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Axios
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
What's actually up with crime at Harvard University
One of several reasons President Trump cited for denying Harvard-bound international students entry into the country was "rising crime, including violent crime." Why it matters: Harvard doesn't have a crime problem, unless you count the scores of electric scooter thefts the Harvard Crimson reported last year, experts say. What's happening: The Department of Homeland Security cited dramatic percentage increases of crime at Harvard, using data disclosed under the Clery Act. But the raw numbers tell a different story. The percentages: Aggravated assaults rose 195%, robberies increased 460% and bias crimes doubled between 2022 and 2023, the latest year of university crime data publicly available under the Clery Act. By the numbers: On a campus of 45,000, Harvard reported 59 aggravated assaults, 28 robberies and 10 bias crimes in 2023. Altogether, crime increased from 208 in 2022 to 323 in 2023, with more than 144 crimes involving "motor vehicle thefts." A Harvard University Police Department spokesperson confirmed all but one of those were electric scooter thefts. Criminal justice experts say the numbers are so low at Harvard that any increase could look deceptively high — a bias known as "the law of small numbers." What they're saying: "When you look at the crime statistics and compare them to jurisdictions around the country, it's clear that Harvard is a low-violent crime campus, in a low-violent crime city, in a low-violent crime state," says Thomas Abt, founding director of the Center for Study and Practice of Violence Reduction and a former Harvard Kennedy School fellow. "There's simply no public safety basis for targeting Harvard University in this way." Neither Harvard nor the White House commented on the crime trends when asked by Axios. Reality check: Harvard reported 659 crimes in 2024, up from 613 crimes in 2023, per the uniform crime reporting system required by the FBI. That's roughly 15 for every 1,000 Harvard affiliates. The UCR numbers tend to look higher as the Clery Act data doesn't show larcenies or fights that aren't bias-related. Yes, but: The UCR data doesn't distinguish between crimes on campus involving Harvard affiliates and crimes on nearby public property involving non-affiliates. The Clery Act data, which the Trump administration cites, shows that nearly one-third of criminal offenses in 2023 occurred in public parks, streets and other areas near campus that aren't Harvard affiliated. What we're watching: Harvard typically releases its security reports with annual crime data in the fall.
Miami Herald
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Classic Rock Icon Is Sick of Being Treated Like a Replacement: ‘I Belong There'
Cathy Richardson has been the vocalist and guitarist of 70s and 80s rock band Jefferson Starship for 17 years, and she's sick of fans still comparing her to founder Grace Slick. "It always makes me roll my eyes when people are like, 'You're no Grace Slick and you never will be!' " she told Ulitmate Classic Rock in a June 6 interview. "It's like, well, okay, of course, but it doesn't mean I don't belong here," she responded to the criticism. "I mean she thinks I belong here. [Other band members] Paul Kantner, Donny Baldwin, David Freiberg, I mean, everybody in the band thinks I belong there." Slick founded the "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" band with Paul Kantner in 1974, and remained with the band until his death in 2016, besides a break from 1984 to 1992. Slick left the project in 1984, but continued to have a relationship with band members including Richardson, who joined the band in 2008 and is still performing with them today. Slick and Richardson even wrote a song together in 2017 called "It's About Time" inspired by the political climate around that time. The two share a lot of mutual respect for each other, and aren't fazed by comparisons. "Grace Slick is an icon, and I understand what an honor it is to be in the band singing her songs and everything," Richardson told UCR. "I've been a fan for a long time. I mean, it's like: Janis [Joplin], Grace and Nancy Wilson, for me. She's just like the queen of rock and roll, and so of course, I don't take it lightly, but I also, as a fan, I knew she never took herself that seriously to begin with." Now celebrating the 50th anniversary since its original inception, Jefferson Starship is still touring and trying to uphold the legacy started by Slick and Kantner. "We've just built it and built it and built it," said Richardson. "I think, by turning in great shows and playing the songs people want to hear. … Our goal has been to get Jefferson Starship back to its former glory, and we've been doing it." Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cannes Awards Predictions: Deadline's Critics Make Their Picks For This Year's Palme D'Or & Other Main Prizes
