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Study: Bankruptcy Rates Reflect Policy, Not PeopleThe study, by Brigham Young University economists Lars Lefgren and Frank McIntyre found state-to-state differences in bankruptcy rates are mostly explained by bankruptcy laws, differences in legal institutions, and broad demographic factors. “Our findings don’t say much at all about the people involved in bankruptcies,” said Lefgren. “In large part, we found that there are different state policies that affect how people respond to financial crises.” Bankruptcy rates vary widely from state to state. Alaska traditionally has one of the country’s lowest filing rates—an average of one bankruptcy per 1000 individuals from 1999 through 2000. During that same period, the rate in Tennessee, the highest bankruptcy state, was nearly eight times higher. Texas had a rate of three per 1000, but right next door in Oklahoma, the number was double that. read more from BYU NEWS |
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Self-taught fathers: Absent a role model, these dads just try not to failThis Father’s Day, a Brigham Young University sociologist is focusing on dads that don’t fit the traditional script – dads in the mold of the character played by Will Smith in the film The Pursuit of Happyness (before he earned millions as a stockbroker). These dads are poor. They’re unmarried. Their own fathers commonly were a lesson in what not to do. Defining fatherhood as they go, these dads shared the meaning they find as self-taught fathers in a study Professor Renata Forste published in a recent issue of the journal Fathering. “Those who didn’t have a role-model type father, they know what they don’t want to do, but they don’t know what to replace it with,” Forste said. Read more from BYU NEWS |
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Political blogs more accurate than newspapers, say those who read bothPlus: Political reporters aware of blogs on the right but follow blogs on the leftRead more from The Washington Post Deseret News According to research by a Brigham Young University political scientist, people who closely follow both political blogs and traditional news media tend to believe the content on blogs is more accurate. Professor Richard Davis reports this and other blog-related insights in Typing Politics, a new book published by Oxford University Press. “Blog readers still get most of their news from regular news sources, but they are concerned that they are not getting the whole side of the story there,” Davis said. “They suspect habitual bias in the traditional news content.” Read more from BYU NEWS |
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BYU roommates don't let disabilities stop them from reaching goals By Sam Penrod
PROVO -- BYU will hold commencement ceremonies Thursday afternoon in Provo. Among the graduates are two roommates: both of them face life with quadriplegia and both have overcome their disability to earn diplomas. Jamie Moore and Jill McAuley have been roommates at BYU for the past four years. They are both quadriplegics and have found strength in each other's challenges. "We are both going through similar situations, and so it's been really nice to talk to each other about our struggles and encourage each other in the hard times, and have fun together too," Jamie said. They have two roommates who cook for them and help them get ready for school. In class, other students take turns helping out. "In my classes, people take notes for me and help me study," Jill said. She also has a computer that types up her homework. Jamie gets help from Misty, a service dog trained to lend a hand. READ MORE FROM KSL NEWS |