“To understand why law school rankings are so maddening to administrators,
it helps to know why they are so unrealistic. Because each state administers
its own bar exam, most law schools are regionally biased to some degree. A handful
of top schools are considered national — meaning their graduates can and
do find work in legal markets across the country — but at most schools,
graduates often end up working in-state. Ignoring this, U.S. News piles all schools
into a single national ranking. This is misleading and unhelpful, since it encourages
prospective students to weigh law schools as interchangeable commodities as opposed
to entities with strong local ties.” §
“As the world’s second-largest economy, China has sought to burnish
its status as a global power by hosting a glittering Olympics. ... However, the
global connections that have enabled China to claim its day in the sun also expose
the country to the risk of a huge embarrassment. ... Darfur activists have been
pressuring China to end its support for the regime in Sudan by dubbing the Games
the ‘genocide Olympics.’ The anti-Chinese rioting in Tibet and other
Tibetan-inhabited regions in March also brought unflattering world attention
to the country. Unlike in 1989, when foreign television networks dependent on
China’s broadcasting service were the sole means of distributing news video
clips, today’s world of mobile phone cameras, YouTube and Internet blogs
threatens to multiply Beijing’s embarrassment.” §
“I don’t believe the funding source necessarily indicates the trustworthiness
of [a study’s] findings, although it is an important consideration. When
an industry funds research, it is invariably hoping for an outcome that favors
its interests and products. But when the NIH funds a study, they, too, are hoping
for a positive outcome. Nobody wastes money on research they don’t care
about or believe in.” §
“Actually, people will say things like, ‘Baseball, that’s just
something everybody does, and it’s easy to understand,’ and so forth.
They’ll say, ‘Atomic physics, the subtleties of nuclei, that’s
really difficult,’ and it’s really the opposite: The complexities
of many aspects of the real world are such that we can only do intelligent estimates.” §
“The last time there was a housing crisis of any magnitude was during the
Great Depression. In 1933, Congress created the Home Owners’ Loan Corp.,
which gave government bailouts to mortgage lenders. In exchange, they had to
renegotiate their loans to homeowners so families could keep their homes. The
government has been trying something along those lines, but up till now all their
agreements have been voluntary. We need the force of law.” §
“Most people who make that much money work for it. What are they being
paid for, and if it’s the Sheikh of Dubai paying the husband of somebody
who might be the next president of the United States, what do they think they’re
paying for?” §
“[Toddlers using swear words is] just language learning. These words have
no special status as taboo words. Learning they’re taboo words is a later
step.” §
“Most countries make international law the same way they make domestic
law.” §
“We have now done a content analysis of every ‘Barney’ program
that’s been on the air. Every summer we sit with a group of five psychologists
and look at every show that’s about to come out. ... I really think it’s
a very thoughtful program. When people say he’s so sweet and saccharine,
they said the same thing about Fred Rogers too. But these programs are for children.” §
“[T]he U.S. should jettison its habit of making financial policy as if
it were cocksure of what it is doing. Indeed, it should be humbled by the magnitude
of its ineptitude in overseeing financial markets. After sitting on the sidelines
while opaque financial instruments mushroomed, U.S. officials should be deeply
embarrassed by their own hypocrisy in preaching the mantra of transparency to
other governments. ... A willingness of the U.S. to reduce its arrogance in financial
matters means it should not just concentrate on patching up the financial system
with a blizzard of out-of-date legislation, but also consider a wholesale restructuring
of the global financial system.”
T H I S
— Michael Seringhaus, student at the Law School, in his article, “Law
Schools Shouldn’t Grub For Rankings,” Hartford Courant, April 2,
2008.
— Nayan Chanda, editor of YaleGlobal Online and director of publications
at the Center for the Study of Globalization, in his article, “Tibet Turmoil
Clouds China’s Day in the Sun,” Straits Times (Singapore), April
2, 2008.
— Dr. David Katz, associate professor adjunct in public health practice
at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, in his article, “Research
Believe It or Not,” New Haven Register, March 30, 2008.
— Robert Adair, Sterling Professor Emeritus of Physics and senior research
scientist in physics, “Nine Questions for Baseball Physicist Robert Adair,” Popular
Mechanics (NY), March 31, 2008.
— Robert J. Shiller, the Stanley B. Resor Professor of Economics, “Ways
We Can Fix This Giant Mess,” Newsweek, March 31, 2008.
— Michael Graetz, the Justus S. Hotchkiss Professor of Law, “Bill
Clinton Earned $15.4 Million From Burkle Firm,” Bloomberg, April 5, 2008.
— Paul Bloom, professor of psychology, “Why Children Curse,” “Morning
Edition,” National Public Radio, March 27, 2008.
— Oona Hathaway, associate professor of law, noting that only the United
States and Tajikistan allow only one part of their legislature to approve a treaty
and make it the law of the land, “How Bush’s Treaty Power Grab Failed,” TIME,
March 28, 2008.
— Dorothy Singer, senior research scientist in psychology and co-director
of Yale Family Television, “TV’s ‘Barney’ Is Far From
Extinct,” Los Angeles Times, March 28, 2008.
— Jeffrey Garten, the Juan Trippe Professor in the Practice of Internationl
Trade, Finance and Business, in his article, “Global Thinking Is Needed
On Financial Regulation,” Financial Times (London), April 4, 2008.
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
Yale creating School of Engineering & Applied Science
Changes mean more scholarships, fewer loans for medical students
Alumni to take part in day of service in communities . . .
Campus community is invited to take Sustainability Pledge
Yale's Growing 'Green' Initiatives
Former provost and Peabody director wins the Verrill Medal
Carson Scholarships recognize achievements of local students
Noted Al Jazeera journalist discusses stereotypes during . . .
Terrorism still a grave concern for the U.S., . . .
Loan program to aid international graduate/professional students
Symposium will explore relationship of art, humanities and medicine
Perlotto to head both student and athletic medicine at YUHS
Communing
In Memoriam: Jean Boorsch
School of Management joins consortium that promotes diversity . . .
Author of ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’ is next Schlesinger Visiting Writer
Symposium to examine the potential benefits of genetically . . .
Campus Notes
Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News
Bulletin Board|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines
Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs|News Releases|
E-Mail Us|Yale Home