When the Audience Disagrees: A Conversation with the Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations
The environment of the Boston University Trustee Room was too inorganic for the event at hand; with crystal chandeliers, damask wallpaper, and heavy drapes obscuring the ninth-floor view of greater Boston, it seemed more appropriate for weddings and luncheons than an academic discussion over the future of a country. However, when Mohammad al-Hakim, the […]
Tap Water: The Cleaner, Cheaper, Tastier Choice
The world is consuming bottled water at a rapid rate. Global consumption of bottled water is increasing by 10 percent annually and global expenditures amount to approximately $100 billion per year.[1] The largest market for bottled water is in developed countries, with the United States being the top consumer.[2] In the US, people are […]
Professor Kirsten Rodine-Hardy Tackles Global Telecom Regulations in New Book
Northeastern professor Kirsten Rodine-Hardy tackles hot topics of globalization and liberalization in her new book, Global Markets and Government Regulation in Telecommunications, and she’s not afraid to take on conventional wisdom. Her book rejects the idea that countries adopt economic regulatory changes solely to keep up with a competitive market and, instead, she looks […]
The Bull, the Bear, and the Wolf
The Wolf of Wall Street, by Martin Scorsese, has just become the veteran director’s top grossing film after more than 40 years behind the camera.[1] The movie stunned audiences and critics alike, with its crude language and hedonistic plot. However, what makes the film so appalling to some members of society is what makes […]
The Black Market and Blue Rate: Argentina’s Bruised Economy
Much of Argentina’s charm comes from its emphasis on food and café culture — its love of a mid-afternoon snack or mate with a croissant (medialuna). But this tranqui way of life may have led to a certain level of acceptance and complacency that the government has taken advantage of. While there have been […]
The MBTA U-Pass: Connecting America’s College Town
It is hard to argue against the sentiment that Boston is a college city. According to data from the United States Census Bureau, there are approximately 250,000 college students attending school within the Boston area at 85 different institutions of higher learning.[1] Boston leads the nation in per capita student enrollment, and The Bureau […]
Towards Mindful Growth and Genuine Measurement
In 1968, Robert Kennedy made history with the bold statement that: “[the Gross Domestic Product] measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans.” Over 40 years later, Kennedy’s words fall on still-deaf ears, as the GDP […]
Commercializing Vice: Marijuana, Tobacco and Alcohol Policy in the US
“Please drink responsibly.” These words are etched into every bottle of booze and embedded into the fine print of television advertisements, reminding consumers that the producers and distributors of beer, wine, and spirits have the public’s best interests in mind. However, as public policy expert Mark Kleiman notes: “responsible drinkers don’t build breweries.”[1] The […]
Not Up To Code: Reprogramming America’s Changing Workforce
Young companies in this decade are built by people who fall into one of two categories: developers, and “support beams” — people who have shallow skills sets across a wide spectrum as opposed to specific expertise. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs created by establishments less than one year old […]
Would You Like Some Revolution with Your (Lack of) Dinner?
On an unknown date at an unknown time, protestors took to the streets in droves. They were comprised of all types of people, including a large majority of college-aged students, and began to protest the inability of their government to understand the “will of the people.” They cited everything from social injustice to corruption, […]