Amy Chau Brings New Controversy

Article Summary: Amy Chau is a professor of law at Yale. Her memoir published in 2011 backing what she calls "Chinese" parenting methods sparked a national argument. She's back at with her new book, The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America. Read more below!

http://www.newsforshoppers.com/amy-chua-puts-out-second-controversial-book/36717537/

Broadway Star Turned Mother

Article Summary: Hit sitcom, and my all time number one show, How I Met Your Mother has revealed the mother! Click on the article below to learn more about Cristin Milioti!

http://www.newsforshoppers.com/meet-cristin-milioti-the-new-face-of-how-i-met-your-mother/36717511/

Are You Eating Like A Caveman?

Article Summary: There are an unbelievable amount of books out there talking about the "Paleo" diet. Learn more about a just published pick of mine below!

http://www.newsforshoppers.com/new-paleo-diet-cookbook-offers-easy-recipes-menu-ideas/36717462/

4th Grade Movies

Article Summary: Do you know how old your favorite movies are? Three of my go to movies are ten years old. See what they are below!

http://www.newsforshoppers.com/decade-old-movies-the-more-we-laugh-the-older-we-get/36717459/

Disney's Frozen

Article Summary: The new Disney hit, Frozen made it to theaters only after decades of deliberation. Want to read more? See my article below!

http://www.newsforshoppers.com/disneys-frozen-almost-never-made-it-to-theaters/36717445/

Should NCAA players be paid?

The NCAA will soon again be in the heat of the season with stands full of packed fans in the middle of March, but the organization might see a major change of face. The debate over paying “amateur” players for play is back in the spotlight and shooting from all different directions.

Some hits on the organization are comical insults like Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois comparing the NCAA to Al Capone. Still, but criticisms are serious, like lawsuits filed by UCLA player Ed O’Bannon and the legendary Boston Celtics star, Bill Russell.

Those in favor of paying college basketball players compare the NCAA to slavery. After all, the $845.9 million revenue that comes into the NCAA is a result of the non-paid players themselves. Still, some think that paying the players would change the culture of college basketball.

“I mean, look at the NBA, and all its failures. It’s because for them it’s all about the money. College players play for the game,” said Andy Sallee, 54, of Boston.

“I think paying the players would just ruin the passion of the game,” said Matt Waite, 19, of New England Law in Boston.

While fans of the NCAA worry about preserving the culture of the game, others see a more important side to the story. Hardened historian Taylor Branch told Atlantic in October that this is a civil rights issue, and is far beyond the scope of “the game.”

“Not paying people for work is a crime in this country. The NCAA is a criminal,” said Daisy Martin, 20, of Suffolk University in Boston.

The NCAA has been keeping the “pay for play” debate under wraps for a long time now, but with with pressure from former basketball stars, fans, and civil rights activists the game is soon to change.

An Ivy Look: A Profile of Harvard

Walking into a brisk and somehow intelligent breeze, the sputtering splashes of water on the Charles waving hello, a writer strolls onto the infamous Harvard University. With a mind to pocket quotations, two such statements appear in mind walking into the picture of history that is Harvard.

“Harvard...where the very rich and the very poor come to play.”

           

The first landmark to feast your eyes upon walking out the Harvard Square T stop is, homelessness. A man with curly, untamed hair styled in grease longingly stares back at you, requesting your extra coins and spare sympathy. Cardboard signs inscribed with permanent marker which say“down on my luck,” “spare change,” and, even comically, “yes, it is for beer” line the rosy  brick sidewalks of a university that yields students like Barack Obama and George Bush.

In 2011 alone, there were 346 adult individuals without permanent housing in the city, according to The Cambridge Homeless Census. Including children, the total was 471. Between legal disputes, moral opinions and political standings, homelessness plays a star role in the performance which is Harvard College.

In rush to the “swanky” Starbucks to pick up the daily caramel macchiato before Slavic Language Lecture, a tall brunette in a cherry red jacket drops a few quarters in a plastic cup for regular street sitter, Joe. While some see the girl’s action as being generous, others feel the most fitting thing to drop in Joe’s cup is a job application and a zesty speech on self-sufficiency.

