X
“My perception was that [predicting the cost of a war] was not a ‘mainstream’ economics subject in 2002. The economics of defense and war had fallen out of
fashion since the Vietnam War, and particularly with the end of the Cold War.” §
“We shouldn’t be wasting as much as we do. [But] to go dumpster
diving, you also have to be willing to take the risk. Some of the food might
be great. Some might be contaminated.” §
“I would argue [social issues such as human rights, education and ensuring
strong families] are environmental issues. They are the alternate to the destructive
path we are on ... so in the end we will see that sustaining people and sustaining
nature is just one cause inseparable.” §
“In 2006, the United States admitted 1.26 million immigrants for permanent
residence, the largest number since 1991. Of these, about 65% were already
living here in illegal or temporary legal status. In a pattern established
by the immigration statute enacted more than 40 years ago, the great majority
of these (63%) received green cards because of their family ties to American
citizens or permanent residents, while only a small share (12%) were employment-based,
admitted only after qualifying under a notoriously cumbersome and politicized
labor certification process. ... Indeed no other country that accepts large
numbers of immigrants gives so little weight to employment skills as the United
States does.” §
“Say you and I have been bumped from a flight and there’s just
one seat left on the next scheduled plane. Who gets it? In the old days, it
might have been whoever had more frequent flier points. But today, airlines
are more likely to give the seat to the unhappier customer. Welcome to the
wonderful world of CRM — customer relationship management. … A
lot of CRM is good for consumers. Firms calculate what products and services
will make individual consumers happier, and go out and provide it. … But
when firms use CRM to figure out how close to the edge they can go with increased
prices or decreased quality, then it becomes a kind of corporate Zoloft, smoothing
out the high and lows of consumer happiness. In this new world, you don’t
have to be a squeaky wheel to get some grease. But you also are a lot less
likely to come away truly elated.” §
“In 1797, Tom Paine argued that a free republic shouldn’t merely
give its citizens an equal vote. It should provide women, as well as men, with
a cash grant to foster economic independence as they begin adult life. Over
the past decade, Paine’s idea has enjoyed a renaissance among policy
wonks here and abroad. But it was Tony Blair who put citizenship inheritance
on the map. Thanks to him, every Briton born on or after Sept. 1, 2002 now
gets a baby bond of up to 500 pounds at birth, and a similar bond at the age
of seven, with funds accumulating till the age of 18.” §
“Most of the people in these [lower-income urban] communities are decent
and trying to be decent. But it’s important to understand, decency won’t
get you much on the street.” §
“Nobody in England who had any money at all [before 1837] did not have
a connection to slavery in some way. Everyone was connected with slavery.” §
“As a civilization begins to evolve where people become more sedentary,
where you introduce things like smoking or dietary habits become in a way predisposing
people to the development of atherosclerosis, then [the rate of heart disease]
takes off.” §
“If Vietnam was the first ‘television war,’ Iraq is the first
major conflict of the personal-video age. Iraqi civilians wield cellphone cameras
at the scene of car bombings. Soldiers carry camcorders on patrol (and upload
the images to their blogs). Even newspaper reporters … shoot clips to
run alongside their stories. Together, more people have shot more hours of
video footage of Iraq than of any other news event in history.” §
“Because GLBT [Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transsexual] individuals are
usually born to heterosexual families, it is not as likely that individuals
in the GLBT community will be taught by their families of origin about GLBT
history. … So much of what we define as possible for ourselves has to
do with who has come before us.” §
“Religions provide a cultural integrity, a spiritual depth and moral
force, which secular approaches [to addressing environmental problems] lack.” §
“I think the mania for [contemporary] Chinese art will last for a while
because so much is invested in it economically and in terms of its symbolic
importance in transitional politics within China and between China and the
rest of the world. But like all waves — even tsunamis — it will
pass. In the process there may be a lot of wreckage, and what worries me the
most are the misspent talents of young and mid-career artists in China who
quite reasonably want to ride that wave but may miscalculate the undertow.”