As the lights go up on the last of the 22 films in Competition this year, Deadline's critics reflect on the potential winners in what must be the strongest lineup in recent years… PETE HAMMOND More from Deadline Neon Taking Rights To Natalie Portman Cannes Animation 'Arco' 'Honey Don't!' Review: Margaret Qualley Stars As A Gutsy Private Eye In Ethan Coen's Messy Comic Noir - Cannes Film Festival 'Imago' Director Déni Oumar Pitsaev On Winning Two Prizes In Cannes: "I Didn't Expect It At All" I don't think I've seen a Cannes Film Festival with so many enthusiastic reviews from the press. Only a handful of films seemed to get totally negative notices and none of them across the board. I walked out on a couple, including Resurrection, the Chinese film. Life is just too short. I also didn't make it through Sebastian Lelio's The Wave, or the Italian women's prison flick Fuori despite liking Italians and its star Valeria Golino. I just wasn't feeling it. Otherwise, I have to say everything else I saw was above average but some of it overpraised in other quarters. Calm down! I mean, The Secret Agent was good, but not that good. It wasn't only in the Competition where gems could be found. Iraq's first film ever here, The President's Cake — the People's Choice winner over at Directors' Fortnight — was an early favorite of mine, as was Scarlett Johansson's directing debut — Eleanor the Great in Un Certain Regard — starring the incomparable June Squibb, a powerhouse at age 95. Also, in UCR I was impressed with Nigeria's first-ever Cannes entry My Father's Shadow. In Cannes Premiere I admired Faith Akin's Amrum, and also Splitsville, the hilarious follow-up to The Climb from Michael Angelo Covino. But here are my predictions for the big prizes in the main competition. Just keep in mind the fact that juries are almost impossible to predict and — endless standing ovations and critical praise aside — we don't really know which way the winds are blowing. You can check out the UCR winners here. Palme d'Or: (Joaquim Trier) The buzziest possibility. It just feels like a winner Grand Prize: (Jafar Panahi)The backstory of his two imprisonments in Iran aside, this movie was great. Jury Prize: (Kleber Mendonca Filho)I just figure the jury might react the way critics did — but not give it the top award. Director: Richard Linklater ()This is more wishful thinking because it was the best film I saw in Cannes. Screenplay: (Mascha Schilinski)The first film shown for Competition. Reviews were ecstatic, so it will probably get something. I wasn't overwhelmed. Actor: Sergi Lopez ()Great movie. This veteran actor is due — plus, what an emotional heartbreaking performance! Actress: Parinaz Izadyar ()Sorry, Jennifer Lawrence. You gave it your all, but this performance has Best Actress written all over it. DAMON WISE This has certainly been the strongest Cannes for many years, and it's tempting to think that some of the films singled out for a panning (Julia Ducorneau's Alpha for one) were in the firing line simply because the critics were struggling to find an out-and-out dud to unload on. Personally, I liked Alpha; it didn't always work, but its hallucinogenic quality has stayed with me. Likewise, I went against the flow with Ari Aster's Eddington — I like films that aim high, and this one, though it's definitely way too long, didn't fall as far as many claimed. Ditto Lynne Ramsay's Die My Love; that woman can do no wrong for me. Once again, this festival is always an astonishing showcase for acting, and 2025 was no exception. The big difference this year was that so many actors became directors for the 78th edition, all of 'em in Un Certain regard, this year's starriest section. Scarlett Johansson pulled off an accomplished indie with Eleanor the Great, but I preferred Harris Dickinson's superb character study Urchin, a great showcase for Frank Dillane as a homeless guy in London. I'm also thinking a lot about Kristen Stewart's brave debut Chronology of Water, which makes me think of her as a Beatnik born after her time. As Pete says, juries almost literally live on another planet, being sequestered from the likes of us and our soothsaying. But, for what it's worth, here are my guesses… Palme d'Or: (Joaquim Trier) Joachim Trier has never made a bad film, and now he's gone ahead and made a masterpiece that would make Henrik Ibsen's sideburns curl. It's brilliantly directed, written and acted; just thinking about it makes me cry! Grand Prize: (Oliver Luxe)The grand slam of the festival; everyone either loves this apocalyptic techno drama, or loves the beginning, or loves the ending. Jury Prize: Sound of Falling (Mascha Schilinski)This is an amazing film, end of. I saw it twice and look forward to seeing it again. Director: Bi Gan ()It drove me mad, but there is so much brilliance on show here. Screenplay: (Sergei Loznitza)After Navad Lapid's incendiary Yes in Directors' Fortnight, this is the most political film in the festival, a Kafkaesque nightmare about Soviet life under Stalin that, somehow, we are all now living through. Actor: Guillaume Marbeck ()Everything about Richard Linklater's sparkling white wine of a dramedy deserves a prize, but Marbeck's performance as Jean-Luc Godard is the one that stands out most for me. Actress: Jennifer Lawrence ()Sorry, Parinaz Izadyar. Pete's right; you are terrific in Woman and Child, but Lawrence's performance here has got to be her best to date. And that's some high bar. Best of Deadline 'Poker Face' Season 2 Guest Stars: From Katie Holmes To Simon Hellberg Everything We Know About Amazon's 'Verity' Movie So Far Everything We Know About 'The Testaments,' Sequel Series To 'The Handmaid's Tale' So Far
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The megalodon may have looked very different than we thought
