Daily Debriefing
By Astrid Bradley, Ben Nunnery And Nick Swanson
Published on Wednesday, February 21, 2007
A nation's happiness is inversely correlated with its citizens' blood pressure problems, suggests a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Warwick and Dartmouth economics professor David Blanchflower. The findings will be published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, based in Massachusetts. "Perhaps blood-pressure readings will one day replace or augment GDP as a measure of the success of a country," University of Warwick Professor Andrew Oswald said. "Maybe economists and doctors are going to have to work together in the design of future economic policies." The research was based on a random sample of 15,000 people across Europe, who were then interviewed with regard to their health and contentment. The study ranks Sweden as Europe's happiest and healthiest country, while Portugal is found to be the least happy and healthy.
James L. Sherley, a professor at the Massachusetts Institution of Technology, ended a 12-day hunger strike last week after being denied tenure, he argued, because he is black. According to the Boston Globe, Sherley conducted the hunger strike to protest what he saw as the use of race in making the tenure decision. He issued a statement on the university's website saying that he broke his fast "in celebration of the attention that has been brought to bear on issues of equality, diversity and justice at MIT and in higher education." MIT, however said that its decision denying professor Sherley is final. Sherley began his protest Feb. 5 and reported in an e-mail that he lost 20 pounds.
The "National Post-Katrina College Summit" invites college students to participate in a weeklong effort to heighten consciousness about the recovery situation on the Gulf Coast. Hosted from April 9-14 by students from Xavier University, Tulane University, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, San Jose State University, Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the summit will feature documentary showings, speakers, spoken word performances, teach-ins, rallies and petition drives. Students and faculty participating in the summit will also promote federal legislation as part of the Gulf Coast Civic Works Project, which is aimed at creating jobs and helping rebuild communities, at a cost of approximately $4 billion.