Nobel winner, colleagues say a hostile environment prompted them to leave

Editor's note: This is the first article in a two-part series on the UA "Brain Drain" problem.

When it comes to the loss of talented intellectuals to other universities, also known as "brain drain," former UA economics professor and recent Nobel Prize recipient Vernon Smith might be the poster child for the UA.

Smith, who won the Nobel Prize in economics a year after leaving the UA for George Mason University, said his decision to leave had nothing to do with money. [Read article]

Cats push home win streak to 30

The No. 24 Arizona women's basketball team scored the first 11 points in its game against UTEP last night in McKale Center and never looked back, defeating the Miners 79-47. With the win, Arizona improved to 4-1 on the early season and recorded its 30th consecutive home win.

"We want to make this one of the worst places to come and play in the country," said senior point guard Dee-Dee Wheeler. "We have a great team and we love playing at home. Teams are going to be out to basically break that streak." [Read article]

It might have been the thought of so much upcoming turkey and mashed potatoes. Or maybe it was the "mandate" that so many people have been talking about since the election.

But whatever it is, the conservatives in the state of Arizona have been emboldened to test their limits and see how conservative they can make Arizona.

For one, some of the proponents of voter-approved Proposition 200 have decided that they did not like how Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard interpreted the context of the proposition. In fact, they disliked it so much that they thought they would take the matter into their own hands. [Read article]