Duke in the News: June 8, 2007

CFOs MORE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT ECONOMY, DUKE SURVEY SAYS CNBC, June 7 -- Chief financial officers are becoming more pessimistic about the U.S. economy, according to a survey by Duke's Fuqua School of Business. The CFOs expect slower growth in earnings, capital spending and hiring, the survey says. ... Full story --Also, CNN/Money, Reuters: CFOs' Outlook on U.S. Economy Grows Dim ... Full story Financial Times: Financial Chiefs Hit Out at Sarbox Costs ... Full story

MONTPELIER SLAVE DESCENDANTS TO REUNITE Houston Chronicle, AP, June 7 -- Descendants of the slaves who worked at James Madison's Montpelier home will gather there this weekend. Most of the events are closed to the public, except for a keynote address Saturday by Duke historian and author John Hope Franklin. ... Full story

FINAL ANALYSIS: 'THE SOPRANOS' Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 8 -- "The Sopranos are us," says Duke English professor Thomas Ferraro, of the soon-to-end TV series. Ferraro, the author of "Feeling Italian: The Art of Ethnicity in America," says, "The Mafia has been domesticated." ... Full story

DUKE, EX-COACH SETTLE UP (Raleigh) News & Observer, June 8 -- Mike Pressler, the former Duke lacrosse coach, has reached a financial settlement with the university. ... Full story --Also, Baltimore Sun: Pressler Reaches Settlement With Duke (AP story also appeared on CBS Sportsline and in more than 200 other news outlets.) ... Full story Duke News: Duke and Men's Lacrosse (special website with background information) ... Full story

OP-ED: BRINGING BACK OUR LEOPARDS (Durham) Herald-Sun, June 8 -- Duke geologist Orrin Pilkey hopes that a forthcoming beach and inlet management plan will "recognize the treasured, even sacred nature of North Carolina's beaches." ... Full story

MUSIC: THE UNIVERSAL SCALE The Why Files, June 7 -- Why are the notes of so many types of music found on the 12-tone "chromatic" scale? Researchers at Duke believe they have found the answer, and it's rooted in something we do every day: Speak. ... Full story

KEEP KIDS SHARP THIS SUMMER USAToday.com, June 7 -- Harris Cooper, professor of psychology and director of the Program in Education at Duke, says long summer breaks can diminish academic skills, especially in math, without some form of regular instruction. He offers parents several tips. (See sidebar.) ... Full story

ON THE AIR Gavan Fitzsimons, professor of marketing and psychology at Duke, will be a guest today on North Carolina Public Radio's "The State of Things" to talk about about the "yuck factor" -- the psychology behind disgust and how revulsion affects consumer spending. ... Details/listen