November 20, 2009 at 12:16 pm
National healthcare-reform efforts move to the Senate this weekend when Democratic leaders try to fend off GOP procedural challenges. Meantime, early business support for reform seems to be waning. School of Management Professor Stephen Davidson, author of “Still Broken: Understanding the U.S. Healthcare System,” says now is the time for Americans to remember why the systems needs fixing.
“Having come this far, the greatest tragedy of all would be for the entire effort to fall to a filibuster in the Senate without even getting to a vote.”
Contact Stephen Davidson, 617-353-7422, sdavidso@bu.edu
November 20, 2009 at 11:36 am
Recognizing they need him as a partner, Washington is shifting to a softer approach in its dealings with re-elected Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Journalism Professor Nick Mills, author of “Kazai: The Failing American Intervention and the Struggle for Afghanistan,” has known Karzai since the 1980s. Mills writes in the current issue of Foreign Policy about how he’s watched Karzai change.
“Since the day in December 2001 when he was named head of the new post-Taliban government and had the support of the vast majority of the Afghan people, he has shied away from the hard decisions that might have set Afghanistan on a more promising course. I’m not sure if he has it in him to do it now.”
Contact Nick Mills, 617-353-3492, nmills@bu.edu
November 19, 2009 at 11:51 am
Between now and Thanksgiving, Registered Dietitian and healthy eating expert Joan Salge Blake will be offering tips to trim turkey day weight.
Tip # 1: Carve out an earlier time to eat.
When Thanksgiving dinner is served at 2 or 3 p.m., we tend to skip lunch in an attempt to make room for a few extra dinner calories. Has this ever really worked? Not in my house. By the time dinner finally rolls around, the smell of roasting turkey has permeated every pore of my skin, and I am transformed into an uncontrollable eating machine. To avoid this, have a light lunch to help you keep to more civilized portions. Or better yet, move up the start of dinner to high noon on the East Coast, that’s immediately after Santa brings up the rear of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Check back tomorrow for Tip #2.
November 19, 2009 at 6:00 am
The Women’s Studies Program is hosting a lecture by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy entitled “Darwin and the Ascent of Emotionally Modern Man: How humans became such hypersocial apes” today at 4 PM at the Hillel House on Baystate Road. Blaffer Hrdy is a professor emerita in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Davis and has been elected to the California Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The event includes a lecture and reception and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Carly Pack-Bailey at wsp@bu.edu or 617 358 2370.
November 19, 2009 at 6:00 am
The Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University is hosting an evening with Tony award-winning actress and singer Betty Buckley. Buckley made her Broadway debut in 1969 and has been referred to as the “Voice of Broadway” ever since. Her career, marked by her rendition of “Memory” in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats, established her as one of the most distinguished theatrical legends of our time. The event will include the opening of Buckley’s exhibition, a lecture, and a reception. The event is open to the public ($25), begins at 6:00 PM and will take place at the George Sherman Union (775 Commonwealth Avenue).
November 18, 2009 at 1:07 pm
AT&T is suing Verizon over its new “There’s a Map for That” TV ads, claiming they are mislead consumers about AT&T’s 3G coverage area. And Verizon is countersuing. Public relations Professor Peter Morrissey says AT&T, which has the exclusive iPhone contract, is just protecting and defending their brand and advantage against a lesser competitor.
“This is a typical tactic for Verizon: If you don’t have the tool (the iPhone) then you attack what the tool needs to be successful (the network). Customers want what AT&T has and Verizon is playing catch-up until they can get an iPhone relationship which is still rumored but a long way off.”
Contact Peter Morrissey, 617-353-1020, pmorriss@bu.edu
November 17, 2009 at 4:01 pm
By spinning off AOL on December 9th, Time Warner will end what is regarded as one of the most disastrous corporate mergers in history. School of Management Professor N. Venkat Venkatraman says it should be a lesson for those who seek “synergy” but don’t consider how the combined entity can actually create value for customers and shareholders.
“This corporate combination — conceived at the height of the dotcom boom — valued the company at $163 billion. Now the same assets are valued at $3.4 billion. What more data do managers need to know the downside risks of corporate combinations?”
Contact N. Venkat Venkatraman, 617-353-7117, venkat@bu.edu
November 17, 2009 at 3:20 pm
The YouTube Direct channel has been launched to let “citizen journalists” conveniently feed content to TV and online news editors. Broadcast journalism Professor Susan Walker, a veteran TV producer, says if these videos aren’t vetted by news professionals it could unleash a wave of ambush videos from vigilante “reporters.”
“I’m with newspaper editor Ben Bradlee who once said he feels the same way about citizen journalism that he does about citizen surgery. YouTube could be enabling cell phone videos which don’t inform but rather produce more heat than light.”
Contact Susan Walker, 617-353-5806, suwalker@bu.edu
November 17, 2009 at 12:41 pm
With little kitchen prep and clean up, cereals are an ideal fast food in the morning. A USDA report shows that ready-to-eat cereals are a top breakfast choice and are more popular than breads, bagels, and other bakery items among Americans in the early hours of the morning.
Beware: Not all cereals are created equal. Your cereal should contain:
* Whole Grains (contains “100% whole grains” or “whole grains” are the predominate source of grains listed in the ingredients)
* At least 2 grams of fiber per serving
* No more than 2 teaspoons of added sugar (8 grams of sugar on the Nutrition Facts Panel) per serving
Find out which cereal brands make the nutrition grade.
November 17, 2009 at 12:11 pm
The four Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the death of Ted Kennedy meet at Boston University today at noon for a forum on the environment and a new green economy. For a live Web feed of candidates Michael Capuano, Martha Coakley, Alan Khazei and Stephen Pagliuca, go to http://www.bu.edu/com/live/senate/.
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