Few prehistoric monsters capture the imagination quite like the megalodon. From natural history museums to the silver screen, this colossal shark, which went extinct over three million years ago, has been depicted as one of the most terrifying and ferocious creatures to ever roam the planet. However, new research from the University of California, Riverside, published Monday in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica, could forever change our perception of 'The Meg.' Until now, the megalodon has been envisioned as a much larger version of the great white shark with a similarly chunky body type. Typical methods of estimating its shape and size have relied on teeth and limited vertebral specimens since no complete adult skeletons have been found. 'By examining megalodon's vertebral column and comparing it to over 100 species of living and extinct sharks, (researchers) determined a more accurate proportion for the head, body, and tail,' UCR stated. Research now suggests that the megalodon more closely resembled a lemon shark with a much longer body—perhaps similar to a large whale—measuring about 80 feet in length and weighing 94 tons. Its slender body was designed for energy-efficient cruising rather than short, high-speed attacks. 'You lead with your head when you swim because it's more efficient than leading with your stomach,' said Tim Higham, a UCR biologist who contributed insights to the study. 'Similarly, evolution often moves toward efficiency.' For comparison, great white sharks can grow up to 20 feet long, however its body is better suited for bursts of speed. Researchers also believe that a newborn megalodon could have been nearly 13 feet long, roughly the size of an adult great white shark. 'It is entirely possible that megalodon pups were already taking down marine mammals shortly after being born,' said Phillip Sternes, a shark biologist at UCR. UCR noted that the study offers insight into why only certain animals, beyond the megalodon, can evolve to massive sizes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
04-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Navigating by the Stars To Achieve a Brighter Future for Hometown Scientists
Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog In 2013, to avoid monitoring by his manager, a truck driver at a New Jersey engineering firm purchased an illegal $50 GPS jammer that plugged into his vehicle's cigarette lighter. The device inadvertently also jammed the satellite system navigation capabilities of the entire Newark airport every time he drove by. The signals emanating from the vehicle were blocking the reception of GPS frequencies used by the air traffic control system, and planes were unable to safely land or take off, forcing the airport to close. 'People don't realize how vulnerable GPS is,' said Dr. Joshua Morales, owner and founder of StarNav, a startup tech company that provides hardware and software solutions enabling safe, reliable positioning and timing. 'StarNav's products convert terrestrial and low-Earth orbit satellite signals into reliable positioning and timing information, working even when GPS fails. Because GPS is used in critical U.S. infrastructure, such as time keeping, currency, communication, navigation, and energy, having a secondary way for keeping the country synchronized is an imperative.' Navigational guidance by the stars is an ancient concept, but Morales and his team are innovating navigation for the future, and this work-with-what-you-have ethos has shaped much of Morales' journey. As part of this he is determined to keep his company in the Inland Empire area of Southern California, in order to create a profitable career hub for brilliant scientific minds who graduate from the areas many universities, rather than feeding into the intellectual exodus to the Silicon Valley that Inland Empire scientists currently face. StarNav began at one such local institution, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) as part of their Entrepreneurship Center (EPIC) which specializes in providing training, mentorship and access to capital to innovative, technology intensive businesses. Over the past two years, U.S. Bank provided corporate contributions totaling $95,000 in support of UCR's Zero-to-Entrepreneur program, which is part of the SoCal OASIS™ regional economic development strategy focused on sustainability, innovation, social inclusion and workforce development in Inland Southern California and home to StarNav's early beginnings. Morales earned his Ph.D. from UC Irvine in 2020. After completing his doctorate, he returned to Riverside, which is where attended UCR for his B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He has been a part of the vibrant innovation hub on the campus since beginning StarNav, which is where he also met U.S. Bank Business Access Advisor, and fellow Inland Empire native, Heli Castaneda. 'It has been a joy to support the business owners and students who participate in the programs at UCR,' said Castaneda. As a native of the Inland Empire who is raising his children there, Castaneda shares Morales' desire to invest in his community. 'This is where I have the privilege of being able to be of service to local businesses and students,' Castaneda said. 'My role at U.S. Bank is all about bringing information, resources, and building bridges. My services are offered for free, and entrepreneurs don't have to be a U.S. Bank customer to work with me, and I really enjoy that part of my job! I'm here to help everyone.' The relationship between U.S. Bank and UCR began with the work of Inland Southern California community affairs manager Rossina Gallegos, who saw the vision to empower Inland Empire residents, particularly underserved individuals, to launch high-growth, sustainably focused technology startups that create quality jobs. The program's first year concluded in March 2024 and received glowing participant feedback, with many calling it 'immensely valuable.' In addition to the funding, in 2023 and 2024 small business specialists from U.S. Bank participated in the selection of the SoCal OASIS Pitch Competition to help select the award winners of the program. 'At U.S. Bank, our whole mission is to invest our hearts and minds into powering human potential,' Gallegos said. 'We are happy to be able to support programs that serve brilliant students and innovative entrepreneurs who are equally invested in making our Inland Empire communities a better place to live and work.'
