News, information and research from Boston University
June 16, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Iran’s largest street protests in 30 years, following the disputed election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, appear as a sea of people on television with crowd estimates of his opponents and supporters in the hundreds of thousands, possibly millions. Farouk El-Baz, Director of BU’s Center for Remote Sensing can talk about how more precise estimates are determined.
Contact Farouk El-Baz, 617-353-5081, farouk@bu.edu
June 16, 2009 at 11:50 am
TV talk-show host David Letterman's public apology to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin about a joke he made about Palin's under-age daughter has both political and (for CBS) advertising ramifications. College of Communication advertising Professor Tobe Berkovitz, who specializes in political communication, can talk about both angles.
Contact Tobe Berkovitz, 617-353-3447, tobetv@bu.edu
June 16, 2009 at 10:48 am
Although few creditors will confirm it, credit-card companies are increasingly willing to settle delinquent accounts for less than owed, with front-line employees empowered to cut deals with customers. The School of Law's Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law lecturer Richard Hackett, an expert on credit-card law, can talk about the shifting industry guidelines.
Contact Richard Hackett, 207-791-1280, rhackett@pierceatwood.com
June 16, 2009 at 10:41 am
As a result of the recent driving accidents involving the elderly, Massachusetts legislature is contemplating a bill to retest elderly drivers in the Bay State. Dr. Robert Stern, a School of Medicine associate professor of neurology and codirector of the Alzheimer ’s Disease Clinical & Research Program, is available to comment on when to take the keys away from the elderly and can be reached at bobstern@bu.edu.
June 16, 2009 at 10:40 am
While the White House says President Obama is committed to signing a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, his Justice Department is committed to fighting any challenges to the DOMA until Congress changes the law. The Human Rights Campaign, a prominent gay-rights organization, protests the administration's legal straddling. School of Law Professor Linda McClain, an authority on gender law, can discuss the ongoing legal wrangling.
Contact Linda McClain, 617-358-4635, lmcclain@bu.edu
June 16, 2009 at 10:27 am
A free-speech fight is brewing over part of the bill, which President Obama will sign, giving the FDA regulatory control over tobacco. It pits the public interest in preventing young people from smoking against the right of tobacco companies to advertise to adult smokers. School of Law Professor Tracey Maclin, a Constitutional law expert, can break down the battle lines.
Contact Tracey Maclin, 617-353-4688, tmaclin@bu.edu
June 16, 2009 at 10:17 am
Bankrupt automaker General Motors will sell its Swedish unit, Saab, to a consortium led by Koenigsegg Automotive, makers of high-performance sports cars. GM already has sold Opel and is selling or dumping its Hummer, Saturn, and Pontiac lines. Former Ford executive Louis Lataif, now dean of the School of Management, can discuss the industry's big picture.
Contact Louis Lataif, 617-353-2668, lelataif@bu.edu
June 16, 2009 at 10:12 am
The Boston Globe's largest union is to meet today with the National Labor Relations Board for the first time since rejecting a cost-cutting contract offer from parent the parent New York Times Company. Meantime, the Boston Newspaper Guild continues talks with Globe management about a new concession package. College of Communication journalism Professor Christopher Daly, an authority on the history of U.S. journalism, can discuss the big picture.
Contact Christopher Daly, 617-353-4295, cdaly@bu.edu
June 16, 2009 at 10:04 am
The banking industry is taking a wait-and-see attitude about reports about the Obama administration's proposals to overhaul the regulation of financial services. The plans will be formally announced Wednesday. Robert Bench, a former deputy Comptroller of the Currency now a senior fellow at the School of Law's Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law, can discuss what might happen.
Contact Robert Bench, 617-353-5428, bobbench@bu.edu
June 16, 2009 at 9:37 am
U.S. hospitals are rationing nuclear imaging tests following the shutdown of an aging Canadian nuclear reactor that produces one-third of the world's supply of medical isotopes. This latest shortage puts a spotlight on a problem that for years has lacked corrective action, had little oversight and no long-term strategic solutions, noted Alexander Norbash, MD, Chair of the Radiology Department at the BU School of Medicine.
Contact Alexander Norbash,MD, 617-638-6610, norbash@bu.edu
