“You add it up, our bond rating shouldn’t be AA+, it should be CCC at this point. I’m not kidding…It’s a scary mix of ingredients…If the market drops any more, this could lead to a double dip. At some point, all hell can break loose on our bond market. If people realize how broke the country is, they may start dumping bonds. This could be a catalyst and interest rates would shoot up. Bank assets would drop and banks would start to fail. People might panic and take money out of their money-market accounts.” (Boston Herald, Markets brace for worst after credit downgrade)

–Laurence Kotlikoff, Professor of Economics

“We’ve consistently done too little too late, looked too-short term, said the future would take care of itself, we’ll deal with that tomorrow. Well, guess what? You can’t keep putting off these problems.” (NPR “All Things Considered”, A national debt of $14 trillion? Try $211 trillion)

–Laurence Kotlikoff, Professor of Economics

“Everybody has decided that everybody is panicking. So everybody is screaming and getting up and running our of the theater.” (Boston Globe, An avalanche of worry)

– Laurence Kotlikoff, Professor of Economics

“What is surprising about the downgrade is not that it happened but that the administration was apparently taken by surprise when it did. After all, S&P had warned the markets in April that US debt was on watch for a possible downgrade. And that was long before Congress and the administration made a spectacle of themselves over the debt-ceiling issue.” (Boston Globe, OPINION: A ham-handed response from the White House)

– Cornelius Hurley, Professor of Law

Egypt proving to be a leader in digitally preserving culture (Investor’s Business Daily): “Since the advent of the Internet, the Egyptian government has been doing an admirable job in preserving the ancient archaeological heritage.” Farouk El-Baz, Director, Center for Remote Sensing

Debt deal still leaves all players bankrupt (Boston Herald): “I think there are a lot of ticked-off people on the Democratic side here, because President Obama, he’s basically giving (the GOP) 80 percent of what they want. I don’t see how he can declare some kind of political victory here.” Tom Whalen, Associate Professor of Social Science, College of General Studies

Angry liberals seek silver lining in debt deal (Washington Post): “The challenge Washington faces is to cut the bloated Pentagon budget without being capricious and arbitrary about it.” Andrew Bacevich, Professor of International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences

Afghanistan is broke, US drowning in debt – so what about a war ceiling? (EconomyWatch): “The total cost of war, the longest in American history and one that was paid for by borrowing rather than by increased taxation, should not be measured solely by the costs of financing the troops and the extensive aid programs administered by the State Department. It should also include long-term costs of the war, primarily veterans’ benefits for returning soldiers, who will require medical and mental health services for many years to come. Long after the last troops depart from the country, that hidden part of the bill will come due.” William Keylor, Professor of International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences

Slot open, Ch. 7 may raise anchor (Boston Globe): “They have been definately tinkering with the formula…It’s not unlike a chef working on a new recipe. Summer is a traditionally slow time for television, ratings overall are down, which is a great time to experiment with different combinations.” Geoff Klapisch, Lecturer, College of Communication

U.S. Steel is latest manufacturer to adopt Chief Risk Officer role (Industry Week): “Let’s say U.S. Steel is going into a market to get ore, maybe a third-world country where labor isn’t good or working conditions are poor. They have to understand whether they’re willing to take that risk of an accident or death and how that can damage their reputation. So this is where a senior-level person comes in.” Mark Williams, Master Lecturer & Executive-in-Residence, School of Management

Will President Obama lose the 2012 election? (PoliticoArena): “If Obama continues to govern like a Republican (as he did with thde debt ceiling debate) he will surely lose – Republicans will go for the real thing…” Kevin Gallagher, Associate Professor of International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences

The ‘Oreo Problem’: When drug marketers know too much about doctors (CommonHealth): ”If it’s Oreos, it’s only a snack and I’m buying them for my family. What we worry about for physicians is that they’re making an important medical decision for somebody else. We’re trusting the physician to make the right decision, without inappropriate influence from drug companies.” Kevin Outterson, Associate Professor of Law, School of Law

Grounding the FAA brings surprising economic ripples (Marketplace): “When you’re outta work, you’re not spending money. And when you’re not spending money, you’re not buying things, and the companies that are producing products, they’ve got to lay people off. It affects the economy thru the ripple process and there’s a giant ripple process with 70,000 people.” Allen Michel, Professor of Finance, School of Management

