http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/harvard/ en-us Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:22:15 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412228/posts My position on breaking up banks generates questions from two groups. Libertarians ask, how can I justify breaking up private sector institutions? Naive liberals ask, why is this policy not embraced by our political leaders? My answer to both relates to what I call the Harvard-Goldman filter. The Harvard-Goldman filter works like this. 1. To get into a position of power, you have to pass through a filter. The easiest way to show that you can pass through the filter is to go to Harvard and then work for Goldman. 2. If you do not go to Harvard and work... EconLog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412228/posts#comment Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:22:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2412149/posts When Larry Summers was president of Harvard, a woman by the name of Iris Mack was fired from Harvard Capital Management. The problem with this? A month before she was fired she sent Summers an email warning him about the quality of the portfolio managers at HMC and also about the dangerous derivatives positions that HMC was taking on that ultimately resulted in huge losses for Harvard. {snip] The story of Summers' mismanagement of Harvard's finances appears to be a story that won't seem to die. Most recently showcased by Bloomberg. Now focus appears to be picking up on Mack,... Economic Policy Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2412149/posts#comment Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:21:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411788/posts Arnold Kling has a post on what he calls the Harvard-Goldman filter: The Harvard-Goldman filter works like this. 1. To get into a position of power, you have to pass through a filter. The easiest way to show that you can pass through the filter is to go to Harvard and then work for Goldman. 2. If you do not go to Harvard and work for Goldman, then you have to show that you can get along with people who did. 3. The best way to show that you can get along with people who pass the Harvard-Goldman filter is... Economic Policy Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411788/posts#comment Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:36:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2410473/posts <p>As vanishing credit spurred the government-led rescue of dozens of financial institutions, Harvard was so strapped for cash that it asked Massachusetts for fast-track approval to borrow $2.5 billion. Almost $500 million was used within days to exit agreements known as interest-rate swaps that Harvard had entered to finance expansion in Allston, across the Charles River from its main campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.</p> Economic Policy Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2410473/posts#comment Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:28:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2410081/posts On one of the last of days of digging in Harvard Yard this fall, archaeologists believe they finally found evidence linked to one of the University's earliest buildings, the Indian College that stood on the site from 1655 to 1698. Archaeologists working in a chest-deep hole near Matthews Hall uncovered a narrow strip of dark earth in a lighter, orange-brown layer that marks natural soil. They believe that the dark earth is the bottom of an architectural trench most likely dug for the Indian College, built to house Native American students as part of the University's original mandate to educate... Harvard http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2410081/posts#comment Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:07:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2406402/posts Dear APS Member: Recently, you may have received an unsolicited email from Hal Lewis, Bob Austin, Will Happer, Larry Gould and Roger Cohen regarding the APS and climate change. Please be assured that this was not an official APS message, nor was it sent with APS knowledge or approval. A number of members have complained to APS regarding this unsolicited e-mail. If the e-mail addresses used to send this message were obtained from our membership directory, this was contrary to the stated guidelines for members' use of the directory. We are continuing to investigate how the senders obtained APS member... American Physical Society Statement http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2406402/posts#comment Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:36:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2405425/posts Abortion Risk Downplayed Academically Malcolm A. Kline, December 11, 2009 Here’s a tidbit you are unlikely to get from the Women’s Studies Center: Mothers in countries with restrictive abortion laws are healthier than those in nations which have abortion on demand. Indeed, a new study by a trio of academics asserts that lack of access to abortion is a problem for women even while displaying data that lead to the opposite conclusion. In fact, the authors of the study, Measuring the Global Gender Gap, observe that: * “Approximately 80% of maternal deaths could be averted if women had access to... AIA-FL Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2405425/posts#comment Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:55:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2403166/posts A group of disgruntled staffers at heralded Harvard rag The Crimson said good-bye to the outgoing leadership with a group email that includes the phrases "epically unpopular," "forever-flaccid penis," and "group-fisting." IvyGate redacted the names and has a moratorium on outing senders and recipients in their comments. But you can totally take a stab here, and/or email me with your deepest, darkest secrets. ————— Forwarded message ————— From: [redacted] Date: Wed, 2 Dec 2009 17:53:52 -0500 Subject: Open Letter to the 136 To: [redacted] Dear 136, As you approach the time when you are stepping down from your positions, we... The Gawker.