June 17, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Members of Congress came down hard on BP CEO Tony Hayward (r.) as he testified about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. But political science Professor Graham Wilson, author of “Business and Politics,” wondered why the spotlight over American’s worst-ever spill hasn’t shone on Transocean, BP’s partner in the Gulf of Mexico oil rig that exploded in April.
“How did Transocean get off the hook so easily? Aren’t they people who were drilling the well with MMS approval and weren’t they ones saying the rig was needed to quickly to drill another well?”
Contact Graham Wilson, 617-353-2540, gkwilson@bu.edu
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Posted in Professor Voices
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Tagged April 2010, Boston University, BP, Business and Politics, Congress, Deepwater Horizon, Graham Wilson, Gulf coast, Gulf of Mexico, oil spill, Political Science, Tony Hayward, Transocean
June 17, 2010 at 4:10 pm
The newly elected Japanese ruling Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Naoto Kan (l.) has pledged to rein that nation's huge debt, the world's largest, calling for drastic tax reform including a hiking the sales tax. Public opinion polls show Japanese citizens prepared for tax increases and budget cuts if they can reduce the risk of a Greek-style economic meltdown. International relations Professor Thomas Berger, an authority on East Asian political culture, says the contrast between the Japanese public and its willingness to sacrifice to solve economic problems and people in other advanced industrial countries -- notably France -- is striking.
“There are, of course, many challenges that lie ahead in the months to come. Still, while it may be too early to say it is ‘morning in Japan,’ there may be some glimmerings on the horizon.”
Contact Thomas Berger, 617-353-5351, tuberger@bu.edu
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Tagged Boston University, Democratic Party of Japan, East Asian political culture, economic problems, France, International Relations, Japan, Naoto Kan, Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Prime Minister of Japan, tax reform, Thomas Berger
June 17, 2010 at 11:43 am
Israel announced a relaxation of the 3-year-old blockade of Gaza, promising to ease the importation of some goods by land but not offering to lift its navel embargo. The move came weeks after Israeli commandos killed nine people on an aid flotilla trying to breach the blockade. International relations Professor Augustus Richard Norton, author of "Hezbollah: A Short History" and authority on Middle East politics, says if Israel was serious about improving the living conditions in Gaza, it would stop preventing the exports of agricultural goods and allow the strip's simple manufacturing sector to resume making and selling everyday essentials.
“This latest decision is an arrogant in-your-face to the U.S. and other concerned members of the international community. Watch the U.S. government spokespersons’ reaction. If they commend Israel, then you may heavily discount Obama's commitment to Middle East peacemaking.”
Contact Agustus Richard Norton, 617-353-7808, arn@bu.edu
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Tagged Augustus Richard Norton, flotilla, Gaza, Gaza blockade, Hezbollha: A Short History, International Relations, Israel, Israeli commandos, Middle East peace, Middle East politics, navel embargo, President Obama, United States
June 17, 2010 at 10:34 am
Twenty-one of the best and brightest of this year's Boston public high school graduates are the latest class of honorees in the Boston University Boston High School Scholarship Program, the largest and longest-running such program for urban public high school students in the nation. In ceremonies hosted by BU President Robert Brown and Mayor Thomas Menino, the 21 were awarded $3.3 million worth of four-year full-tuition scholarships --bringing to $132 million in scholarships for 1,759 scholars since then BU President John Silber launched the program in 1973. This year's winners share an "upward bound" weekend in New Hampshire before spending next week on the BU campus in an orientation program of lectures, labs and receiving their housing assignments for next fall.
Contact Ruth Shane, 617-353-3551, rshane@bu.edu
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Posted in University News
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Tagged "upward bound", Boston High School Scholarship Program, Boston Public Schools, Boston University, Boston University Class of 2014, BU President John Silber, BU President Robert Brown, full-tuition, John Silber, Mayor Menino, New Hampshire, scholarship, Thomas Menino
June 16, 2010 at 4:49 pm
On the heels of passing a controversial law involving screening illegal immigrants, the Arizona legislature is considering a bill that would deny citizenship to children of illegal immigrants, despite the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that specifically grants naturalized citizenship to such children. Law Professor Susan Akram, an authority on immigration law, says getting such a law into constitutionally shape would mean having to amend the U.S. Constitution -- which requires a two-thirds majority of both houses and approval by three-quarters of the states.
