A&S in the News: November 26-December 2, 2017

Roy Moore

Trump blasts Roy Moore’s foesPolitico – Nov. 26

For many Republicans who might have stayed home, the presidential argument could move the needle, said Richard Fording, a political science professor at The University of Alabama. “What Donald Trump does by weighing in like this is he helps them rationalize doing what they probably would like to do, which is to vote for the Republican,” he said.

Alt-Right

The alt-right, and how the paranoias of white identity politics fueled Trump’s riseNew Statesman – Nov. 27

Many Americans feel that their country and their livelihoods are being threatened by dark forces beyond their control. According to a 2013 survey conducted by Public Policy Polling, almost three in ten US voters believe that a globalist elite is conspiring to establish an authoritarian world government, or “New World Order” … Hawley is an assistant professor at The University of Alabama whose previous book Right-Wing Critics of American Conservatism argues that as the conservative movement’s white, married, middle-class, Christian demographic base shrinks, conservatism will increasingly come under attack from the right.

Parasitic Mussels

How mussels fool fish into carrying their parasitic babiesNational Geographic – Nov. 28

It all begins with a flicker of movement as a crayfish scuttles across the riverbed. A smallmouth bass spies the commotion and swims down, thinking it can snag an easy lunch. Then something strange happens. As the predator strikes, the crustacean erupts into a milky cloud. Gagging and coughing, the fish swims away, unaware that it’s just been infected with tens of thousands of parasitic spawn. Some species grow a little while they’re hitchhiking on the fish, but most simply use the host as a safe place to transition into juvenile mussels—like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. After a few weeks or months, depending on the species, the mini-mussels hop off and settle into the sediment below. In most instances, the fish is no worse for the wear. “And that’s why you don’t just have mussels downstream,” says Carla Atkinson, an ecologist at The University of Alabama. “This is their dispersal mechanism.”

Music and Memory

UA students hold iPod drive benefiting those with memory lossFox 6 (Birmingham) – Nov. 29Music and memory club with a sign that says Donate an iPod

University of Alabama students hosted an iPod drive for people suffering from memory loss at the University’s Ferguson Student Center. Music & Memory Tuscaloosa, a student-driven Alzheimer’s advocacy group at The University of Alabama, collected gently used iPods Wednesday.
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 29
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 29
NBC 5 (Memphis, Tennessee) – Nov. 29
WDAM 7 (Moselle, Mississippi) – Nov. 29
WTOC 11 (Savannah, Georgia) – Nov. 29
NBC 10 (Albany, Georgia) – Nov. 29
NBC 12 (Montgomery) – Nov. 29
WTVM 9 (Columbus, Georgia) – Nov. 29
Druid City Living – Nov. 29
Crimson White – Nov. 29
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Nov. 30

National Archives

National Archives awards $2.6 million for historical records projectsPublic Now – Nov. 29

Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero will award 31 grants totaling $2,599,400 to projects being undertaken in 27 states, pending appropriations of a final budget for FY 2018 … the University of New Orleans collaborate with Cornell University and The University of Alabama to digitize and provide online access to at least 40,000 fugitive slave advertisements.
Military Technologies – Nov. 30

Quirkiest Classes at UA

Elephants and drugs among UA’s quirkiest class topicsCrimson White – Nov. 29

There are classes at The University of Alabama that allow students to step into the Birmingham Zoo to feed elephants, engage in a new movie one evening each week, and construct a sculpture for a local park.

Where to Get Published

Where artists and writers get published at UACrimson White – Nov. 29

Publishing your work, whether creative or academic, is a great way to build your resume, get your name out to the public sphere and boost your confidence as an artist or writer. For many students, the idea of getting published may seem far-fetched or too difficult to try, but The University of Alabama and Tuscaloosa offer a multitude of accessible avenues for students to get their work published. Below is our list of local outlets to which students can submit their creative works.

Gun Control

Elected officials should solve gun problems, not ignore factsPittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania) – Nov. 30

We all know our country is suffering from a relentless, unending number of mass shootings in particular and gun deaths in general. What is perplexing to me is that despite the overwhelming evidence, some refuse to look for solutions based on the evidence … The Times reported that a study by a University of Alabama professor shows there is a direct correlation between access to guns and gun deaths.

Michael Flynn

UA political science professor Allen Linken comments on charges against Michael FlynnWVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Dec. 1

So, what do the charges mean for the rest of Washington? We spoke with University of Alabama political science instructor Allen Linken who says after former-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Flynn is even a bigger catch.

Doug Jones

Getting black voters to vote is critical if Doug Jones is to overcome Roy MooreDemocratic Underground – Dec. 2

Birmingham barber Brian King says he’ll vote for Democrat Doug Jones in Alabama’s Dec. 12 Senate election, but he doesn’t “feel good about it.” … “The black voting is indeed crucial for Jones to make things interesting on Dec. 12,” William Stewart, professor emeritus of political sciences at The University of Alabama, said this month.

Million Dollar Band

Million Dollar Band raises funds for new equipmentU.S. News – Dec. 2

A large group of band members, mid-performance.

The University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band is close to raising enough funds needed to buy new instruments. The Tuscaloosa News reports that it took the band only 10 days to raise 90 percent of the money. The band began accepting donations on Nov. 17 with the goal of reaching $40,000.
WTVM ABC (Columbus, Georgia) – Dec. 3
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Dec. 3
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – Dec. 3
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Dec. 3
Bristol Herald Courier (Virginia) – Dec. 2
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Dec. 2
NBC 12 (Montgomery) – Dec. 2
Athens News-Courier – Dec. 2
WLOX (Biloxi, Mississippi) – Dec. 2
WAFF 48 (Huntsville) – Dec. 2
Auburn-Opelika News – Dec. 2
Florence Times Daily – Dec. 2
Argus-Press.com (Owosso, Michigan) – Dec. 2
Bryan Eagle (Texas) – Dec. 2
Roanoke Times – Dec. 2
NBC 3 (Chattanooga, Tennessee) – Dec. 2
Washington Times – Dec. 2
Moulton Advertiser – Dec. 2