Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina people and programs cited recently in the media:
National Coverage
Surgery can put Type 2 diabetes into remission
The Associated Press
… "It is a major advance," said Dr. John Buse of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a leading diabetes expert who had no role in the studies. Buse said he often recommends surgery to patients who are obese and can't control their blood-sugar through medications, but many are leery of it. "This evidence will help convince them that this really is an important therapy to at least consider," he said.
'Almost Alcoholic': Close to the Real Thing, Says New Book
ABC News
… "It is good for people and their friends/relatives to recognize the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse and addiction, so that they may be able to influence someone before they get into trouble," said Dr. Robert Gwyther, professor in the department of family medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.
The Download: Hillcrest Labs navigates the smartphone market
The Washington Post
… Landover-based online education company 2tor is partnering with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to develop an online version of the university’s Master of Public Administration degree. 2tor aims to remove some of the stigma attached to Internet-based education by creating programs with well-regarded universities.
UNC Release: http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/5194/107/
Big Brother Wants Your Facebook Password
Businessweek
If you want to become a state trooper in Virginia, you should probably delete any indelicate information you have on Facebook. During the job interview process, the Virginia State Police requires all applicants to sign into Facebook, Twitter, and any social-networking site to which they regularly post information in front of an administrator…. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has a unique method: It requires all student athletes to friend a designated coach or administrative official on Facebook so that he or she can monitor their pages.
State and Local Coverage
UNC Chapel Hill adds online program for Master of Public Administration
Charlotte Business Journal
The School of Government at UNC Chapel Hill has added an online option for its Master of Public Administration program. The new format is designed for working professionals and others seeking the flexibility of an online program blended with the rigor and quality expected from a top-tier university, says a press release from the school.
UNC Release: http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/5194/107/
Israelis pose a no-skinny-models plan to target eating disorders
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
… UNC eating disorders specialist Cynthia M. Bulik gave “unequivocal kudos” to the provision that requires media outlets to disclose their graphic alteration of women’s bodies, saying there are “no downsides” to letting girls and women know that these pictures “do not reflect real women’s bodies.”
UNC professor has a different prescription on aging
Kaiser Health News
Nortin Hadler, a professor of medicine and microbiology/immunology at UNC Chapel-Hill, has been warning for years about the lack of evidence supporting many popular medical treatments and tests.
Will politics of health care overhaul overshadow legal debate?
WRAL-TV (CBS/Raleigh)
Some area residents said Monday that they fear the partisan divide over the national health care reform law will overwhelm the debate before the U.S. Supreme Court over its legality. … Critics say the individual mandate is unconstitutional, but Gene Nichol, Boyd Tinsley Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said the Republican-dominated Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, should uphold the law on legal grounds.
Related Link: http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/10907974/#/vid10907974
Kel Landis joins UNC Board of Trustees
Triangle Business Journal
Kel Landis, former CEO of RBC Centura Bank, was named as the newest member of the board of trustees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Monday. The UNC-CH alum joins the 13-member board, taking the seat of Eddie Smith, who resigned in the fall.
News Release: http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/5196/68/
As civil as your paycheck (Editorial)
The Durham Herald-Sun
It was another reminder that political groups can call for civility in politics, and the people who work for those groups may even want more civility, but they don’t profit from it. It’s an example of what UNC Chapel Hill Professor Iskra Fileva described in an essay about character in The New York Times this week…
Regulations at the tanning bed could soon be up for debate among lawmakers
News 14 Carolina
It's a practice that's been at the center of controversy for years — indoor tanning and regulations placed on salons. "What we're doing is trying to help the under 18 avoid using the class one carcinogen," said David Ollila, Professor of Surgery at UNC Chapel Hill.
Issues and Trends
Chapel Hill council bans cell-phone use while driving
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Talking on a cell phone while driving in Chapel Hill becomes illegal June 1. The town became the first in the nation to pass an ordinance outlawing talking on both hand-held and hands-free cell phones while driving. After two years of discussion on the issue, the council voted 5-4 Monday night.
Related Link: http://backseat.blogs.starnewsonline.com/10480/driving-and-calling-in-chapel-hill-now-carries-25-fine/