It’s college graduation time in Boston and today Northeastern grads had a special guest and honoree. Actor and musician LL Cool J was there to see his daughter graduate and to become “Doctor” Cool J. “I’ve been called a few things, but never a doctor, that’s for sure,” Cool J says laughing. His given name […]

Brian Keegan, a postdoctoral social scientist at Northeastern University, cited the Greek myth of Narcissus in describing the personality quizzes’ attraction. “We like to see our reflections of ourselves through these systems,” he said. “I think people are also motivated by how these systems can be gamed, like how much would you have to change […]

Those shucked oysters that slid down your throat the other night could have helped keep a flood at bay. There are scores of great things about oysters, aside from how they taste doused with hot sauce. Oyster colonies provide habitat for wildlife, filter muck out of waterways, stabilize and raise shorelines, and they can bear […]

Before Aaron Hernandez ended up in his jail, Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson was not particularly aware of TMZ. Leaning against the wall of what, until recently, had been the former Patriot’s cell, the 60-year-old sheriff says, “I do know it now.” The celebrity gossip site has all but had Hodgson on speed dial since […]

For most of the year, the broad main streets of High Point, N.C. are quiet and empty, much like any other faded post-industrial town. But for 10-day long stints twice a year, the empty showrooms fill with the latest upholstery fashions, and home furnishings buyers from around the world pack the town’s few restaurants. That’s […]

LL Cool J (inset) is becoming Dr. Cool J. The rapper-actor, who was recently honored by Harvard as the university’s Artist of the Year, will receive an honorary doctorate of arts from Northeastern University at the school’s commencement Friday. Former NFL player Wade Davis, who cofounded the You Belong Initiative, which promotes inclusion in sports, […]

A city-run bus system? Parking meter prices that fluctuate by the hour? They may sound far-fetched, but those are some of the recommendations that have landed on Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s desk. Without fanfare, Walsh’s transportation transition team released a report earlier this month on how to improve the city’s transportation system. Most of the […]

A White House task force on Tuesday on college campuses, pointing to, among other things, programs designed to teach students to intervene before an assault happens. One of the programs, known as “bystander intervention,” is based on the idea that both men and women can interrupt behaviors to prevent sexual violence. The training is designed […]

Lalanya Tevyaw has been looking in vain for a job since last June, when she lost her $2,500-a-month position at a recycling scrapyard. Her dream is to operate excavators and other heavy machinery – “I’m not a sissy girl, I’m not an office person”, she jokes – and has just finished a six-week intensive training […]

Massachusetts’ economy grew at a good clip in the first three months of the year, even as economic growth nationally nearly ground to halt, according to state and federal economic reports released Wednesday. The state’s economy expanded at an annual rate of 2.6 percent between January and March, according to the University of Massachusetts and […]

Even if you don’t feel like downloading a bunch of apps, your phone’s browser can be a handy shopping tool, says Bruce Clark, associate professor of marketing and Frank Murphy Family Fellow at Northeastern University in Boston. “Found some good research sites? Leave those tabs open on your browser so that you can easily access […]

The debate in this country about the value of a college degree often centers around job preparation. A new poll out Tuesday from Northeastern University finds business leaders think few recent graduates have the skills to be good workers. The poll paints a rather bleak picture: Out of 800 business leaders polled nationally, 73 percent […]