Stuff We Like: Faith evolved, rename down the road, space rock, and more

FAITH EVOLVED
"Could a Fish Fossil Challenge Your Faith?" (USA Today, Jun. 12, 2009)
USA Today's Faith and Reason Book Club reviews organismal biology professor Neil Shubin's Your Inner Fish.

RENAME DOWN THE ROAD
"Should the New GM Start with a New Name?" (Associated Press, Jun. 12, 2009)
If GM rebrands during its attempt to come back, "they have little to lose," says Chicago Booth marketing professor Jean-Pierre Dube. "The brand isn't in good shape."

SPACE ROCK
"Meteorite Grains Divulge Earth's Cosmic Roots" (PhysOrg, Jun. 15, 2009)
Postdoc scientist Philipp Heck studies meteorite dust to improve understanding of interstellar processes: "The knowledge of this lifetime is essential to better contain the timing of formation processes of the solar system."

COLBERT CAMEO
"Austan Goolsbee Looks to Infuse Economic Adviser's Job with Edgy Wit" (Chicago Tribune, Jun. 15, 2009)
"Most folks don't read policy fact sheets," says Austan Goolsbee, a Chicago Booth professor on leave to serve on the White House Council of Economic Advisers. "If we want them to hear it, sometimes the only way is to explain it while being mocked by a comedian."

NOVEL UCHICAGOAN
"Meet the Milquetoasts" (New York Times, Jun. 12, 2009)
Fictional University of Chicago paleontologist Jonathan Casper is the protagonist in Joe Meno's book The Great Perhaps.

FALL QUARTER PREP WORK
"Top SHS Grad Diving into College Already" (State Journal-Register, Jun. 13, 2009)
Incoming first-year Carl Butt is getting a jump on his math course work over the summer before starting at the University of Chicago in September. An artificial-intelligence aficionado, Butt plans to study computer science and linguistics.

SCOTUS & THE KELO FACTOR
"Property Rights Likely to Arise in Sotomayor’s Confirmation Hearings" (New York Times, Jun. 14, 2009)
Law School professor Richard Epstein considers Sonia Sotomayer's ruling in Didden v. Village of Port Chester a rare misfire: “It’s a disappointment and it’s wrong and it’s ill thought out. But it’s not one of six. It’s one of two" poorly handled decisions (the other being Ricci v. DeStefano).

MILESTONES

  • "A Franklin Celebration" (Duke Today, Jun. 11, 2009)
    Former President Bill Clinton led the celebratory remembrance of former Chicago historian John Hope Franklin at Duke University.

June 17, 2009