News, information and research from Boston University
October 7, 2010 at 8:00 am
SED is hosting a screening of Waiting for Superman, an acclaimed documentary from Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim tonight at the Coolidge Corner Theatre at 7PM. The filmmaker takes an in-depth look at the current state of public education in the US, spotlighting the lives of five public school students and several educators in their pursuit of academic growth. The private screening is open to SED students, faculty, staff and alumni.
October 1, 2010 at 12:55 pm
President Obama announced that Rahm Emanuel, his chief of staff, is leaving the office to run for mayor of Chicago. Political Science department chair Graham Wilson comments on the move.
"This may be unkind, but it is tempting to link Emanuel to two crucial strategic errors - the belief that compromise and cooperation with the Republicans was possible, and a concentration on an 'inside the Beltway' strategy rather than working to maintain the enthusiasm and mobilzation of 2008."
Contact Graham Wilson, 617,353,2540, gkwilson@bu.edu
October 1, 2010 at 6:00 am
Today starting at 9AM , leading experts will debate heathcare ideas and others as part of the 2010 William J. Bicknell Lectureship in Public Health at the Boston University School of Public Health. This year's topic is "Controlling Healthcare Costs: Your Money or Your Life?" featuring lecturer David Cutler. Panelists include Alice Coombs, M.D. President of the Massachusetts Medical Society; William C. Van Faasen, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts; and Kate Walsh, M.P.H. President and CEO of the Boston Medical Center. The event will take place at 670 Albany Street on the Medical Campus.
September 30, 2010 at 1:03 pm
American International Group announced they have finalized a repayment plan with the Treasury Department. Mark Williams, a former Federal Reserve Bank examiner who now teaches finance in the School of Management and author of "Uncontrolled Risk" about the fall of Lehman Brothers, offers the following view.
"The Treasury would be jumping the gun by cashing out of AIG and leaving money on the table. The government should sit tight, be patient and not sell its shares in AIG. This is not about government timing the market, but about insuring a fair return for taxpayers.
"The Treasury is making the same mistake it did with Citigroup - getting out too early. Could the November election cycle be clouding what should be a purely financial decision?"
Contact Mark Williams, 617-358-2789, williams@bu.edu
September 29, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Just days before he will become BP's new CEO, Bob Dudley has already begun to shake-up senior management. BP announced that upstream chief Andy Inglis will leave the company. In a statement, BP also announced that the company will create a safety division to "oversee and audit the company's operations around the world." Kenneth Freeman, Dean of the School of Management, gives his view on the shake-up and its impact on BP.
"As in personal relations, trust is more readily lost than regained in business. BP's moves are vital first first steps.
"Incentives and rewards throughout the company will need to be closely aligned to drive the desired culture change. In particular, maintaining and asserting a consistent and emphatic message and tone at the top will spell the difference between success and failure in transforming and sustaining the desired culture."
Contact Kenneth Freeman, 671-358-6170, kfreeman@bu.edu
September 29, 2010 at 12:55 pm
France may face legal action from the European Union over its expulsion of more than 8,000 Roma, the term used to describe gypsies from Eastern Europe. The EU has given France until October 15th to show that the expulsions were lawful. International relations professor William Keylor, author of "A World of Nations: The International Order Since 1945" and an authority on the history of modern France, gives an historical perspective.
"If President Sarkozy has singled out Roma in France for expulsion based on their ethnicity, then the policy is patently discriminatory and the French government fully deserves the harsh criticism to which it has been subjected.
"But Commissioner Reding's implied comparison between the eviction of the Roma in 2010 and Hitler's policies during World War II is outrageous. The Nazis did not just expel the Roma within the territories they controlled. They systematically exterminated thousands of them as well as six million Jews. A sense of proportion is called for here."
Contact William Keylor, 617-358-0197, wrkeylor@bu.edu
September 29, 2010 at 6:00 am
Tonight at 5:30 PM, the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center and Friends of the Library will host celebrated novelist Sue Miller for a reception and lecture in Metcalf Hall (2nd floor of the George Sherman Union). Miller houses her archives at the Gotlieb Center, and is speaking on her work and reflecting on her written accounts of contemporary family life. Immediately following the lecture, Miller will be signing copies of her most recent novel, The Lake Shore Limited (April 2010). The event is free to BU students and Friends of the Libraries, and $25 per person for the general public.
September 28, 2010 at 1:04 pm
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il promoted his youngest son, Kim Jong-un, to rank of four-star general in the People's Army. Also made a four-star general was the leader's 64-year old sister, Kim Kyong-hui. Both moves set the stage for the future leadership of the country. International relations professor William Keylor gives his view on the move.
"As the 27-year old four-star general prepares to take power, he had better keep an eye on his four-star general aunt.
"This maneuvering in the palace, reminiscent of royal intrigue in 17th century England or France, would be hilarious if it did not involve a country with nuclear weapons and a delivery system."
Contact William Keylor, 617-358-0197, wrkeylor@bu.edu
September 27, 2010 at 3:09 pm
According from the latest CDC report, we are not spending enough time shopping in the produce aisle, as over 75% of Americans are not eating the minimum recommended 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables daily. This dietary shortfall may partially explain why over 65% of Americans are overweight.
Snacking on low calorie, high fiber, fruits and vegetables daily can help reduce your weight as Mother Nature’s finest will “fill you up before they fill you out”. In other words, you’ll likely get full on produce before you have a chance to overeat. In contrast, higher calorie, less filling snacks such as chips, crackers, and bagels are so easy to overeat that they can quickly fill you out in the wrong places.
If you are falling short of a quota of 4.5 cups fruits and veggies daily, make produce your only snack of choice and the best choice to trim your waist. Here are 5 easy fruit and veggie snack ideas