T H I S
— William Nordhaus, Sterling Professor of Economics, “Few Economists Predicted True Cost
of Iraq War,” Cox News Service, Oct. 7, 2007
— Beth Osborne Daponte, senior research scientist/scholar at the Institution
for Social and Policy Studies, on the large amounts of edible food discarded
by supermarkets because it is the wrong shape or color, “Sifting Through
Garbage, Rebels Against Waste Plan Their Dinner Menu,” News Journal (DE),
Sept. 26, 2007.
— James Gustave Speth, the Sara Shallenberger Brown Professor in the
Practice of Environmental Policy and the Carl W. Knobloch Dean of the School
of Forestry and Environmental Studies, “Mitchell Urges Resolve on Global
Issues,” Bangor Daily News (ME), Sept. 28, 2007.
— Peter H. Schuck, the Simeon E. Baldwin Professor of Law, in his article, “Bordering
On Folly; Columns; Immigration Reform Will Be Badly Flawed. But We Need It,
Desperately,” American Lawyer, Oct. 1, 2007.
— Ian Ayres, the William K. Townsend Professor of Law, “Now, the
Customer’s Always Managed,” American Public Media/Marketplace,
Oct. 8, 2007.
— Bruce Ackerman, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science, and
Anne Alstott, the Jacquin D. Blerman Professor of Law, in their article, “An
Inheritance For All,” American Prospect, Oct. 4, 2007.
— Elijah Anderson, the William K. Lanman Jr. Professor of Sociology, “Yale
Scholar Looks for Answers in Black and White,” New Haven Register, Oct.
7, 2007.
— Tim Barringer, the Paul Mellon Professor of the History of Art, on
the Yale Center for British Art exhibit marking the 150th anniversary of the
end of slavery in Britain, “‘Peculiar Institution’ in Jamaica
British Slavery Depicted at Yale,” Waterbury Republican American, Oct.
6, 2007.
— Dr. Harlan Krumholz, the Harold H. Hines Jr. Professor of Medicine
and Epidemiology and Public Health, “A Look at Heart Disease,” “The
Charlie Rose Show,” Sept. 19, 2007.
— Jonathan Finer, student at the Law School, in his article, “Do
Iraq Documentaries Get It Right? A Baghdad Correspondent Assesses Four Recent
Films About the War,” The Christian Science Monitor, Sept. 28, 2007.
— Kenji Yoshino, the Guido Calabresi Professor of Law, about the GLBT
History Month Celebration, “A Hero A Day; History Month Introduces Students
to 31 Gay Rights Leaders,” Washington Blade (DC), Oct. 5, 2007.
— Mary Evelyn Tucker, senior research scientist at the School of Forestry & Environmental
Studies and senior lecturer at the Divinity School, on the belief that Chinese
faith systems that emphasize balance between humanity and nature can help address
that nation’s environmental issues, “Faiths May Hold the Key to
Green China,” Toronto Star (Canada), Oct. 6, 2007.
— Robert Storr, dean of the School of Art and professor of painting, “Inside
the Mind of the Venice Biennale,” Art Newspaper (UK), Oct. 6, 2007.
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
Gifts provide funding for financial aid at Yale Divinity School
Gift provides funding for financial aid at Yale School of Nursing
Garden honors scholar who sought to improve Japanese-U.S. relations
Newly renovated and renamed library reopens
Sustainability is on the menu at new Library Café
Yale to create ‘think tank’ for improving public health
Horwich appointed to Sterling Professorship
Stockholder honored for ‘extensive and ongoing’ artistic achievements
Color, ‘stuff’ and ‘moving through the world’ inspire artist
Leadership program for Indian government officials is launched
Laurie Santos is named a ‘Brilliant Ten’ scientist
New multimedia online journal will examine major . . .
The architecture of contemporary sacred spaces is the focus of events
Company will use Yale research to create treatments for eye disease
YSN’s new associate dean for scholarly affairs . . .
‘The Veiled Monologues’ offers a look at the lives of Muslim women
In ‘Making Do,’ artists will create with a specific limitation
‘Trouble in Mind,’ the Yale Rep’s next play, examines issues of race, identity
Life science technologies to be highlighted in Yale BioHaven series
Walpole Library also opens after renovations
Carolyn Mazure is recognized for her contributions to . . .
School of Music student wins top conducting awards
From the United Way: ‘A Story of Finding Peace’
Campus Notes
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