PURDUE NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEEK OF OCT. 22-27 This digest contains summaries of the following stories from Purdue News Service and Agricultural Communication Service. All these stories, and more, are available on the World Wide Web at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/html3month/3month.html (Instructions for retrieving stories and photographs via the Internet are at the end of this document.) 1. Low-power circuits increasingly needed in wireless age 2. Is Santa getting good little boys and girls their toys online? 3. Some retailers hope for a merr-'e' little Christmas 4. Purdue begins to clear ground for new Krannert School building 5. Halloween invasion of lady beetles an annual nuisance 6. Black Cultural Center sponsors reparations discussion 7. Purdue, IU sponsoring Multicultural Job Fair 8. Workshop offers beef producers management tips 9. President's Council members receive honors 10. Inspiring voices to fill ballroom 11. Royal Winnipeg Ballet brings neck-biting performance to Purdue 12. Grammy winning jazz quintet brings its rhythmic styles to Purdue 13. The Children's Theatre Company brings a big, green crocodile to Purdue 14. PMO Christmas Show performers dream of a Disney Christmas 15. Business, community leaders serve as Old Masters 16. Physics FunFest offers scientific wizardry for all ages 17. Fraternity and sorority leaders challenged to take lead 18. Students set their sights on winning $5,000 Internet Olympiad 19. Purdue calendar 20. Best Bets for Journalists 21. Inside Purdue and Perspective ------------------------------------- RESEARCH NEWS AND SPECIAL REPORTS ------------------------------------- 1. LOW-POWER CIRCUITS INCREASINGLY NEEDED IN WIRELESS AGE Purdue University engineers have designed an innovative circuit shown to drastically reduce the amount of power needed to run a computer's memory. The technology is aimed at saving energy, enabling portable devices to run longer on a single charge and to use lighter-weight batteries. ''The ultimate goal is to keep the performance at the highest level possible while reducing power consumption to as low as possible,'' says T.N. Vijaykumar, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue. Power conservation is critical for laptop computers, medical devices that are worn on or implanted in the body, and a plethora of emerging wireless devices that run on batteries. 2. IS SANTA GETTING GOOD LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS THEIR TOYS ONLINE? The amount of Christmas shopping consumers will do online this holiday season will triple from last year's $2 billion to more than $6 billion, according to the Purdue University Retail Institute's annual retail holiday spending forecast. The tripling of online sales this holiday season only seems to overshadow the overall increase of 3 percent to 6 percent in total national holiday retail sales forecast, says institute researcher Richard A. Feinberg, professor of consumer sciences and retailing. 3. SOME RETAILERS HOPE FOR A MERR-'E' LITTLE CHRISTMAS After a generally dismal showing last year, e-retailers have something to prove to skeptical consumers this holiday shopping season, according to the Purdue University Retail Institute's annual retail holiday spending forecast. ''Last year, Amazon.com ran out of some popular items, and Toys R Us had delivery problems,'' says Richard A. Feinberg of the Purdue Retail Institute. ''Fully 50 percent of all consumers wait until the week before Christmas to do their shopping, so customer shopping patterns work against e-retailers. Because items bought from Web sites must be shipped, e-retailers are shut out of the last-minute sales.'' ------------------------ GENERAL INTEREST NEWS ------------------------ 4. PURDUE BEGINS TO CLEAR GROUND FOR NEW KRANNERT SCHOOL BUILDING Purdue's Krannert School of Management began clearing ground for Jerry S. Rawls Hall Thursday (10/26). The new $37 million building is the centerpiece in the Krannert School's $55 million ''Krannert at the Frontier'' campaign. Rawls, a 1968 master's degree graduate and president and CEO of Finisar Corp., a Silicon Valley optical networking company located in Mountain View, Calif., gave $10 million for the four-story, 128,000 square-foot facility, which will be located across Grant Street from the Krannert Building. Groundbreaking for Rawls Hall will take place in the spring, and the building will be ready for occupancy for the fall 2003 semester. 