Restaurants can raise profits by shedding carbs
   More restaurants should try to cash in on the popularity of the Atkins diet craze, says David Pavesic, Georgia State University professor of hospitality administration and restaurant industry expert. The key to success with the low-carb crowd is to make it easy to order by offering "daily Atkins specials" and developing separate menu sections, he advises. "As a consumer, I would eat out more often it if would actually help control my calorie and carbohydrate intake," Pavesic says. "If restaurants keep the prices right, and they have a decent variety, they'll probably see a 20 to 30 percent increase in their business." Contact Pavesic at 404/651-3678 or hrtdvp@gsu.edu.

The changing face of Jesus
   Even before the release of Mel Gibson's controversial blockbuster, "The Passion of the Christ," images of Jesus suffering on the cross were familiar because modern Americans have seen so many different visual representations of the Crucifixion. That wasn't always the case, says Fred Whitehurst, a visiting instructor of art history at Georgia State University and a Presbyterian minister. "I've heard people say that seeing the movie brought them close to the sense of sacrificial suffering of Christ," says Whitehurst. "There are some images in art that do that, but visual representations of Jesus didn't start out that way." According to Whitehurst, some of the first images of Jesus portray him as young, beardless and vital. "Visually, the earliest representations of Christ portray him as the 'good shepherd,'" he says. "Later, as Jesus becomes more established within the church as part of the (holy) trinity, he becomes more of an authority figure, and that's when he begins appearing with a beard." For more on historical images of Jesus, contact Whitehurst at 404/463-9653 or whitehurstf@mindspring.com.

Senators profit on stock market
   Next time you write your senator, you might want to request some stock tips. U.S. senators' common stock investments outperformed the market average by nearly 12 percent per year from 1993 to 1998, according to a study by Alan Ziobrowski, associate professor of real estate at Georgia State University. "It's extraordinarily difficult to beat the market by such a wide margin," says Ziobrowski, whose academic background is in finance. The study, which soon will be published in the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, found that the profitability of stocks bought by senators often shot up shortly after purchase, and subsequently fell back to normal levels after their sale. "This certainly suggests that some senators knew precisely which stocks to buy, when to buy them and when to sell them," Ziobrowski says. Senators know when a contract is going to be awarded, a drug approved or legislation passed that could affect a company's bottom line. "Apparently they trade on this information, from what we can tell," Ziobrowski says. As long as they aren't getting insider tips, senators aren't breaking any laws if they incorporate information learned during the course of their senatorial duties into their investment strategies, though legislation governing this behavior should probably be considered, he believes. Contact Ziobrowski at 404/651-4610 or aziobrowski@gsu.edu.

Professor: Liberal media bias a myth
   Though many conservatives criticize the news media for its liberal bias, the reality is just the opposite, says a Georgia State University communication professor. "If you polled members of the media, most would say they are personally politically liberal. But they're under so much pressure to appear unbiased that their reporting is almost the opposite of their political beliefs," says Carol Winkler, chair of the communication department. That pressure, combined with the influx of information offered to reporters by the Republican administration and the consolidation of media outlets under large corporations, actually leads the media to take a conservative slant, says Winkler. "There's a concerted effort on the part of the Republicans to shape the messages, which many people don't realize because the Democrats are not equally as effective in exposing the conservative bias in the media." Contact Winkler at 404/651-2592 or jouckw@langate.gsu.edu.

Study: For fans, new stadiums no substitute for team wins
   The millions of dollars spent by sponsors on brand-heavy new baseball stadiums won't be enough bring fans out to the ball games over the long haul, according to a Georgia State University researcher. While most Major League Baseball organizations believe replacing or updating an old facility will bring spectators in droves, Mark Nagel's study shows that fan excitement wears off quickly. "Many teams think if they've built a new stadium, that gets them off the hook for the next 15 to 20 years," says Mark Nagel, an assistant professor of kinesiology and health. Nagel's research shows most ball clubs typically have just a seven-year "honeymoon period" before attendance starts to drop. "After that period, you're back to things people are looking for - what's the quality of the team, what are the other promotions that you're doing, are the facilities clean - all those things that are factors for attendance." Contact Nagel at 404/651-4680 or mnagel@gsu.edu.

