Pacific in the Press | June 11, 2019

Quote of the Week

"Unlike drugs, supplements and consumer products do not necessarily get tested for safety."

— Sachin Shah, CNN, May 29, 2019

Examples of how University of the Pacific was represented in the news media in recent days:

"Energy drinks may have unintended health risks," CNN, May 29, 2019: Pharmacy's Sachin Shah was interviewed about his study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, which drew national and international news coverage. The study found that energy drinks altered the heart's electrical activity and raised blood pressure. Hundreds of news outlets around the world carried versions of the story. "Unlike drugs, supplements and consumer products do not necessarily get tested for safety," Shah told CNN. Other coverage included:
"Energy drinks may increase risk of heart function abnormalities and blood pressure changes," MedicalXpress.com, May 29, 2019
"Energy drinks can raise blood pressure," KALW (National Public Radio, San Francisco), May 29, 2019
"Guzzling two large energy drinks within an hour is dangerous for the heart 'because it raises blood pressure and affects the organ's rhythm'," The Daily Mail, May 29, 2019
"Energy drinks may increase heart malfunction, high blood pressure risk," United Press International, May 29, 2019
"Lab: Fizzical dangers of swigging energy drinks too quickly," BBC Science Focus via Metro.News, May 29, 2019
"Energy drinks increase risk of HEART abnormalities - and experts don't know why," The Mirror, May 29, 2019
"Energy drinks may increase blood pressure and risk of electrical disturbances in heart," News Medical, May 29, 2019
"Energy drinks may increase risk of electrical disturbances in the heart," MedicalBrief.com (Greendale Park, South Africa), June 6, 2019.
"Energydrinks erhöhen Blutdruck und verlängern QT-Intervall," Reinhardtstr, Berlin, Germany, June 3, 2019
"Study: energy drinks could affect your heart health," TruckersNews.com, June 4, 2019

"Memorials, their history and their controversy," National Public Radio's "Back Story," May 27, 2019: Communication's Teresa Bergman was interviewed about the interpretative films used at the Mount Rushmore visitor center and how they have changed over the years. Bergman talked about how the films say as much about the times in which they were made as they do of the monument. Bergman is introduced at about 2:40 in the clip.

"How Inglewood sidestepped voters when it took on millions in debt to cover up a deficit, then gave raises for executives," Pasadena Star News via San Gabriel Valley Tribune, June 7, 2019: The Center for Business and Policy Research's Jeff Michael was quoted in this story about Inglewood taking on $36 million in new debt without voter approval. Michael commented on how pension obligation bonds can be risky even when handled properly. Michael, who studied Stockton's bankruptcy, said Inglewood's decision to issue pension obligation bonds is concerning since cities across the state are struggling to deal cover CalPERS payments. "It raises a question of what they're going to do in the next year and the year after that," he told the Star News. The story was shared by other outlets, including the San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Daily News, Orange County Register, East Bay Times and the Daily Breeze (Torrance).

"How risky is Steinberg's controversial Measure U bonding proposal? Experts weigh in," The Sacramento Bee, May 28, 2019: The Center for Business and Policy Research's Jeff Michael said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg's bond proposal is unlikely to actually bankrupt the city, but it could cause "big fiscal problems down the road." "It's a risky plan, no doubt about it," Michael told the Bee. "It would take another great recession to kick the city into bankruptcy, so I wouldn't necessarily predict that, but I think there's certainly a pretty strong risk that 10 years from now, future mayors are slashing city services and might be looking back at the decisions being made right now as part of the cause."

"Second-guessed amendments: California's revised use-of-force bill may not put more officers on trial, but supporters say it will 'save lives'," Sacramento News and Review, June 6, 2019: McGeroge's John Cary Sims was quoted in this use-of-force story in Sacramento's alternative newspaper. Sims told the SN&R, "If anybody is expecting that this reform has failed unless there are a lot of successful prosecutions of officers for misuse of force ... that's a big misunderstanding of not only the problem but the potential solution." And later in the story, "The main thing that we're hoping for is not that there are going to be a whole lot of prosecutions" and that legislative reforms "will greatly reduce the number of incidents that could potentially lead to prosecution."

"The Way of the Samurai - Why Honor Was Everything to Japan's Legendary Warriors," MilitaryHistoryNow.com, June 9, 2019: University College professor George Yagi wrote about the samurai for this history website. "Armed with an array of weapons including swords, spears, bows and arrows, and eventually firearms, the samurai were an intimidating presence on the feudal battlefields of Japan," wrote Yagi. "With their legendary loyalty to their lords, or daimyo, they were also a formidable adversary."

"USA Water Polo Announces World University Games Rosters," SwimmingWorldMagazine.com, June 5, 2019: Men's and women's water polo head coach James Graham and student-athlete Savannah Fitzgerald were mentioned in this story about the 2019 World University Games. Graham will be the head coach for the women's team for the games scheduled for July 2-14 in Naples, Italy. "I am excited to be taking such a talented and versatile group to the World University Games," Graham told SwimmingWorldMagazine.com. "This team has an extremely aggressive style of play and it makes it so much fun to coach."