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Hollywood and Harvard University

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Harvard’s Roles in Hollywood: Ivy League on the Silver Screen

Lauren Landry

With its sprawling campus, tree lined paths, wrought iron archways and beautifully bricked buildings, Harvard University has practically lent itself to the silver screen.

From its renowned Harvard Yard to a perky blonde who hopes to impress her boyfriend by being accepted into Harvard Law School, America’s oldest institution of higher learning has procured various Hollywood roles. Here are movies that have been made possible thanks to Harvard University.

The Firm — The 1993 legal thriller film follows the life of Mitch McDeere, an aspiring lawyer set to graduate from Harvard Law School before he’s made an offer he can’t refuse. Tom Cruise plays the promising Harvard Law graduate.

Good Will Hunting — Featuring an all-star cast of Matt Damon, Robin Williams and Ben Affleck, the film tells the tale of Will Hunting, played by Damon, who meets a British student about to graduate from Harvard named Skylar, played by Minnie Driver.

How High — Method Man and Redman were on the Harvard Campus. In the stoner comedy, both are told they should apply to the University. Once there, the shenanigans ensue.

Ice Princess — The 2005 Disney film follows the life of Casey Carlyle, played by Michelle Trachtenberg, a bookworm turned figure skater who plans to pursue a scholarship at Harvard. Spoiler alert — she later turns the scholarship down after she’s received it.

Legally Blonde — Reese Witherspoon’s character, Elle Woods, packs up for Harvard Law School to reunite with her ex-boyfriend and try to win him back in this romantic comedy.

Love Story — Considered one of the most romantic movies of all time, the 1970 film tells of Oliver Barrett IV, played by Ryan O’Neal, who comes from a family of wealthy Harvard graduates. At the Radcliffe Library, he meets and falls in love with Jennifer Cavalleri, a working-class student played by Ali MacGraw. The two decide to get married after graduation, despite Barrett’s father’s wishes, and the father severs ties with his son.

The Paper Chase — Based on the novel by John Jay Osborn, Jr., The Paper Chase follow the life of a first-year student at Harvard Law School who’s petrified of one of his professors.

The Social Network — Last year’s film about Facebook and its resulting lawsuits tells the tale of Mark Zuckerberg, who created the social networking site while studying at Harvard.

Soul Man — This 1986 comedy is about a teen who poses as a young black man in hopes of achieving his dreams of attending Harvard and receiving a full scholarship.

from bostinnovation.com

State Street with wrought iron fence

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Businesses fight fence ruling in Westerville
Owner to appeal decision about eminent domain

By Quan Truong

The fight to keep Westerville city officials from building a wrought-iron fence along State Street continues.

One business owner, who was sued by the city, said he plans to appeal a Franklin County judge’s recent ruling that Westerville has the right to take his property for the fence.

The plan to erect the 40-foot-long, 8-foot-high fence is part of the city’s $70 million effort to spruce up the commercial strip. Slated for next year, it comes with brick pillars as a gateway, a widened road, extra lanes and buried power lines. The project has riled some property owners who say it will obstruct the view of storefronts and is becoming a burden on their businesses.

When James Taylor refused to sell part of his property, which houses the U.S. Bank branch at State Street and Heatherdown Drive, Westerville sued and won the lawsuit, arguing that it has eminent-domain rights to take the property for public use.

“The city is pleased with the court’s decision in the matter and will not be acting until the window for an appeal is closed,” said Christa Dickey, Westerville’s community-affairs administrator.

Taylor’s attorney, Bruce Ingram, said an appeal will be filed in court in the next week or two.

“There’s nothing in Ohio law that allows them to take property for installing aesthetic features,” Ingram said.

Tom Tripp, who owns the Thomas Building, said he will file his own lawsuit to block the city’s plans if Taylor’s appeal is rejected. He said the proposed fence has caused him to lose one tenant and kept away two others.

“You can imagine how intrusive it’ll be if (the fence) is placed there,” he said. “I think the judge has misinterpreted the law.”

from dispatch.com

Pets and wrought iron beds

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Platinum Pets Launches their New Luxurious Line of Pet Beds

Platinum Pets launched their new luxurious line of pet beds, raised feeding stands, pet collars and pet tech tags. They specialize in selling pet products in unique colors that allow pet owners to color coordinate with their home décor.

Demand for innovative and luxury pet products continues to grow as pet owners increasingly embrace their pets as members of the family. Despite the tough 2010 economy, people still spent more on their pets in 2010 than in any other year. Based on current pet industry trends, it is predicted that the pet industry will continue to grow at a rate of at least 3.8% per year, leading to a 70 billion dollar industry in 10 years. As of 2010, the pet industry grossed an impressive $48 billion.

