Shanghaied: Taxi screens get the boot
Media Life Magazine – June 5
…Tian Song, a doctoral candidate in communications and information sciences at the University of Alabama who has written extensively about Chinese attitudes toward advertising, says the Chinese have a healthy amount of skepticism toward it, no matter what the medium. They especially don’t like the taxi screens. “The in-taxi video ads cannot be turned off at the discretion of passengers who feel that they are forced to watch commercials even if they don’t want to,” Song says. But there are other concerns. “Some of the in-taxi ads were not supposed to show in public due to their sexy content,” Song points out. Further, he says, “Young parents are concerned about their children’s safety during a taxi ride. Little kids in the back seat seem to like playing interactive games in the ads. To touch the screen, they have to move their head and upper body very close to the screen, which may increase the risk of sustaining head injuries when taxis brake suddenly.”…
Companies hire “shipriders” against Somali pirates
Seattle Times (Associated Press) – June 5
…Kenneth C. Randall, the Dean of the University of Alabama School of Law and an expert in international piracy law, said there were complex issues for companies providing legally armed private guards. “Commercial vessels have the right of innocent passage through most coastal waters. Some nations might say once you’re armed, you’re no longer innocent,” he said….
Figures can require second look to get facts
Huntsville Times – June 5
…When trying to determine what’s going on with the current market, which calculation gives a clearer picture? Is it useful to report month-to-month swings – particularly when the data may be revised? “I think you look at both,” said Dr. Leonard Zumpano, chair of real estate at the University of Alabama and founding director of the Alabama Center for Real Estate Research. “You look at the year-over-year numbers to see where the market is, but you also look at the monthly numbers – that can show that the numbers have improved, that the market has bottomed out.” Month-to-month data, if it’s trending in one direction, can indicate a market change, Zumpano said. If the numbers move in the same direction for three or four consecutive months, Zumpano considers that a trend. “You can’t make too many predictions on one month’s change,” he said. “One month could be a blip. It could be anything – maybe weather conditions.”…
Alabama’s population grows by 0.8 percent
Tuscaloosa News – June 5
Tuscaloosa County’s population grew from 2007 to 2008, with the county growing at a slightly faster pace than the state, according to new U.S. Census estimates…”Generally, people are staying put,” said Carolyn Trent, a socio-economic analyst for the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama. “If you want to move for a job, you’re probably waiting it out.”
Alabama’s Economy Predicted to “Turn Around” Later This Year
WHNT (Huntsville) – June 4
… Samuel Addy, an economist and director for business and economic research for the University of Alabama. He believes Alabama is headed for a turnaround between September and October. “We should be adding jobs by early next year.”