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2403166/posts#comment Tue, 8 Dec 2009 21:39:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2401784/posts According to a university colleague, former president of Harvard and current White House economist Larry Summers once asked for help to "f--- up" one of the school's conservative professors. WND http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2401784/posts#comment Mon, 7 Dec 2009 02:08:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400605/posts Even Timmy is slowly realizing that the Administration will need to find a way to deflect Main Steet's anger at Goldman and keep it focused exclusively on Wall Street instead of equating it with Obama et al. The problem is - you make some very serious, tentacled enemies in the process. Geithner also flip flops on his prior position on the transaction tax. While before he was more opposed to the transaction tax than even Marla, his new "windsocked" position on the topic may now provide a challenge even to Nitric Oxide inhibitors. But here is the clincher for the... Zero Hedge http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400605/posts#comment Fri, 4 Dec 2009 23:43:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2399352/posts CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 3 A new national poll by Harvard's Institute of Politics (IOP), located at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, finds a majority (58%) of America's 18-29 year-olds approve of President Obama's job performance generally but disapprove of the President's handling of specific issues including the economy (52% disapprove), health care (52% disapprove) and Afghanistan (55% disapprove). The Journal of Business http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2399352/posts#comment Thu, 3 Dec 2009 15:41:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397231/posts Harvard Study: Planned Parenthood is an Abortion Business and Business is Bad Despite profits of $85 million in 2008, Planned Parenthood is facing serious financial difficulties. Difficulties such as these are driving down the number of Planned Parenthood affiliates, from 163 15 years ago to 91 in late 2009. And according to the Harvard case study, this consolidation is expected to continue with several of the remaining affiliates discussing mergers. http://www.LifeNews.com/nat5714.html LifeNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397231/posts#comment Tue, 1 Dec 2009 00:07:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2396287/posts It happened at least once a year, every year. In a roomful of a dozen Harvard University financial officials, Jack Meyer, the hugely successful head of Harvard’s endowment, and Lawrence Summers, then the school’s president, would face off in a heated debate. The topic: cash and how the university was managing - or mismanaging - its basic operating funds. Through the first half of this decade, Meyer repeatedly warned Summers and other Harvard officials that the school was being too aggressive with billions of dollars in cash, according to people present for the discussions, investing almost all of it with... Boston Globe http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2396287/posts#comment Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:24:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2395795/posts Women now hold 26 percent of the ladder-faculty positions (professor, associate professor, assistant professor) at the University—395 positions out of 1,507—and minorities 17 percent—258 positions—according to the 2009 annual report of the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity (FD&D), published today. The report and accompanying exhibits are posted at the FD&D website. According to the report, the number of ladder faculty members rose by 96 (7 percent) during the past six years; senior appointments rose from 888 to 997, and the junior-faculty census declined from 523 to 510. Two-thirds of Harvard’s ladder faculty members are full professors, and just one-third... Harvard Magazine http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2395795/posts#comment Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:20:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2390174/posts As the dean of Harvard Medical School I am frequently asked to comment on the health-reform debate. I'd give it a failing grade. Instead of forthrightly dealing with the fundamental problems, discussion is dominated by rival factions struggling to enact or defeat President Barack Obama's agenda. The rhetoric on both sides is exaggerated and often deceptive. Those of us for whom the central issue is health—not politics—have been left in the lurch. And as controversy heads toward a conclusion in Washington, it appears that the people who favor the legislation are engaged in collective denial... Speeches and news reports can... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2390174/posts#comment Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:27:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2389125/posts The Dean, Jeffrey S. Flier, decimates the the fairytale from the Obama camp: In discussions with dozens of health-care leaders and economists, I find near unanimity of opinion that, whatever its shape, the final legislation that will emerge from Congress will markedly accelerate national health-care spending rather than restrain it. Likewise, nearly all agree that the legislation would do little or nothing to improve quality or change health-care’s dysfunctional delivery system. Meanwhile, another Harvard alumni weighs in: Joseph Stubbs, President of the American College of Physicians -- the second largest doctors' group in the country -- confirms that "the supply... Flopping Aces http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2389125/posts#comment Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:38:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2388984/posts Seems like Obama's homies are not impressed: "In discussions with dozens of health-care leaders and economists, I find near unanimity of opinion that, whatever its shape, the final legislation that will emerge from Congress will markedly accelerate national health-care spending rather than restrain it. Likewise, nearly all agree that the legislation would do little or nothing to improve quality or change health-care's dysfunctional delivery system. The system we have now promotes fragmented care and makes it more difficult than it should be to assess outcomes and patient satisfaction. The true costs of health care are disguised, competition based on price... The