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Maturing Chinese cinema
Lena Zhang, assistant professor of broadcast and electronic communications
arts, commented on the Chinese film "House of Flying Daggers" for
a story that appeared on the Dec. 17 broadcast of the KTSF 26 Evening
News. Although she applauded the movies cinematography and expert use
of martial arts, Zhang said that it could have done better at character
development. "Martial arts or Gonfu are not the ultimate solution
for Chinese movies to gain Academy [Award] recognition," she said. "The
focus should be shifted to stories reflecting lives of modern Chinese
people."
Liberalism from a Jewish perspective
Marc Dollinger, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Chair in Jewish Studies and
Social Responsibility, is the featured interview in the January issue
of Promise. One of the topics discussed is his book Quest for Inclusion:
Jews and Liberalism in Modern America. "While Jews have a very
strong attachment to liberalism, there had been no book on the subject
of Jewish liberalism over generations from the 1930's to the 1970's," he
said. "I took the main issue for each decade and the Jewish reactions
to try to understand what liberalism is about in my book."
Numerous numbers?
The Jan. 14 edition of the CBS Evening News ran a story on the revelation
that some banks recycle account numbers. Theoretically they shouldn't
have to, said David Meredith, chair of mathematics. "If we had
nine digit numbers, there would be 10 to the 9th equals one billion
possibilities," Meredith said. But he also pointed out that account
numbers "are actually like secret codes and that greatly limits
the numbers banks can use."
Researching Reagan
Robert C. Smith, professor of political science, is one of the academics
doing research at the Reagan Library reports the Los Angeles Daily
News in its Jan. 23 edition. Smith is researching Reagan's race and
civil rights record. When it comes to the issue of affirmative action, "I
get the sense that Ronald Reagan was disengaged from the decision-making
process and relied heavily on his staff," Smith said. ''His staff
was divided, and he said he was waiting on his staff to reach a consensus.''
Syncing
it all up
The Feb. 3 edition of the San Francisco Examiner features a story on
SFSU's contract with IBM to upgrade the University's technology
systems. Using IBM's workplace technology system, SFSU will create "an
integrated, one-stop-shop for e-mail, calendars, directories and Web
access." Jonathan Rood, associate vice president for information
technology, said that the system will create "electronic
academic communities."
Vague prescriptions
Gov. Schwarzenegger's plan for the California State Pharmacy Assistance
Program "lacks all the parts needed for a plan to achieve large
pharmaceutical discounts," wrote Ramón Castellblanch, assistant
professor of health education, in an opinion piece that ran in the Feb.
3 edition of the Sacramento Bee. "[T]he governor asserts [the plan]
would give 40 percent discounts to nearly 5 million uninsured Californians," he
wrote. "But the discounts are vague promises from the pharmaceutical
industry; there is nothing in writing."
For
more SFSU people and programs in the news, see the SFSU
in the News page on SF State
News.
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