mimic and embody expectations of masculinity engendered by sports, video games and music videos. The artists will appear at a public discussion of male adolescence from 3 to 5 p.m. Jan. 15 in the Speaker's Auditorium of the Student Center. The free symposium will be moderated by Jim Cox, vice president of urban services for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. For more information, contact Cathy Byrd, gallery director, at 404-651-0489 or cathybyrd@gsu.edu.

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