Patriot Room http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2388984/posts#comment Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:49:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2382094/posts Hopefully this piece on CNN helps people relate how difficult it is to find a job to something many people have had experience doing: applying to college. The 650,000 jobs created or saved by the stimulus package so far make up only a small step toward correcting the gap between the tens of millions of unemployed people and the few openings that those people are fighting over. Even the administration's goal of creating 3.5 million jobs is far below what the economy really needs. With an official unemployment rate of 10.2 percent, the gap between the number of full-time job... New American Contract http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2382094/posts#comment Mon, 9 Nov 2009 15:12:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2381182/posts From: DGiannotti@eth.state.ma.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2009 Contact: David Giannotti, Communications Division Chief 617-371-9505 Ethics Commission's Enforcement Division Alleges that Town of Harvard School Superintendent and a Former School Committee Chairman Violated the Conflict of Interest Law Allegedly Used Official Positions to Secure Reimbursement of Private School Tuition by Harvard Public Schools The State Ethics Commission's Enforcement Division, in two Orders to Show Cause ("OTSC"), alleged that Harvard Superintendent of Public Schools Thomas Jefferson ("Jefferson") and former Harvard School Committee Chairman Paul Wormser ("Wormser") violated G.L.c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by using Jefferson's official position as Superintendent,... Email from Massachusetts Ethics Commission http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2381182/posts#comment Sun, 8 Nov 2009 00:33:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2381040/posts In 1934, the Harvard class of 1909 held its 25th reunion—then as now an occasion for members of the American elite to parade in public and celebrate their achievements. But this year the star attraction was a German: Ernst “Putzi” Hanfstaengl, the son of a Munich art dealer and publisher who had joined the Nazi movement and enjoyed personal access to Hitler (Hitler liked hearing him play the piano, as had his Harvard classmates, for whom he composed football fight songs). In the early 1930s he served as foreign press chief for the Nazi party. Ernst Hanfstaengl (center, with raised... New York Review of Books http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2381040/posts#comment Sat, 7 Nov 2009 19:14:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2379303/posts very ironic announcement that I just got in my Harvard email announcing a forthcoming lecture: HARVARD UNIVERSITY EDMOND J. SAFRA FOUNDATION CENTER FOR ETHICS Eliot Spitzer, former Governor and Attorney General of New York, will deliver a public lecture as part of the 2009/10 Labs Lectures on the Question of Institutional Corruption. Thursday, November 12 at 4:30pm Emerson Hall, Room 105 25 Quincy Street, Cambridge This is a ticketed event. National Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2379303/posts#comment Thu, 5 Nov 2009 18:13:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2378533/posts A recent Harvard Law School graduate has been accused of setting fire to a New York City chapel that houses the remains of unidentified victims of the 9/11 attacks, leading to public outrage from the victims’ families. Classmates of Schroeder at the Law School contacted by The Crimson either did not return repeated requests for comment or declined to comment. But according to media reports the act surprised those who know Schroeder, who served as co-president of Lambda, the school’s LGBT student organization, during his time as a student. The Crimson http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2378533/posts#comment Wed, 4 Nov 2009 19:24:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2377110/posts Harvard students will be able to watch the “The Wire” for class credit next year. At a panel last night, stars of the HBO hit series joined Harvard professors in discussing the applications of the show—which depicts the struggles of urban life in Baltimore—in understanding and combating real urban social issues. “‘The Wire’ has done more to enhance our understanding of the systemic urban inequality that constrains the lives of the poor than any published study” Sociology Professor William J. Wilson said. African American studies chair Professor Evelyn B. Higginbotham said that there would be a new course in which... Harvard Crimson http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2377110/posts#comment Tue, 3 Nov 2009 03:24:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375844/posts A Harvard law grad surrendered to cops yesterday after allegedly setting fire to an East Side chapel that houses remains of 9/11 victims as part of a drunken dare, sources said. Brian Schroeder, 26, originally from Texas, walked into the 13th Precinct station house at about 7 p.m. in connection with the blaze at Memorial Park, on East 30th Street. Charges were pending, police said. None of the remains, which are destined for a memorial at the World Trade Center, were damaged but "mementos and candles left by family members in honor of 9/11 victims were destroyed or possibly stolen,"... NY Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375844/posts#comment Sun, 1 Nov 2009 14:30:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2374873/posts Anti-establishment aging hippies from the 1960s are now the Czars having a field day with a Marxist agenda. In the upside down world that comes with Barack Obama in the White House, everything is a prop—including Old Glory. “One of the 20 finalists in health care video contest run by Barack Obama’s campaign arm features a mural of an American flag splattered with health care graffiti until it’s covered completely by black paint.” (politico.com, Oct. 28, 2009.) “The video is accompanied by the sound of a heart monitor pumping and then flat-lining—words such as “pre-existing conditions”, “homeless” and “death panel”... Canada Freepress http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2374873/posts#comment Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:06:24 GMT