A Sampling of Clips for September 9^th, 2008

* UCSD faculty and staff may obtain a copy of an article by e-mailing the University Communications Office

For Stem Cells, a Role on the Battlefield
New York Times, Sept. 8 -- When people envision using human embryonic stem cells for “regenerative medicine,” they often talk about making neurons to treat Parkinson’s disease, cardiac cells to repair the damage caused by a heart attack, or pancreatic islet cells to replace those destroyed by diabetes. But some scientists say an early therapeutic use of such cells might be more prosaic: making red blood cells for transfusions. Such blood cells, perhaps made in huge vats, might one day supplement blood donations, which are often in short supply. And the blood might be free of the infectious diseases that can be found in donated blood. (Mentions UCSD biology professor Cornelis Murre) More

Schwarzenegger Target of Recall Effort
Los Angeles Times,  Sept. 9 -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who rode into power on a wave of voter angst in the first recall of a California governor, now finds himself a target for removal as his own popularity is declining. The state's well-financed prison guards union, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, is bankrolling a recall effort against Schwarzenegger. This is a governor that has done absolutely nothing," union spokesman Lance Corcoran said in an interview Monday. "We have the largest budget deficit in the history of California. We have one of the longest budget stalemates." (Quotes Gary Jacobson, a political science professor at UCSD) More

Down Canyons and Up Cliffs, Pursuing Southwest’s Ancient Art
New York Times, Sept. 9 -- In his mid-60s, Ekkehart Malotki, a retired linguistics professor, willingly dangled from a rope tied to a car that was backed to the edge of a cliff. A half-dozen times, he descended with his rope, photographed the cliff face and climbed back up.  He was documenting a rock art panel a quarter-mile long in northern Arizona. These adventures are commonplace for Dr. Malotki, a German-born American who is now 69.  Dr. Malotki fell in love with America’s desert Southwest as a 20-something graduate student of languages at UCSD. More

First the Marriage, then the Courtship
Christian Science Monitor, Sept. 9 -- Whisper the words "arranged marriage," and images of women signed over as chattel are likely to rise in the minds of many Westerners. But, say culture watchers and sociologists, there's a rising interest in this age-old practice in the West, as shown by at least two books and three upcoming television series on the topic – as well as a growing number of matchmaking sites devoted solely to arranging unions. (Quotes Robert Epstein, visiting scholar at UCSD) More

Work Under Way to Set Marine Habitat Boundaries
San Diego Union-Tribune, Sept. 9 -- A state-appointed panel started work yesterday on a yearlong process to redraw the boundaries of marine habitat preserves off Southern California.  “The effort here is to be as inclusive as we possibly can,” said Don Benninghoven of Santa Barbara, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Task Force for the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. The seven-member group, named by state Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman to oversee the massive habitat mapping effort, met for the first time and attracted an audience of about 60 people. (Mentions Paul Dayton of Scripps Institution of Oceanography) More

Lagoon Restoration Project Shows Marked Improvement
KGTV, Sept. 8 --  It hasn't been like this since the early 1900s, but the lagoon restoration project next to the Del Mar Fairgrounds is proving that, with a little help, Mother Nature can flourish again. OK, it's not quite National Geographic, but, all things considered, this once-abandoned wetland area is once again thriving. Marine biologists from UC Santa Barbara are more than amazed at the life they're finding in this man-made preserve. (Quotes UCSD marine biologist Mark Page) More

Clark to Lead UCSD Student Housing Design-Build
San Diego Daily Transcript, Sept.  8 -- Clark Design/Build of California Inc. has been awarded a $79 million design-build contract for the UCSD North Campus Housing Phase 2 project. More

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