5. HALLOWEEN INVASION OF LADY BEETLES AN ANNUAL NUISANCE Timing and their huge populations can make the annual late October invasion of Asian lady beetles a scary event in Indiana and across the entire eastern portion of the country, says a Purdue entomologist. ''We have received many reports this year of them biting, pinching and certainly smelling bad,'' said Timothy Gibb, an integrated pest management Extension specialist. While lady beetles are not normally considered aggressive, he said the insects may pinch if the weather is hot enough, and if they are in large enough numbers. Unlike native lady beetles, the Asian lady beetle makes itself a nuisance by congregating inside people's homes to spend the winter. 6. BLACK CULTURAL CENTER SPONSORS REPARATIONS DISCUSSION The Purdue Black Cultural Center Library will present ''African Americans and the Case for Reparations: Positioning the Debate'' at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, in the Black Cultural Center. The event is free and open to the public. The BCC will screen two videos: ''Black Reparations'' and ''A Case for Black Reparations.'' Following the screenings, Richard F. America, business and economics scholar, will moderate an audience discussion about reparations. 7. PURDUE, IU SPONSORING MULTICULTURAL JOB FAIR Recent and soon-to-be college graduates are encouraged to register for the Ninth Annual Indiana Multicultural Job Fair on Nov. 10 at the Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis. The fair promotes job opportunities for historically underrepresented groups in the workforce, said James Megathlin, assistant director for Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities. It allows employers to meet with a diverse pool of candidates and discuss employment opportunities in a professional setting. The Indiana Multicultural Job Fair is cosponsored by Purdue and Indiana universities. -------------------- AGRICULTURAL NEWS -------------------- 8. WORKSHOP OFFERS BEEF PRODUCERS MANAGEMENT TIPS Beef producers in southern Indiana can learn ways to better manage their operations at a workshop sponsored by Purdue University Extension. The workshop will be 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday (11/9) at the Southern Indiana Purdue Ag Center farm in northeastern Dubois County; near the Patoka Lake dam. This sixth part in the SIPAC 2000 Field Day Series will focus on cow/calf management issues. --------------------------- NEWS ABOUT PURDUE PEOPLE --------------------------- 9. PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL MEMBERS RECEIVE HONORS The Purdue President's Council Annual Weekend is taking place Friday and Saturday (10/27 and 10/28). Among a full slate of activities is a dinner at which several council members are to be honored for their contributions to the university. The President's Council was established in 1972 and is comprised of Purdue alumni and supporters who contribute a minimum of $1,000 annually to the university. A story on the awards will be available Monday. ------------------------------- ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ITEMS ------------------------------- 10. INSPIRING VOICES TO FILL BALLROOM The Purdue Student Union Board will present the Black Voices of Inspiration at 7 p.m. Thursday (11/2) in the North Ballroom of the Memorial Union. The event is open to the public and admission is $3 for Purdue students and $6 for the general public. Tickets are available at the door. Established in 1975, The Black Voices of Inspiration choir is one of the Black Cultural Center's performance ensembles. 11. ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET BRINGS NECK-BITING PERFORMANCE TO PURDUE Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada will present its adaptation of Bram Stroker's classic ''Dracula'' at 8 p.m. Saturday (11/4) in the Elliott Hall of Music. The ballet, complete with flying bats and dancing gargoyles, premiered in Winnipeg in 1998, and is choreographed by Mark Gooden, a Texas native. Gooden has choreographed several ballets including ''Forms of Distinction,'' ''Sequoia,'' ''Myth,'' ''Shepherd's Wake'' and ''Miroirs.'' 