New rules proposed by the S.E.C. would, among other things, require that the issuers of bonds filled with bundled mortgages — not the ratings agencies — would have to vouch for their soundness and retain 5 percent of each bond. Law Professor Tamar Frankel, an authority on securities law and author of “Trust and Honesty: American’s […]
April 8, 2010 at 11:52 am
Leaders of the two Cold War adversaries signed a new treaty further reducing their nuclear-arms arsenals. Both Presidents Obama and Medvedev said the pact will make the world safer and benefit relations between the United States and Russia. Attorney Philip O’Neill, author of the newly published “Verification in an Age of Insecurity” and who teaches national security […]
As the bipartisan Congressional commission looking into the financial meltdown resumes hearings, law Professor Cornelius Hurley, director of the Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law and former counsel to the Fed Board of Governors, stops to take a look at where we’ve come and where we might be going. “While ‘Alice in Wonderland’ tops the […]
The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly preparing an antitrust challenge to Google’s proposed acquisition of the mobile-advertising company AdMob, and asked AdMob competitors about what the deal would mean for consumers. Law Professor Keith Hylton, an authority on antitrust law, says be weary of what the competitors say — even in sworn statements. “If the […]
With the Queen agreeing to dissolve parliament, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (right) announced a May 6 election date and England’s one-month campaign season is officially under way. Political science Professor Graham Wilson, author of “Only in America? American Politics in Comparative Perspective” (and a Brit himself), expects an exciting, unpredictable election. “The economic events of […]
For the past year the Securities and Exchange Commission has been trying to toughen up its weakened image. But it still faces skepticism about its ability to adequately enforce laws against corporate crime. Law Professor Tamar Frankel, an authority on securities law and author of “Trust and Honesty: America’s Business Culture at a Crossroad,” says […]
In a bid to become more relevant to the hardware side of the mobile-phone business, reports say Microsoft will unveil a new line of phones (code name “Pink”) with social-networking capabilities — different from the “Windows Phone,” expected later this year. School of Management Professor N. Venkat Venkatraman, head of the Information Systems Department, says he’s […]
Recent anti-western rhetoric from Afghan President Hamid Karzai is stressing American officials and the Obama administration is concerned that it may hamper efforts to wind down U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. International Relations Professor William Keylor, author of “A World of Nations: The International Order Since 1945,” says Karzai is playing with fire. “With Al-Qaeda virtually gone […]
President Obama has revamped U.S. nuclear strategy to narrow the conditions under which we would use nuclear weapons, but made it clear that “outliers like Iran and North Korea” still could be potential targets. BU security law lecturer Philip O’Neill, author of the newly published “Verification in an Age of Insecurity,” says being able to verify […]
The White House is reportedly considering possible candidates to nominate for the Supreme Court seat which may soon be vacated by 89-year-0ld Justice John Paul Stevens. Political Science Professor Graham Wilson says political reality dictates that the ability of the GOP minority in the Senate to delay or block nominations must be taken into serious consideration. “Obama […]
