July 27, 1999

Here are descriptions of the radio stories available on the Ohio State University Info Line, July 30 through August 6, 1999. Stories are changed at noon. All feeds include one wraparound report of approximately 1:00 and at least one other actuality plus background material. If you have questions, want additional information, or need a re-feed of a missed story, call Amy Murray at 614-292-8385.

Friday 7/30-Monday 8/2 - An Ohio State Kiplinger Fellow who is producing a documentary on young people involved in the “white pride” and anti-racist movements jokes that she’s spent the past nine months in the ‘realm’ of Ohio. Beverly Peterson’s reference to the Ku Klux Klan classification for the state is just a hint of an extensive subculture she has found in Columbus and the Midwest. As part of her documentary, Peterson recently interviewed Benjamin Smith, who killed himself while being chased by police in connection with a series of racially motivated drive-by shootings in which two people were killed and several were injured. She says Smith showed no signs that he would turn to violence. She also says college campuses are an active recruiting ground for groups on both sides of the issue.

Monday 8/2-Wednesday 8/4 - Being diagnosed with a serious disease has very little effect on whether people will change their eating habits or how much they actually know about nutrition. Denis Medeiros, a professor of human nutrition and food management at Ohio State, found that people with cancer, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and heart disease had poor eating habits even though they were fighting a serious disease.

Wednesday 8/4-Friday 8/6 - The decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan was the result of political doctrine and not military considerations. Ohio State University Communications Professor James Hikins says the inflexible rhetoric of unconditional surrender--our demand that Japan surrender unconditionally--led President Truman to order the bombing of Hiroshima. Hikins researched the rhetoric associated with the decision to drop the bomb. He says the phrase ‘unconditional surrender’ became a household word and led policymakers to warn Truman of the political consequences of accepting anything less.

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