12. GRAMMY WINNING JAZZ QUINTET BRINGS ITS RHYTHMIC STYLES TO PURDUE The Grammy Award winning Dave Holland Quintet will perform at 8 p.m. Friday (11/3) in Loeb Playhouse. Band leader and bassist Dave Holland, a native of England, has been playing music for almost 50 years. He released his first album, ''Conference of the Birds,'' in 1972. The bassist has worked with jazz greats including Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Thelonious Monk and Stan Getz. 13. THE CHILDREN'S THEATRE COMPANY BRINGS A BIG, GREEN CROCODILE TO PURDUE Purdue Convocations will present The Children's Theatre Company production of ''Lyle the Crocodile'' at 4 p.m. Sunday (11/5) in Loeb Playhouse. Based on author/illustrator Bernard Waber's popular children's books, ''Lyle, Lyle Crocodile'' and ''The House on East 88th Street,'' the play was adapted for the stage by Kevin Kling, a Minnesota playwright. 14. PMO CHRISTMAS SHOW PERFORMERS DREAM OF A DISNEY CHRISTMAS Two Purdue Musical Organizations students who worked as performers at Walt Disney World last summer will perform again at the theme park after their talents are showcased in the annual Christmas Show. Eric Steele and Shanna Jackson, both from Indianapolis, were employed by the entertainment division of Walt Disney World through the Walt Disney World College Program. Jackson and Steele will perform in the 67th annual Christmas Show, directed by PMO Director Brian Breed. ---------------------- MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS ---------------------- 15. BUSINESS, COMMUNITY LEADERS SERVE AS OLD MASTERS Ten leaders in various fields will visit Purdue for the 51st annual Old Masters program Nov. 5-7. The Old Masters program was established in 1950 so working professionals could share their experiences and observations with students preparing to finish their college careers. All the Old Masters will participate in a reception at 8 p.m. Monday (11/6) in the Hillenbrand Residence Hall main lounge. The evening will feature a performance by the Purdue Men's Glee Club, followed by an opportunity to meet with each Old Master. The reception is open to the public. 16. PHYSICS FUNFEST OFFERS SCIENTIFIC WIZARDRY FOR ALL AGES Purdue's Department of Physics' annual Physics FunFest will be 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 11, in the Physics Building. The free science show features demonstrations and hands-on activities for children and adults on various topics in physics. Two different 30-minute shows will run simultaneously in Rooms 112 and 114. The shows will each be presented three times, and will feature many new demonstrations such as physics magic tricks and a state-of-the-art laser show. 17. FRATERNITY AND SORORITY LEADERS CHALLENGED TO TAKE LEAD Greek leaders from across the Midwest will meet at Purdue Sunday (11/5) to discuss challenges facing fraternities and sororities such as alcohol abuse, sexual assault, eating disorders and academic performance. The 16th Annual Indiana Greek Leadership Conference, ''Building Leaders Through Changing Times,'' will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., beginning in the Memorial Union's North Ballroom. 18. STUDENTS SET THEIR SIGHTS ON WINNING $5,000 INTERNET OLYMPIAD Purdue students will race against time in a high-tech showdown to create new, commercially viable Internet technology in the first Internet Olympiad beginning Saturday (11/4). The first round of the Olympiad, a ''quiz show'' with some audience participation, will be 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. This event is free and open to the public. ''The goal of the Internet Olympiad is to get students to develop a prototype of an Internet application for which they could get venture capital funding and start a company,'' said Aditya Mathur, associate head of the Department of Computer Sciences. 19. PURDUE CALENDAR This calendar lists entertainment events, lectures and meetings involving Purdue people during the next month. An online calendar of Purdue events is at http://www.purdue.edu/calendar/ 20. BEST BETS FOR JOURNALISTS 21. Inside Purdue and Perspective Check the online versions of Inside Purdue, the faculty/staff newspaper, and Perspective, a quarterly publication for alumni, parents of students, faculty and staff, for other news about Purdue, at http://www.purdue.edu/PER/Periodicals.html. HOW TO RETRIEVE STORIES AND PHOTOGRAPHS ELECTRONICALLY Releases, publication-quality photographs, and a searchable database of Purdue and Big 10 experts are available at the PurdueNews Web site at http://news.uns.purdue.edu. 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