           

Some of the Harvard population view homelessness as not only a nuisance, but a danger. In Cambridge, 170 street robberies were reported in 2006, numerous cases in Harvard Square being linked to homelessness. With a stolen smartphone and a bruised face, one can understand the disgruntled expression when one, two or ten homeless “Joes” ask for spare change.

The Harvard culture will ever be diverse in the dealings of philosophy and politics, a constant seen through the lens of homelessness, and its due reactions. Liberally, there are students and faculty alike who paint the picture of charity by giving their “2 cents” at the times that they are able. And conservatively, a different kind of “2 cents” is given out in the form of a firm walk by, in the name of defending capitalism. 

“Harvard...where promising minds, at times, have no mouth.”

Attending a social event at Harvard is...an experience. You run into some smooth talkers. You know, the ones in Armani suits who interned for Goldman Sachs  last summer. They speak of economics, politics, religion- all the hot topics normal people would not poke with a 5 foot stick. And, after an hour paroozing the room in observation, you find yourself drawn back to these people, because the others are something quite different.

The social picture at Harvard is an extremist image. There are the bright, blossoming people with outstanding oral skills. Red might be their color in a painting. While vividly alongside, there are lighter colors to the spectrum. Unkempt hair, a face without makeup, a voice that has yet to be considered heard--- this is how the other half lives. You have your big shot law students who are sure to make a splash in politics in the next 20 years, in the comparable light of a 5 foot red head who cannot seem to put a sentence together for a simple conversation, and looks like a fashion show from the 1990’s hit sitcom, Friends.

We all remember that guy from high school. The one you could never imagine getting married, or even kissing anyone for that matter. His clothes were simple, usually out of style. The weekends he spent were over books, rather than parties. He rarely spoke, and when forced, it was a grand embarrassment. But every so often, you would look over his shoulder to check his test scores. 100%, 95%, nothing lower than an “A.” This is the kind of kid who becomes valedictorian, and after a horrible going away speech, is going away to Harvard College.

The magic of Harvard is the collaboration of these two personalities. No successful business was ran entirely by over-talkative suits with wild ideas. Similarly, no venture into profit was made led by white labs coats. Harvard is a place where the great talkers and great thinkers come together to enrich every project they can grasp. It is a blossoming ground in wanting for innovations like Facebook, Microsoft and Apple.

“Harvard...where the Charles river never disappoints and the history dresses modern.”

Riding into campus from Boston, you pass over the shimmering Charles River, a sight many are quick to adore. You then ride through Central and Kendall square, and on your way to Harvard.

But, wait! The train suddenly slows and makes a worrisome screeching noise before you get to the Harvard stop. Turns out you get to experience a little of the College before you get there.

The MTBA is required by Harvard to reduce its speed through this stretch of the track, for sake of its libraries, one of the largest  in North America. Had the “T” kept going at the same rate the books would be shaken around, falling off shelves causing danger to those inside. So, remember when you hear the screeching, Harvard is close by. And, the buildings are waiting for you.

Perhaps the most stunning site on the campus is the magnificent Memorial Church. The chapel was built  by President Abbott Lawrence Lowell in commemoration for those who perished during World War One, in the Harvard community. The building is a massive four-pillar statue in the heart of Harvard Yard, the center of campus.

In fact, a number of memorials stand on campus, in remembrance of wars or other tragedies. The campus is full historical gems, as its doors have been open since the charter was approved in 1650, even before the American Revolution. You can feel the legacy, how it envelops Harvard, as you walk the brick sidewalks that have seen the fatigue and triumphs of a country. Those who live it day in and day out breath the history in for years and never seem to breathe it out.

           

Leaving Harvard, you feel a sense of something great being left behind, as if seeing a grand monument fleeting into the distance. As you ride into the city, past the Charles, you re-enter a life beyond the grand and proud enigma that is Harvard University.

 Sources Cited

“Robbery.” City of Cambridge, MA, web. 20 Mar. 2012

“The Memorial Church Harvard University.” Harvard University, web. 1 Apr. 2012.