Happening at Georgia State University:

Artist Annie Greene portrays Georgia farm life
   Georgia State University's Office of Student Life and Leadership/Intercultural Relations, in collaboration with the Chattahoochee Valley Art Museum, will host an exhibit by yarn artist Annie L. Greene from March 25 through April 15 in the Student Center Art Gallery (corner of Courtland and Gilmer streets). An opening reception will be held at 6 p.m. March 25 in the gallery. Greene, a painter, craftswoman and retired educator, is best known for her yarn paintings, which reflect culturally and socially relevant images of her life as an African-American woman from the rural South. The exhibit will encompass a new series from the artist entitled "Georgia Farm Life in the 1940s: The Farm in Yarn," which depicts the artist's experiences on her grandparents' farm in Adel, Ga. The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public. For more information, call 404/463-9031.

Symposium examines impact of Iraq war
   Georgia State University's Department of Political Science and Middle East Center for Peace, Culture and Development will sponsor a symposium on "The Impact of the Iraq War" from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. April 1 in the Student Center Speaker's Auditorium. The event will bring together scholars, diplomats and other experts from Atlanta, as well as several participants from Washington, D.C., and overseas, to explore the ways in which the war has affected the Middle East, U.S. foreign relations, domestic politics and the economy. Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., will give the keynote address. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact John Duffield, associate professor of political science, at 404/651-3188.

Concert features performers from Greece, Congo, China
   Artists from three continents will perform during "Celebrating a World of Rhythm and Dance III: The Music of Greece, the Congo and China" at 7:30 p.m. April 1 at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts (corner of Forsyth and Luckie streets). Featured artists include Nick Demos and the Greek Islanders performing traditional music on indigenous instruments, along with dance company Lykion Ton Ellinidon/Troupe Hellas; FungAfrica Cultural Bridge Inc., performing music and dances of the Congo; and Cao Ying Dance School celebrating the Chinese New Year 2004 -- the Year of the Monkey -- with traditional instruments and music of the theater. Tickets are $10 (general admission), $5 (non-Georgia State University students with ID) and free for Georgia State students with ID. For more information, call 404/651-3676 or 404/463-9031.

Rialto presents Moroccan music festival
   The Islamic world's most influential arts festival, Morocco's Fès Festival of Sacred Music, brings its musical and spiritual messages to the United States with a performance at 8 p.m. April 2 at Georgia State University's Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. Begun March 6 in Washington, D.C., the Spirit of Fès Tour unites sacred music from three faiths in a unique program aimed at building peace. The U.S. launch also spotlights the 10th anniversary of the Moroccan festival that the London Daily Telegraph names "one of the world's great musical events." Tickets, starting at $25, are available in person at the Rialto Box Office, by phone at 404/651-4727, or on the Web at www.rialtocenter.org.

Middle-school students shine at Science Olympiad
   More than 450 middle-school students, parents and teachers will convene at Georgia State University April 17 for the Georgia Science Olympiad, during which kids compete in 23 events related to earth, life, physical and engineering sciences. This year, students will design and build rubber band-powered airplanes, launch rockets made from soft drink bottles and build devices to cushion eggs dropped from a height. The tasks are designed to test students' ability to apply what they've learned. "The students have to study science at a greater breadth and depth than they do in regular school to compete in this tournament," says Milton Stombler, state director for the Olympiad. For more information, contact Stombler at mstombler@gsu.edu or 404/463-9620.

Georgia State Leads is a biweekly e-mail publication from the Department of University Relations. For more information about the publication or to sign up to receive Georgia State Leads, contact Beth Flannigan at 404/651-3576 or bflannigan@gsu.edu.

Don't see what you're looking for? Call University Relations at 404/651-3025 for fast access to faculty experts and university news. After hours and on weekends, contact Betsy Robertson, assistant director, via pager at 404/655-3456.

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