Harvard Today: November 11, 2014

Happy Tuesday, Harvard! Today is Veteran’s Day. For those of you who don’t know, Veteran’s Day is a federal holiday celebrated every year on November 11th, the anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, which was the agreement to end the fighting during World War I. Armistice Day was originally intended to honor those who had fought and died in World War I, but after World War II and the Korean War, it grew to celebrate all veterans, and was renamed Veteran’s Day. Most public schools, banks, and government offices will be closed today, including the majority of the administrative offices at Harvard. Yet, classes, as always, (mostly) go on. If you’re finished early or have a break, head into Boston to catch the Veteran’s Day parade, which leaves from the corner of Boylston and Tremont Streets at 1 p.m., and marches around Boston Common, City Hall Plaza, and ends at Faneuil Hall, where you can hear patriotic speeches alongside anti-war poetry, and lots of music. Whether you have time for the parade or not, take a minute to recognize or thank any veterans in your life, we’re sure they’ll appreciate it!

By Daniel N. Yue

IN THE ATMOSPHERE

Today is going to be a beautiful 62 degrees with a 0% chance of rain! Cambridge, you continue to pleasantly surprise us (at least until the next day it dips back under 50 degrees).

IN THE D-HALLS

Lunch

Herb Crusted Pollack
Indonesian Stirfry with Tempeh
Spicy Potato Pierogies

Dinner

Chicken Parmesan
Swedish Meatballs
Scheherazade Casserole: Bulgar, Tomato and Soybean Casserole (to clarify, this is a casserole)

ON FLYBY

1) Literary Leisure by Harvard’s Very Own: Great reads by professors here at Harvard!

2) Harvard Artsy Angst Throwdown: “IVY” vs. “Absent”: From cast attractiveness to best one-liners, a not-so-academic comparison of Harvard’s two web series.

IN THE NEWS

1) HUDS Celebrates Diwali with Indian Cuisine: To celebrate the ancient Hindu festival of Diwali, Harvard University Dining Services served students an array of Indian food for dinner Monday—a twist on standard dining options in honor of the "festival of lights."

2) Researchers Hail Potential HIV/AIDS Breakthrough: Researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have discovered a possible new method to remove from blood stem cells the biological receptor that helps host the HIV virus, marking a potential breakthrough towards combating or even curing HIV/AIDS.

3) The State of the Student Body: Although much attention has been paid to stress-related mental health, the University has also made great efforts in recent years to bolster physical wellness resources. But while students applaud the changes, they continue to struggle to fit them into a life filled less with sleepless nights and more with a constant buzz of anxiety—an  indicator, student activists say, of the need for a broader cultural shift spearheaded by the student body itself.

EVENTS

There is an Armistice Day Service this morning from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Memorial Church Sanctuary.

Join Harvard SLAM outside Mass Hall today at 4 p.m. for a Rally To Kick Teach For America off campus. Members of the group will be meeting the CEO of the organization in the coming days, and hope to rally support in advance of the meeting.

There’s a focus group today to talk about the new FAS policy for Sexual Misconduct. Join members of the task force to share input in Cabot E Living Room from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Dining halls across campus help celebrate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, with butter chicken, tandoori chicken, and vegetable coconut curry on Monday evening.