Davis researchers dispel beer myths
Despite popular belief that beer is a source of unhealthy carbohydrates, researchers at UC Davis have found the drink can actually be beneficial in many ways.
“The message for consumers is that the only sustainable and sensible way to lose weight and avoid weight gain is to focus on the calorie content of all foods and beverages, including beer,” Charles Bamforth, chair of the UC Davis food, science and technology department, stated in a press release. “And they should remember that, contrary to popular thought, beer is not comprised merely of empty calories. Rather, it can contain significant levels of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and fiber.”
In the research, Bamforth notes that the South Beach Diet, the brainchild of Arthur Agatson, had initially coined beer as a fattening alcohol. As a result, Bamforth found that a slew of “low-carb” beers, which contained no more than seven grams of carbohydrate per serving by federal standards, began to come into the market.
However, the specialized “low-carb” beer is only a superstition, Bamforth said.
“In truth, the majority of beers on the market contain relatively low levels of carbohydrates,” Bamforth stated. “Furthermore, alcoholic drinks that contain mixers such as ginger ale, cola, tonic and tomato juice are far more charged with carbohydrate than is beer.”
KSDT forced to change Web site
Due to an unexpected expiration of its Web site registration, and a loss in a bidding war, KSDT radio has been forced to move from the Internet home it has known for five years.
During the summer, the radio station, which was broadcast exclusively online at http://www.ksdtradio.org had gone offline because of an expiration of its five-year contract with Aim High!, Inc., according to former Operations Manager Kip Mitchell. The staff had been unaware of the contract’s deadline because of leadership changes and missing paperwork. Its domain name was then bought by a “drop catching” service, which routinely buys Web sites to resell to the former owners, Mitchell said.
“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “What other place would want our domain name, anyway? We’re the only radio station named KSDT.”
Bartering with the company proved unfruitful, since its demand was far too high for KSDT’s budget, Mitchell said. The radio station has since utilized an old university-provided Web site for broadcasting.
Because of a powerful ad campaign since the beginning of the school year, KSDT has managed to keep a consistent patronage despite the domain name change, according to Station Manager Leo Bondar.
“We pushed hard to get the new name out there,” he said. “On campus, students seem to know where to go to hear us. But we did have a good amount of listeners outside of UCSD, and since they’re not here to be notified of the news, we’ve lost a lot of them.”
The radio station had to eat the cost of banners advertising the old domain name, Bondar said. In addition, KSDT had to spend around $100 in advertising its new Web site, http://www.scw.ucsd.edu.
The radio station could regain its old domain, and plans to wait a few more months to continue negotiations with the current owners, Bondar said.
Regents to field public questions
A UC Board of Regents committee will hold a special meeting Oct. 31 to address the public and determine various regents’ procedures including splitting future regents meetings into four two-day sessions, with two meetings a year to be held in Southern California, and two a year in Northern California.
Members of the public will be able to pose university-related questions or comments to committee members through a telephone conference at (510) 987-9220.
Committee members include Regent Peter Preuss, UC President Robert C. Dynes and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
