 The
appeal of also-rans
Why do so many Americans like to root for underdogs such as the Chicago
Cubs and the Boston Red Sox, even when they fail? "There is inherent
appeal to watching futility play out, no matter what the realm is," Arthur
Asa Berger, a Red Sox fan and emeritus professor of broadcasting and electronic
communication arts, said in an Oct. 18 Washington Post article. "The
intense interest in the Red Sox and Cubs ties into anxiety over whether
the American Dream exists."
Spade in the City
Eric Solomon, professor of English, discussed Dashiell Hammett's classic
San Francisco detective novel "The Maltese Falcon" during
the Oct. 27 edition of the KQED-FM program "Forum." "The
atmosphere of the City is very important because it was a sort of freewheeling
city, in a sense 'open city,'" Solomon said.
A conflict of interest?
Is it ethically responsible for a newspaper reporter to do part-time
marketing and public relations for the same town he or she reports
on, asks the San Mateo County Times in an Oct. 29 article. Barbara
Backer, an editor and reporter at The Independent (which competes with
the Times), also works part time for the town of Hillsborough. John
Burks, professor of journalism, said that The Independent should at
least let its readers know that Backer "receives income from the
community she covers."
Stopping the revolving door
San Francisco District Attorney Terrence Hallinan's emphasis on suspending
prosecution drug and nonviolent offenders who agree to enter treatment
programs, is a success Daniel Macallair, criminal
justice lecturer, wrote in an Oct. 30 San Francisco Chronicle opinion
piece. Diversion
costs less than incarceration and offenders who receive treatment are
less likely to commit more crimes. "With statistics showing recidivism
rates of 60 percent to 70 percent among offenders sent to prison or
jail, San Francisco's more sensible approach clearly yields the greatest
public benefit," he wrote. "By diverting large numbers of
low-level offenders, San Francisco sharply reduced its prosecution
levels and reduced recidivism rates."
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