“Although Arizona's effort to restrict the guarantees or benefits of birthright citizenship is by no means the first effort of its kind -- and not likely to be the last -- it has a very slim chance of passing constitutional muster.”
Contact Susan Akram, 617-358-3060, smakram@bu.edu
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Tagged 14th Amendment, Arizona, Arizona immigration, Boston University, BU School of Law, Congress, Constitution, immigration law, law school, Senate, Susan Akram, U.S. Constitution. Fourteenth Amendment, undocumented immigrants, United States, US Constitution
June 16, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Congressional negotiators working out difference between the House and Senate financial reform bills are hammering out compromises right and left. One would permanently (and retroactively to January 2008) move from $100,000 to $250,000 the deposit insurance on individual bank accounts. Law Professor Cornelius Hurley, director of the Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law and a former counsel to the Fed Board of Governors, doesn't think the raised limit is a good idea.
“Permanently raising the federal deposit insurance ceiling from $100,000 to $250,000 when the Federal Deposit Insurance Fund is over $20 billion in the red is irresponsible. By raising taxpayer-funded deposit insurance coverage ... it seems the [banking] lobbyists’ messages are getting through loud and clear.”
Contact Cornelius Hurley, 617-353-5427, ckhurley@bu.edu
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Tagged Boston University, BU Law School, Congress, Cornelius Hurley, FDIC, Fed Board of Governors, federal deposit insurance, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., financial reform bills, House of Represenatives, law school, Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law, Senate
June 16, 2010 at 12:36 pm
The BP oil spill now has released at least 1.3 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion on June 15th. What's that equivalent to? Professor Cutler Cleveland, director of the BU Center for Energy and Environmental Studies and editor of Encyclopedia of Earth" suggests some possibilities in his blog, "The Energy Watch."
Years of energy used in a single average America home: 81,286
Number of miles that could be driven by a Prius: 3,085,600,000
Number of airplane round trips between London and Louisiana that could be taken by BP CEO Tony Hayward: 263,808
Hours of motor gasoline consumption for the entire United States: 3.9
Minutes of world energy use: 8
Contact Cutler Cleveland, 617-353-3083, cutler@bu.edu
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Tagged barrels of oil, BP, BP oil spill, British Petroleum, BU Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, Cutler Cleveland, Deepwater Horizon, Encyclopedia of Earth, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Mexico oil spill, The Energy Watch
June 15, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Enemies on all sides are coming down on Arkansas Democratic U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln's amendment to the regulatory reform bill that would rid banks of their lucrative derivatives business which played such a huge rule in the 2008 financial crash. Law Professor Cornelius Hurley, director of the Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law and a former counsel to the Fed Board of Governors, feels that the only problem with the amendment is that it doesn't go far enough to drive "toxic" derivatives out of the bank-holding company temple entirely.
“By lodging this casino activity in bank holding company affiliates she runs the risk of the Fed doing in the next crisis exactly what it has done in this one, namely waiving the rigid rules that are supposed to separate banks from their holding company affiliates."
Contact Cornelius Hurley, 617-353-5427, ckhurley@bu.edu
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Tagged Arkansas, Arkansas Democratic Senator, Blanche Lincoln, Boston University, BU School of Law, Cornelius Hurley, Democrats, derivatives, Federal Reserve, financial regulatory reform, Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law, Sen. Blanche Lincoln
June 15, 2010 at 5:15 pm
The Food and Drug Administration reportedly will propose tougher regulations for pharmaceutical companies that outsource manufacturing of drugs, making them more responsible for the safety and purity of the products made by contractors. Law Professor Kevin Outterson, an authority on food and drug law and director of the Healthy Law Program, says the changes likely will have little effect because branded drug manufacturers put their reputations on the line every day with their drugs already.
"I'd be surprised if the FDA requirements are a great improvement over what Pfizer and Merck already do to protect the integrity of their supply chain.”
Contact Kevin Outterson, 617-353-3103, mko@bu.edu
