Winners

While Hawkeye and Cyclone football fans bid farewell to another frustrating season, record-setting crowds continue to pack the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls to cheer on the top-rated University of Northern Iowa Panthers’ football team in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Last week, the top-seeded 12-0 Panthers pulled out a thrilling 38-35 victory against New Hampshire in the final seconds. This Saturday, they host Delaware. The Panthers might not get the kind of fan or media adulation the Hawks and Clones receive, but they are the best football team in the state this year and a model of consistent success.

People who suffer from cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, spinal cord injuries and muscle damage have new hope thanks to a doctor in Japan. Dr. Shinya Yamanaka and Dr. James Thompson published results of their stem cell tests in the journals Science and Cell, showing that embryonic-type stem cells can be produced directly from ordinary human skin cells, without creating or destroying human embryos. With the announcement, it eliminates the moral and religious arguments that have plagued the debate for stem-cell research, and returns discussion of their use back to a scientific level.

All this talk of moving up the Iowa Caucuses has been a cause for concern for political insiders and businesses who fear that Iowa might lose its first-in-the-nation status. But Iowans can take a deep breath (for now) after New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner announced that the Granite State’s first-in-the-nation primary will take place Jan. 8, five days after the Iowa Caucus. The anticipated announcement came a few hours after the Michigan Supreme Court said that state’s Jan. 15 primary can go ahead. But as campaigns struggle to work out their travel plans and advertising strategies to adjust to the rapidly changing primary schedule, we know they have to spend some time and money in the Hawkeye state.

Move over Elvis Presley. Jay-Z’s “American Gangster” is the hip hop mogul’s 10th No. 1 album, which puts the rapper in a tie with Presley for second place among artists with the most No. 1 albums in the history of Billboard magazine’s pop album chart. Only the Beatles, with 19 No. 1 albums, have amassed more. But before Jay-Z fans get too cocky, remember this: Jay-Z’s entire career has been during the SoundScan era when there has been more turnover at the top of the charts thanks to point-of-sale tracking. The Rolling Stones, for example, have had 21 Top 5 albums in addition to nine No. 1 titles. If there was point-of-sale tracking during the Stones’ heyday, it’s likely they might be tied or leading the Beatles. The same can be said about Barbara Streisand, who has eight No. 1 albums and 10 more Top 5 titles. Still, the 425,000 copies of “American Gangster” that were sold during the first week of sales is nothing to sneeze at.

Losers

Des Moines resident Jesse J. Walker, 19, risked the lives of residents and law enforcement officials after leading Des Moines Police and the Iowa State Patrol on a high-speed chase across the east side of the city last Tuesday. The chase began after a trooper spotted Walker’s car without license plates. Walker was wanted for misdemeanor theft and probation, but now faces charges of eluding, driving while under suspension and no front license plates. The chase through neighborhoods ended when police used a maneuver that forced Walker’s car to crash into a tree at 1710 Capitol Ave.

Rich American corporations continue to exploit the war while raking in the dough. According to a recent “Windfalls of War” investigation, more than 70 American companies between 2002 and 2004 received up to $8 billion in contracts. A recent study, “Windfalls of War II” raises that number to an estimated $25 billion, with companies like KBR Inc., Halliburton and DynCorp International continuing to top the list. While the government outsourcing has escalated over the past five years, oversight has substantially declined. The analysis also uncovered a system marred by missing contracts, unidentified companies, a lack of competitive bidding as well as the absence of minority owned companies as primary contractors.

The good news for people with HIV is that with improved drugs, proper care and treatment, they are living longer and stronger lives while caring for themselves. But the bad news is that a dangerous trend is emerging when it comes to the often-ignored segment of the HIV and AIDS population: women and children. As we approach World AIDS Day on Saturday, statistics show more women and children are being affected by this deadly disease than ever before. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 1 million Americans have HIV/AIDS and women comprise between 120,000 and 160,000 of these cases. Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 8,000 children who contracted HIV from their mothers have been diagnosed with AIDS, and nearly 5,000 of these children have died. Everyone needs to get educated and discuss the issues involving this horrible epidemic. CV

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