[Currents headergraphic]

April 27, 1998

Making the News

How sheeplike are we? A Los Angeles Times story exploring the phenomenon of the human tendency to follow without asking questions quotes UCSC psychologist Anthony Pratkanis. He noted when food is involved, as was the case when Oprah Winfrey publicly swore off hamburgers during the mad cow disease scare, the tendency to jump on the bandwagon is especially pronounced.

A study of the jury-selection process in Contra Costa County by UCSC sociologist Hiroshi Fukurai was the subject of a recent article in the West County Times newspaper. In his study, Fukurai showed that few potential felony trial jurors come from predominately African American areas in Contra Costa County, making African Americans underrepresented in the jury pool. Fukurai's study was commissioned on behalf of Aldridge Currie, an African American man facing trial and a possible death sentence for allegedly murdering a man while collecting a drug debt in Pittsburg.

The Arboretum's curator of succulents Stephen McCabe was featured in an article on proteas in the Santa Cruz County Sentinel.

Research biologist Gary Silberstein was quoted in an article about Santa Cruz Biotechnology's antibody-producing goat herd in the Santa Cruz County Sentinel.

The American Theatre Arts Troupe's production of Fences received high praise from the Monterey County Herald. The troupe, directed by founder and theater arts staff member Don Williams, was described as "superb." . . . The Herald also turned its attention to historian Judy Yung, whose work focuses on Chinese immigrant women in America. The story came in advance of a talk by Yung at a recent conference in Monterey.

Physicist Bruce Rosenblum offered a scientist's perspective on the Mystery Spot in response to an inquiry from the Q&A column in the San Jose Mercury News.


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