Articles written by Lindsey Davidson

Auburn celebrates World Diabetes Day Friday

wpolley — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:14:00 -0500

Auburn University is officially participating in World Diabetes Day Friday, Nov. 14.

Major Bill Ham Jr. proclaimed the city to recognize this day in a ceremony in Spidle Hall Monday, Nov. 10.

The Student Dietetic Association and Alpha Gamma Delta sorority will have booths on the Concourse to pass out fliers and sugar-free candy.

“They are combining forces to let people know what the warning signs are and what you can do to prevent it,” said Doug White, professor of nutrition and food sciences. “Type II diabetes is preventable with staying healthy and eating a healthy diet.”

The International Diabetes Federation and World Health Organization created World Diabetes Day in 1991 because of the increasing numbers of diagnosis of this epidemic, according to the WDD Web site.

The 2007-2008 theme is Diabetes in Children and Adolescents.

“Every parent, school teacher, school nurse, doctor and anyone involved in the care of children should be familiar with the warning signs and alert to the diabetes threat,” said Martin Silink, president of the International Diabetes Federation.

Breakdown of the economic effects, Part 4

wpolley — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:48:00 -0400

University prepares for future by addressing loans, allocations and manipulating budget to accommodate

This is the final installment in our four-week series examining the effects of the economy.

We covered all areas, ranging from college students’ ability to find jobs to how Auburn University’s budget planning will change in the future.

The Auburn University administration has recognized the external economic changes and has internally prepared accordingly so the decreasing economy will not affect the academic portion of the school.

The University’s budget is set until Sept. 30, 2009, and no other changes will be made for this year.

The administration does not know what next year will bring, what will happen with the economy and how it may affect the 2010 budget.

“Really, I don’t think anybody knows,” President Jay Gogue said.

Gogue said Auburn’s current status could last approximately three years with the preparations that have been taken.

Breakdown of the economic effects, Part 3

wpolley — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:07:00 -0400

University doing better than expected in time of economic strain because of “rainy day account”

This is the third in a four-week series examining the effects of the economy.

We will be looking at all areas, ranging from college students’ ability to find jobs to how Auburn University’s budget planning will change in the future.

The final installment will focus on how Auburn’s future budgets will be changed to accommodate economic differences.

Auburn University is seeking financial stability with success being reached for this year and little impact to be expected on the students and faculty.

“We are going to have some dips, but we have a really good president, and we have a lot of potential,” said Dr. Don Large, executive vice president and chief finance officer. “I don’t know what that next level is that we are going to go to, but I can almost feel that we are at the curve. We will get through this.”

Breakdown of the economic effects, Part 2

wpolley — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:45:00 -0400

Alternative loan lenders pull out of Auburn, scholarships still available to students

This is the second in a four-week series examining the effects of the economy.

We will be looking at all areas, ranging from college students’ ability to find jobs to how Auburn University’s budget planning will change in the future.

Next week’s installment will focus on the University’s financial stability and the effects on construction and courses.

Auburn University is seeking possible alternatives to help student funding while scholarships continue to prosper.

“The economy isn’t touching scholarships right now because that’s an external mechanism,” said Mike Reynolds, director of Student Financial Services. “Loans on the other hand, are really what the economy is affecting.”

Auburn is set up differently financially than other competitive schools in the Southeast, administering all of the funding within the University.

Breakdown of the economic effects, Part 1

wpolley — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:16:26 -0400

University takes steps to keep staff, faculty jobs open. Students must lower standards, have less job variety.

This is the first in a four-week series examining the effects of the economy.

We will be looking at all areas, ranging from college students’ ability to find jobs to how Auburn University’s budget planning will change in the future.

Next week’s installment will focus on how student banking and scholarships will be affected.

Auburn is working to keep the lowering economy from impacting its students and employees. The University has not felt major effects of the changing economy and job market with its own current and future employees.

“The President (Gogue) already committed to not doing anything that would affect the academic quality,” said Deedie Dowdle, the executive director of the Office of Communications and Marketing. “Academic quality is priority one, and the faculty is a major part of that.”

Alabama is ranked 19th in the nation in unemployment rates as of August 2008.

T-Mobile introduces G1 phone

wpolley — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:51:25 -0400

Competitor to iPhone to be released this month, cell phone’s software to be provided by Google

The T-Mobile G1 will be released Oct. 22 in stores across the country, the company announced last week.

Google also made its debut as a cell phone software provider linked with T-Mobile.

“The T-Mobile G1 is our opportunity in the U.S. to accelerate the mass adoption of the mobile Web, by unleashing Google innovation with a unique software experience that mobilizes the Google services hundreds of millions of consumers rely on every day,” said Cole Brodman, chief technology and innovation officer, in the T-Mobile press release.

The G1 has a slide out QWERTY keyboard with a full touchscreen that has pre-installed Google applications including Gmail, Google Search, Maps Street View, Calender and Gchat, according to the T-Mobile Web site.

The G1 is the starting point for Android devices, said Scott Webster, founder of AndroidGuys.

Webster said the program is free for anyone to design applications. It is run by third-party developers.

House rejects Paulson’s bailout plan

wpolley — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:53:00 -0400

The $700 billion bailout plan was rejected by the House of Representatives with a 228-205 vote Monday, Sept. 29.

The votes measured out to be 133 Republicans and 95 Democrats in opposition and 65 Republicans and 140 Democrats in support.

President George Bush, Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. and the House speaker Nancy Pelosi spent the weekend deciding on the guidelines of the proposed bailout plan. The announcement was made Sunday afternoon that they had agreed on terms, according to the New York Times.

According to CNN.com, House Republican members rejected the bill because of the effect it would have on the average taxpayer having to pay for Wall Street’s mistakes. The Democratic side of the House argued that the legislation was rushed, and protection for the taxpayers was not enough.

Large Hadron Collider’s test successful

wpolley — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:42:00 -0400

The Large Hadron Collider: a particle accelerator, was built to test the Big Bang Theory, among other things, and is the most expensive scientific project to date. CONTRIBUTED

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) tested the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland for the first time Wednesday, Sept. 10.

The first two beams of protons were sent around in opposite directions in the 17-mile underground ring resulting in two white dots flashing on a computer at 3:28 a.m. (CST) signaling a successful step in the research process.

The LHC is the world’s largest particle accelerator and is hoped to make discoveries that will test the Big Bang, the Higgs Boson and answer some of nature’s mysteries.

“The LHC is a discovery machine,” said CERN Director General Robert Aymar in a CERN press release. “Its research program has the potential to change our view of the universe profoundly, continuing a tradition of human curiosity that’s as old as mankind itself.”

Staff Opinion: Concert brings realization about life

coreyshep — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:46:00 -0400

When do you turn old enough to have a beer with your old man?

I’m not even sure I actually believed that question would have an affirmative answer followed by a date.

My eyes seemed to have been opened to a new adult world Monday night as my dad joined in on musical festivities shared by my friend circle.

Staff Opinion: Don’t worry, be happy (like the song)

coreyshep — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:04:11 -0400

I am happy. I am relaxed. I am chilled out.

I am not pissed off. I am not stressed out. I am not pulling my hair out while wondering why my life has taken a turn for the worst and everything as I know it is coming crashing down on me.

Maybe it is the single lecture once a day or the lack of Frogger played in the morning to find parking. Not having to wait for a table on burger night at Niffers is an option. Or just the general population of Auburn being cut in half and divided by four is another definite alternative as well.