In the News

Tom Beck, Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery, in the Baltimore Sun
A growing number of artists and musicians locally and abroad are using the economic meltdown as inspiration to create songs, paintings and photos based on the downturn and document the recession’s effect on society, the Baltimore Sun reported. “Sometimes, we’re at our best when circumstances are at their worst,” said Tom Beck, chief curator of the Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery. “I would say that’s true for art as well as every other realm.”
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-al.recession05apr05,0,1414487.story
Thomas Blass, Psychology, in the Yukon News
Two pranksters, posing as desk clerks at a hotel, called a sleeping guest about a gas leak. The purported leak was a hoax. Thomas Blass, professor of psychology, discussed the normal human reaction to what a hotel guest would perceive as an authority. “There’s a built-in and ‘constructive’ side to obeying authority,” Blass told the Yukon News. “As a kid we want our parents to teach us values, we want them to teach us not to cross the street against traffic—there’s a constructive side. But of course, there’s also a darker side.” The story, “Pranksters tap Humanity’s Dark Side,” ran Wednesday, March 25.
http://yukon-news.com/news/12049/
Laura Ruas, Music, in the Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun reported that area freelance musicians are scrambling for new sources of income as performance opportunities decline during the recession. Laura Ruas, an adjunct lecturer in the music department, discussed a reduction in her chamber orchestra schedule. The story, “Freelance Musicians Rattled by Recession’s Toll on Livelihood,” ran Wednesday, April 8.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-te.to.opera12apr08,0,7734443.story
Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the Baltimore Sun
In his latest column for the Baltimore Sun, Associate Professor of Political Science Tom Schaller discussed the Obama administration’s Making Work Pay tax credit. The piece, “A Working Man’s Tax Break,” appeared Tuesday, April 7.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.schaller07apr07,0,5949144.column
UMBC Chess Team in the News
With a final-round surge against its archrival, the UMBC chess team rallied to win the 2009 President’s Cup Thursday, April 5. UMBC is the national collegiate chess champion for the fifth time in the past nine years. Several news organizations reported on the team’s win, including the Baltimore Sun, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle and Catonsville Times.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.chess06apr06,0,5982318.story
http://www.explorebaltimorecounty.com/education/98052/umbc-kings-chess-board-fifth-time-nine-years/
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-chessmatch_06met.ART0.State.Edition1.4a5d2f1.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6360391.html
The Catonsville Times profiled the coaching given to members of the Hillcrest Elementary School chess club by the UMBC chess team. The story, “Chess Captures Students’ Attention at Hillcrest,” ran Wednesday, April 8.
http://www.explorebaltimorecounty.com/education/98060/chess-captures-students-attention-hillcrest/