TUESDAY APRIL 20, 2010
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Ground broke Monday for the he School of Social Work’s new w building. More on page 3A.
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Read The Daily’s aily’s take on some new ew music releases, including uding The Tallest Man oonn Earth’s latest. See page 3B. The OU baseball team hosts Te Texas Christian University tonight. Univers Preview on page 1B.
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OU mourns the loss of student Campus groups remember the life of Ashlee Madison with memorial CASSI TONEY Daily Staff Writer
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Drug policy forum opens Event hosts aim to get people talking, inspire action, campus organization president says DANIELA MCCORMICK Daily Staff Writer
Two student organizations will host a U.S. drug policy forum today in Dale Hall to discuss negative effects current drug laws have on society. Students for Sensible Drug Policy and Students for a Democratic Society have come together to organize “Teach-In: The Failure of U.S. Drug Policy.” Students for Sensible Drug Policy President Kaylee Burton said this is the first time she knows of that two organizations have come together to host a forum about a topic like drug policy. “One of our main goals with this forum is to get people talking about
issues that have developed because of our country’s failed drug policies and to inspire our peers to actively seek the change they wish to see,” said Burton, professional writing senior. Burton said many of the negative effects of the U.S. drug policy is the overcrowding of prisons and the increasing number of the prison population which increases taxes. Burton said many non-violent offenders who are incarcerated for possession of marijuana are put into jail with violent offenders. Burton said marijuana is considered as bad as cocaine. “Marijuana is one of the least harmful drugs on Earth,” Burton said. “It has never caused a single death. Marijuana is scheduled as class 1 narcotic. It puts it on a list with heroine and cocaine.” Burton said the issue is not just about marijuana, but also the lack of common sense the U.S. drug policy has, how taboo it is to talk about drugs
like marijuana and how much that fear can put people at risk because they feel like they can’t seek out answers. Burton said people shouldn’t feel afraid of asking questions and making informed decisions. “We need to make those informed decisions and take pride in the democratic process,” she said. “You’ve got to keep your kids thinking so they’re not afraid to ask questions of their government. It’s not just about drugs; it’s about process and becoming an informed adult.” William White, Students for a Democratic Society member, said his organization feels people should be informed about U.S. drug laws and why some should be changed. The social work sophomore said 13 states have decriminalized marijuana and have been able to free up prison space
OU student groups are mourning the loss of Ashlee Madison, African and African-American Studies senior, who died Saturday in a head-on car accident in Oklahoma City. Friends of Madison began posting messages and photographs Saturday morning on her Facebook page, and messages were still being posted at press time. According to a Facebook event page, the African and African-American Studies Program will host an event to remember Madison at 12:30 p.m. today in Price Hall, room 2010. The car Madison rode in was hit by a reportedly intoxicated driver who was in the wrong lane near the I-35 and I-40 junction, according to Raymond Rushing, Madison’s friend. Madison was coming home from a jazz performance, the Facebook page said. Rushing said he had been told the paramedics announced her dead at the scene. The driver of the other car, Justin T. Hill, 22, of Norman, continued driving his car after he hit the car Madison was in. He later lost control and rolled the SUV onto its top, Oklahoma City police said. Hill was not hurt. Sukhbinder Matharu, 33, of Edmond, the driver of the car Madison was riding in, was treated and released from an Edmond hospital, police said. “She was a real angel living on this Earth,” said Rushing, human relations graduate student. “She was an amazing young woman and a talented artist.” Madison sang at many Weitzenhoffer School of Fine Arts events and also was known for participating in gospel choir. Preseta Paul, close friend of Madison, said Madison was an amazing person. “I know everyone always says that but she was an overall very caring, compassionate person,” said Paul, 2009 OU Spanish graduate. Paul said Madison was an amazing mother to her 18month-old son and was very close to her family. Paul said Madison was a recorded jazz singer. MADISON CONTINUES ON PAGE 2
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COFFEE MAY REDUCE DIABETES RISK Study discovers drinking large quantities may decrease risk of diabetes in American Indians KATHLEEN EVANS Daily Staff Writer
OU Health Sciences Center researchers found that drinking a large amount of coffee can reduce the risk of diabetes among American Indians. The study, conducted by Ying Zhang for almost eight years, compared the incidence of diabetes across different groups of coffee drinkers. Those who drank more than 12 cups of coffee per day were 67 percent less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which one has high blood sugar because the body and its hormones cannot properly process it, according to the American Medical Association. Despite the findings, however, researchers do not recommend people drink 12 cups of coffee per day, and they are in
the process of finding what exactly causes the reduced risk of diabetes. Certain compounds have been identified as possibilities, but the exact one is not yet known. Zhang focused on coffee because of its popularity. “We wanted to look at coffee because so many young people drink coffee that if it had any property that would help prevent diabetes it would be important for public health,” Zhang said. Though the study only focused on American Indians, other groups are also being studied, Zhang said. Researchers in other parts of the country have found a reduced risk in those other ethnic groups as well. Zhang said he chose to study American Indians first because of the group’s population in Oklahoma and its high rate of diabetes. Genetics, lifestyle and environment are the most likely causes of diabetes. Zhang’s study has already been published in an international journal about diabetes. The research was done with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and MedStar Research Institute. The Strong Heart Study also contributed grants to the research.
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Bikini graph shows decrease in job losses Job hunting may bring both frustration, excitement to graduating students AUDREY HARRIS Daily Staff Writer
A new economics graph called the Bikini graph suggests job losses have decreased since President Barack Obama took office. But the graph’s amusing title provides no amusement for OU seniors struggling to find postgraduate jobs. The Bikini graph compiles job losses by month throughout the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, from December 2007 to January 2010. The numbers show an increase in job losses during Bush’s term and
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a subsequent decrease during Obama’s term. The resulting graph resembles the shape of a pair of bikini bottoms, hence the graph’s name. In addition to the graph, numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics said non-farm payroll employment (payroll jobs not on a farm) increased by 162,000 in March. Of the 162,000, the bureau reports 48,000 jobs were created for the census. Benjamin Keen, assistant professor of economics, said the March numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics still will be revised. Keen said a private firm released numbers that run contrary to reports from the bureau that suggest the private sector lost jobs. BIKINI CONTINUES ON PAGE 2
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