"It's wonderful for a parent to want a child to succeed,"
says Karen Bohlin, director of the Center for the Advancement of
Ethics and Character at SED, in the February Parents magazine. "But parents
need to be more concerned with their child's success as a person. It's
important to want to be a good friend as well as a good student. Developing
the humility and character to learn from mistakes and failure is part
of that process."
Jelle Atema, CAS professor and director of the BU Marine Program, says in London's Independent February 21 that Neanderthals "must have had quite a bit of insight as well as dexterity to produce a recorder with a tone-producing mechanism." A flautist himself, Atema has made a working copy of a 50,000-year-old instrument and concludes that it was designed as a "fipple flute," or recorder, which allowed the player to create a more sophisticated range of sounds. "That means the technology was very advanced because it is quite difficult to do," Atema says.
Commenting on NPR's All Things Considered on February 21, Susan Akram, LAW associate professor, says, "At the moment, it seems as though the effort from the negotiators and the policymakers at the PLO on the refugee question is basically to 'find a pragmatic solution' -- this is the language that I have heard -- and that sends chills down the spines of refugees whose demand is return, restitution, and compensation." She is referring to Palestinian refugees' fears that their leadership is conceding too much to the Israelis, and that they may not be able to return to their former homes or receive compensation for them.
"Emily Post always says that you never refer to body parts at all," says Jean Berko Gleason, CAS professor of psychology, in the February 23 Los Angeles Times. "Even if you were in love, you would never say, 'You have such beautiful lips.' It is easier to say, 'I love you' in a foreign language than in a mother tongue because your mother tongue carries a very heavy emotional load." The story discusses verbal taboos, especially the discomfort caused by words embracing sexuality.
"In the 20th century, a prime means of acquiring wealth has been through gambling," says Joseph Boskin, CAS professor of history, in the Boston Globe on January 30. "The numbers racket was hugely popular. Now it's the lottery. The whole casino culture has crept into society, from boardwalks to our riverboats. Game shows are an extension of this." Explaining the current resurgence in popularity of such shows, Boskin says, "If you take a look at the history of the U.S. with respect to money and the acquisition of money, the idea of attaining riches quickly has always been part of the American psyche."
"In the News" is compiled by Alexander Crouch in the Office of Public Relations.