Field position – Putnam assumes key sponsorship at Gillette Stadium, raising its profile (Boston Globe): “It’s a perceptional investment. There are lots of ancillary things that can come out of it.” Christopher Cakebread, Assistant Professor of Advertising, College of Communication

Mitt Romney, president might have Rock-y run-in (Boston Herald): “These candidates say they’re one with the common man, but then they end up at these elite playgrounds. They could have a ‘This island isn’t big enough for the two of us’ moment.” Tom Whalen, Associate Professor of Social Science, College of General Studies

Patrick hits the road campaign style (Boston Globe): ”To govern, you need to campaign. Day to day politics sure acts like its a battle, and a battle for the public.” Virginia Sapiro, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences

Does public understand debt debate? (Patriot Ledger): “Mainstream news media and the new media have been paying a lot of attention to this, so people say they are following it, but I think it’s too arcane and too political for people to really have a clear understanding as opposed to a push-button ideological understanding.” Tobe Berkovitz, Associate Professor of Advertising, College of Communication

Leaders in Congress scramble toward deal (Boston Globe): “The markets have kind of assumed that rationality would prevail. But every hour it’s seeming less and less likely that that will be the case.” Cornelius Hurley, Professor of Law, School of Law

Hospital charges $9.2 million to dead patient’s estate (ABCNews.com): “This is tragic. I think that the aim of health care might be something like…confidence that every American will get needed, competent, and timely care without having to worry about the bill when we are sick and, and without having to ever worry about losing our insurance coverage. That’s what we can get for $2.7 trillion a year.” Alan Sager, Professor of Health Policy & Management, School of Public Health

Anti-addiction drugs face more than medical issues (New Scientist): “Before any vaccine is put on the market we need to get these ethical considerations worked out. It should always be the individual’s choice to be immunized. The treatments will only be successful if the individual is motivated to quit, otherwise they will find ways to get around it.” Kathleen Kantak, Professor of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences

Bailout in Greece

After a deal, only more challenges (New York Times): “This is the Europeanization of the Greek debt. Everyone prefers to have Europe as their counterparty rather than Greece.” Perry Mehrling, visiting professor, School of Law, and a senior fellow at the Center for Finance, Law, & Policy.

Rupert Murdoch & News Corp.

News Corp. announces new code of ethics. Will it make a difference? (Christian Science Monitor): “It will be interesting to see what kind of enforcement measures Murdoch and his staff are talking about, and how exactly they intend to put them into action.” Elizabeth Mehren, Professor of Journalism, College of Communication

Rupert Murdoch testifies before Parliament (WGBH-TV “Greater Boston“): “The culture was get the story at all costs and that seemed to have just permeated to every level. It’s really unfathomable that the top editor wouldn’t have had at some point asked the question of how are you getting this.” Tom Fiedler, Dean of the College of Communication

News Corp. board should be replaced (Bloomberg Television): “There’s no question the Murdochs are key people because nothing is going to happen without their approval but beyond that I think the independent directors hold the key.” James Post, Professor of Management, School of Management

Murdoch struggles for control as scandal grows (Bloomberg): “The shell of invulnerability that Rupert Murdoch had around him has cracked. His credibility and the company’s credibility are hemorrhaging.” James Post, Professor of Management, School of Management

Murdoch scandal coming to U.S.? (WBZ-TV): “The scandal could potentially place at risk Murdoch’s ownership of TV stations in 18 U.S. cities, including Boston.” Tobe Berkovitz, Associate Professor of Advertising, College of Communication

Japan women win World Cup

Japan’s character seen in women’s World Cup victory (CNN.com): “The women’s performance illustrated some key qualities of Japanese society: hard work and resilience. It wasn’t only skills that got them close…It’s the effort that counts. The women were jubilant that they’d gotten that far. They believe in will, showing when we put our minds to something, we can do it.” Merry White, Professor of Anthropology, College of Arts & Sciences

Possible MA Senate run by Elizabeth Warren

Senate run not off the table for Warren (Washington Post): “Warren’s name recognition might not carry to her home state. You guys in Washington know her very well. But I’m wondering whether or not the rank-and-file vote…is going to be aware of who she is.” Fred Bayles, Associate Professor of Journalism, College of Communication

Elizabeth Warren may be ‘wild card’ in senate race (Boston Herald): “Politics is about getting even. That would be something to see.” Tom Whalen, Associate Professor of Social Science, College of General Studies