News Archives

Doctors take pulse of hard times

Patients are not the only ones frustrated with their experiences at the doctor’s office. A Nov. 15 and 16 “Doctoring in Hard Times” conference, which was sponsored by the Center for Bioethics and the Acadia Institute, highlighted the rising discontent of physicians too. The event marked the second Renée C. Fox Symposium, which was established in 1999 in honor of the Penn medical sociologist.

Still learning from Las Vegas

When Philadelphia architects Robert Venturi (Hon’80), Denise Scott Brown (GCP’60,GAr’65,Hon’94) and Steven Izenour (GAr’65) published their landmark analysis of the iconography of the Las Vegas strip, “Learning from Las Vegas,” in 1972, it created a tidal wave of controversy and fresh ideas that architect Susan Nigra Snyder surfs today. Among her ideas that defy conventional wisdom: “The road itself is becoming a new civic space.” “Sprawl is the form of the city today. The car is here to stay and we can deal with it.”

“I really had a long, long week.”

—Penn Football Coach Al Bagnoli on his busy schedule during the week of the Penn-Harvard game. Penn defeated Harvard 44-9, earning a share of the Ivy title. (The Washington Post, Nov. 17)

Staff Q&A: Amy Zoll

Staff member. Author. Student. Amy Zoll wears many hats here at Penn. The anthropology doctoral student has found a way to combine both her expertise in ancient cultures and computers by working as an IT support specialist in the Anthropology Department.

Tiny tot robocop

More holiday shopping tips

Besides the finds described in “Out and About” on page 5, these two upcoming events offer you a chance to obtain truly unique holiday gifts and support worthy causes. The Arts ‘n’ Crafts Fair on Friday, Dec. 6, features a diverse array of local artists offering handcrafted clothing, jewelry, artwork and more. Sponsored by the Women of Color Committee. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce St.

“Keeping Up with the Joneses: Envy in American Consumer Society, 1890-1930”

A century ago many Americans condemned envy as a destructive emotion and a sin. Today few Americans expect criticism when they express envy, and some commentators maintain that the emotion drives the economy. This shift in attitude is Susan Matt’s central concern in “Keeping up with the Joneses: Envy in American Consumer Society, 1890-1930.”

On and off Walnut Street

While the virtues of online holiday shopping are undisputed, somehow the spirit of the season and the search for the perfect gift demands some hands-on experience with our consumer culture on steroids. Even if the rest of the city hasn’t recognized West Philadelphia as a shopping mecca yet, those of us who live and work here know that this is a great place to find the unique, the offbeat, the handmade and the outré. This year, the Current decided to look for gifts that are locally connected.

Campus Buzz

Goodbye Penn, hello Columbus: We knew the people at Ohio State University were impressed with what Penn has done to revitalize its home neighborhood (Current, Jan. 24). Apparently, folks in Ohio State’s hometown were impressed enough to hire away one of the architects of Penn’s strategy.

Hope for new drug

Nancy Bonini, a professor of biology, and her colleagues are using fruit flies to investigate Parkinson’s disease, the second most common human neurodegenerative disorder. They found that medication prevented the onset of a similar disorder in genetically-predisposed Drosophila melanogaster.