MINORITY MONEY: Providing seed money for minority-run businesses is a good investment, according to a recent study co-authored by a 91探花professor. Combined investments in the study exceeded a 20 percent rate of return compared to 17 percent for the S&P 500 stock index during the same period. 鈥淭here are biases in the market,鈥� William Bradford, professor of finance and business economics, told the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. 鈥淭his niche is and should be profitable from an economic perspective.鈥�
WONDER DRUG: Statin drugs have received a great deal of publicity recently for doing everything from lowering cholesterol levels to treating Alzheimer鈥檚, multiple sclerosis and some cancers. One thing the drug won鈥檛 do, according to a 91探花researcher, is prevent osteoporosis. In fact, Andrea LaCroix recently told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that she had concluded that statins shouldn鈥檛 be used to treat the bone-loss disease. 鈥淭here was absolutely no evidence that statin use reduced the rate of fracture,鈥� the professor of epidemiology told the newspaper. LaCroix is the lead author on a Women鈥檚 Health Initiative study that considered statin drugs鈥� effects on osteoporosis. The study was released just weeks after a Newsweek magazine cover story touted the potential benefits of the drugs for treating osteoporosis. That irony wasn鈥檛 lost on the researcher. 鈥淚 smiled when I saw that come out last week, because this study has been in the pipeline so long,鈥� LaCroix said. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥楾his is just too funny.鈥� 鈥�
DEAR DIARY: The recent revelation that former President Harry Truman, while in office, offered to run as vice president on a Dwight Eisenhower-Truman ticket was a tantalizing find for many history buffs. The offer, recorded in the 33rd president鈥檚 personal diary, was released recently by the Truman library. But a 91探花professor wanted to know more. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a difficult situation, but also, that鈥檚 a pivotal year in the history of the Truman administration,鈥� Richard Kirkendall, a 91探花professor emeritus of history, told the St. Petersburg Times. 鈥淲hen I saw that this was a 1947 diary, I anticipated that he would say some things of real importance about the origin of the Truman Doctrine and the origin of the Marshall Plan, but he doesn鈥檛, and I鈥檓 disappointed that he did not.鈥�
Newsmakers is a periodic column reporting on coverage of the 91探花 by national press services.