What kind of mass murderer is likely to die in the act, and why should we care?
Research Digest (U.K.) – July 22
There’s a striking fact about mass murderers – an extremely high percentage (around 30 per cent) of them die in the act, either by suicide or because of deadly police force. Of course, only a saint would likely be moved to feel sympathy by this statistic, but a new paper digs into the reasons behind it, in the hope that doing so could help prevent future killings. The formal definition for a mass murderer, as opposed to a serial killer, is someone who kills four or more people in the same act, “with no distinctive time period between the murders”. This includes religiously inspired suicidal bombers, family killers (where one family member murders his or her partner and their children), and rampaging school shooters. Researcher Adam Lankford at the University of Alabama (author of The Myth of Martyrdom) hired a crack team of investigative journalists to identify all the mass murders committed in the US between 2006 and 2014. The team mined media reports, FBI records and local police reports to find details of 242 cases of mass murder. Averaging 4.9 victims, and with over 90 per cent of the perpetrators being male, the crimes were coded according to several basic features such as killing type and age of offender, allowing Lankford to establish whether there was anything distinctive about the 31 per cent of mass murderers who died in the act (80 per cent died by suicide) compared with those who survived.
Faith Conference to be held at UA
WVUA — July 22
A faith conference will be held at the Bryant Conference Center, July 26 through the 28th. Organizers say the conference will discuss ways that the faith community can creatively and actively affect change in the community as a whole. The event starts Sunday, July the 26th at the Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church and will feature a variety of nationally recognized speakers and local leaders.
Adams vs. Lang and Nominal Reasonable Use in Alabama Water Law and Policy
The Wave (Alabama’s Water Environment Association magazine) Summer 2015 (print only)
Groundwater is a significant source of water supply in Alabama. Approximately 40 percent of public water supplies in the state originate from about 20 major aquifers. But what are the laws and policies governing the use of groundwater in the state and how do our courts interpret them? … At the next available opportunity Alabama courts need to clarify the nominal reasonable use rule for groundwater. Bennett Bearden is the director of water policy and Law institute at The University of Alabama.
A 40-year national vision or development plan for ghana?
Graphic Online – July 23
At long last, it’s refreshing to learn the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) is initiating a 40-year national development plan for Ghana. A national development plan is an official document that contains a vision for the growth and development of a nation and policies for attaining the vision. It guides decision-making regarding the future of a nation just as architectural plans guide the construction of complex structures or buildings. Its preparation establishes a process for identifying national needs and goals with the participation of the general public. Involving the general public in identifying national goals and aspirations ensure widespread support for the plan. It also brings new and important information to the attention of planners, minimises opposition, and gives the public the pride of authorship and knowledge that their concerns are addressed in the plan. The content of a national development plan can be categorised into four components, namely a statement of goals and objectives; a description of existing socioeconomic, physical, natural resources and environmental conditions; a prediction of future conditions and national needs based on empirical data and analysis; and proposals or policies for attaining the goals and objectives of the plan. (The writer, Seth Appiah-Opoku, teaches land use regulation and planning at the University of Alabama. He is a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners and currently a visiting Associate Professor at the University of Cape Coast, Department of Geography and Regional Planning.)
Indian Summer Day Camp (gallery)
Tuscaloosa News – July 22
Janie Kay Wright, 8, makes a friendship bracelet during the Indian Summer Day Camp held at the Moundville Archaeological Park on Tuesday, July 21, 2015. Children ages 8-13 are participating in the annual five-day camp as they learn about various activities and routines of the Native Americans that once lived in Moundville. The camp is Monday through Friday from pick up at the University of Alabama at 8:30 a.m. to drop off at 4:30 p.m. at Smith Hall.
Students from New Orleans to visit Alabama on Civil Rights Tour
WDSU-NBC (New Orleans, La.) – July 22
This is all a part of the sixth annual Civil Rights History Tour sponsored by the National Basketball Retired Players Association. During this one-day trip the group will visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the 16th Street Baptist Church that was the site of a deadly bombing in the 1960s, and the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. The students and adults will also visit The University of Alabama, where they will get to see both the educational and athletic facilities.
WWL-CBS (New Orleans, La.) – July 22