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In his latest column, John Cross ’76 looks toward spring break, which means more than fun in the sun for many Bowdoin students and often provides the first steps on a journey of public service. In a school year in which two of the heaviest snowfalls in Brunswick occurred before Thanksgiving, the upcoming spring break doesn’t carry the same sense of urgency to escape the iron hand of winter as in previous years. Spring vacation begins after the last classes on Friday, March 9, and ends at 8 AM on Monday, March 26. For some students it will be a chance to travel with friends; for others it means devoting time to an honors project or independent study, taking a short-term job, or helping out at home.
Continue reading Whispering Pines: Spring Break  Michael Moynihan, vice president of marketing for LEGO Systems, Inc. Michael Moynihan ’89 reassured a group of business-minded Bowdoin students sitting down with him for lunch recently that they should not lose confidence in their liberal arts background as they prepare to launch their careers. “I know it’s easy to say, ‘It’s a tough job market out there, and I have a liberal arts degree and I might be competing with business school graduates’,” he said. Instead, Moynihan argued they should have faith in their Bowdoin education because it’s more relevant in the business world now than ever. “The world of business is more tumultuous than it ever has been,” he said. He pointed to all the forces roiling industries, such as social media, online marketplaces, the rise of tablets and smartphones, and the uneven economy. “Why play a board game when you have an iPad?” he asked rhetorically when describing some of the difficulties his own toy industry is confronting. “Why play Scrabble when you can play Words with Friends on your iPhone?” In the past, Moynihan continued, left-brained people could thrive in business because they could fall back on trusted formulas. But a formula these days may work for a few weeks or months before it’s outdated. Continually inventing new products, new marketing strategies, or new ways of doing business requires “a whole different way of thinking. It requires people who can think critically about formulas and what we need to do to tweak them,” Moynihan said. “What you guys are getting trained for is very relevant to the world of business.” Continue reading Lego Executive Michael Moynihan ’89 Talks Business To Students  Larry Lindsey '76 Larry Lindsey ’76, president and CEO of The Lindsey Group, an economic advisory firm based in Washington, D.C., responds in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece to comments made by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner that the “most fortunate Americans” should pay more in taxes for the “privilege of being an American.” Lindsey previously served as Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council at the White House and as the chief economic adviser to candidate George W. Bush during the 2000 presidential campaign, and also served as a Governor of the Federal Reserve System from 1991 to 1997. Truffles, long held as a particularly French delicacy sniffed out by well-trained pigs, could possibly become a U.S. staple if a large enough number of experimental growers can successfully cultivate the fungus, according to NPR.  Black Perigord and White Peidmont Truffles with Tagliatelle pasta Tom Michaels, owner of Tennessee Truffle, has been growing black Perigord truffles on oak and hazel trees since 2007 using a new technique devised in France. He says about 200 truffle orchards are in development in the United States, many in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. But because it takes years before truffles appear, the success of these orchards is not yet certain. “The next few years are the moment of truth,” he tells NPR. Perigord truffles, which can cost up to $800 a pound, are difficult to cultivate, even in France. And by the time these pricey European truffles arrive in the United States, their flavors have already started to weaken. NPR explains, “Among palatable varieties, the Perigord is considered the crown jewel and, accordingly, is known as the “black diamond” truffle. It’s prized for its pungent aroma, a delicate mix of fruit, musk, and earth.” | On This Day in Civil War History…Bowdoin Talks: Lectures, Discussions and Events |