As the holiday season fast approaches at the top of everyone’s minds is shopping. Shopping for gifts for your family and loved ones, for your friends, neighbors, and colleagues and even for your pets. Pets need to be pampered as well.

Here are Platinum Pets four top luxury gift ideas for any favorite pet :

• Beds –Princess and Prince powder coated, wrought iron beds are adorned with fanciful hearts and topped with a comfortable vegan leather mattress pad, which are both durable and easy to clean. These designer pet beds are offered in 3 hot colors, Midnight Black, Bubblegum Pink and Candy Apple Red. They are extremely sturdy without compromising on the fashion and design offering pets a patch of indulgence in any home.

• Raised Diner Stands - Splurge on some fabulous wrought iron, raised pet diner stands this holiday season. Leave no pet behind, there are sizes for even the largest dog the Jumbo Triple Diner Stand or for the smallest cat, the Extra Small Modern Diner Stand – all pets should be eating like kings and queens! Platinum Pets raised pet feeders come in 5 beautiful designs and add to any home’s décor. Raised diner stands are veterinary recommended because they help promote proper digestion. All of Platinum Pet’s diner stands come in highly fashionable colors and are fade resistant and rust proof. Complete the look and a clear heavy duty silicone feeding mat to help achieve an attractive and clean pet eating station.

• Collars – Choose from golden stars to colorful spikes with high-end luxury latigo leather pet collars. Collars come in black or white leather and are available in all sizes from cat to extra large dog. Coordinate with a matching chain leash or with the luxurious leather leash for a truly over the top gift idea.

• Pet Tech Tags - Aside from all these luxury gift ideas, consider a gift that benefits not only the pet but the owner as well. The Lost N’ Found smartphone scannable pet id tag is high on a lot of shopping lists this year. An excellent way to keep pets safe and secure at all times, the Scannable pet Id tag is a lightweight aluminum dog tag that’s laser etched with a scannable QR barcode on both sides. When scanned with a smartphone the lost pets contact information is displayed allowing people to immediately call, email or text the pet’s owner. It stores the same information that a microchip has and better yet, anyone with a smartphone can access. This year give the dog and pet owner the invaluable gift of safety and security and complete peace of mind!

from newswiretoday.com

Harry Potter and wrought iron footbridge at King’s Cross station

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A famous wrought iron footbridge at King’s Cross station that featured in the Harry Potter films is retiring to Hampshire as part of the £500m redevelopment of the station.

Until two years ago, the Handyside Bridge ran through the middle of King’s Cross station. Now, Network Rail has donated it to the Mid-Hants Railway, a not-for-profit organisation that operates a fleet of steam locomotives on the Watercress Line in Ropley, Hampshire.

David Snow from Mid Hants Railway said: “We are absolutely delighted to have acquired this historic bridge for re-location to The Watercress Line. We have long wanted a footbridge to provide a viewing location across our tracks and to acquire this one, which has featured in a number of the Harry Potter films, will be an excellent addition to our railway.”

The bridge has now been moved to Eastleigh on the back of nine lorries where it will be shot blasted and painted. It is planned that the first section will be installed before the end of the year.

By spring 2012 King’s Cross will have a new bridge to link the station’s new concourse with the main train shed.

from theconstructionindex.co.uk

London 2012 : Olympic flame

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London 2012: Olympic torch to go through Leeds Victoria Quarter
The Victoria Quarter celebrated its 20th birthday last year

A torchbearer will run through Leeds’s Victoria Quarter with the Olympic flame when it comes to West Yorkshire next year, it has been announced.

During three days in June 2012 the torch will visit 25 places in the area.

The procession will first visit Boston Spa, Wetherby and Harewood on 19 June and will return to the area on 24 and 25 June.

There will be celebratory events in Leeds on 24 June, when the torch will stay in the city overnight.

The Victoria Quarter, which opened in 1990, was designed by architect Frank Matcham.

He used marbles, mosaics, cast and wrought iron and carved wood to create two streets, two arcades and the Empire Theatre, which is now Harvey Nichols.

A torchbearer will carry the Olympic flame through the centre on 25 June. The torch will also visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park at West Bretton, near Wakefield, on that day.

Thousands of torch bearers are being recruited for the flame’s 70-day journey across the UK before the opening ceremony in London. The Olympic flame will arrive in the UK from Greece on 18 May 2012.

The relay will begin at Land’s End, Cornwall, on Saturday, 19 May and end on Friday, 27 July in the Olympic Stadium.

It is estimated it will be carried 8,000 miles.

from bbc.co.uk