Topic: University of Massachusetts Amherst

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A literary road trip through New England

Take a trip through historic New England and visit the homesteads of famous literary figures.
20 non-fiction books to watch for in 2012
In Pictures: Real-life wonder women
Financial aid: One of six tools to graduate debt-free
4 recent cases of plagiarism charges in the headlines

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Why it's John McCain, maverick, stumping for Gomez in Massachusetts

In the Massachusetts Senate race, underdog Gabriel Gomez enlisted the help Monday of GOP maverick-in-chief John McCain. There's a reason he called on McCain and not, say, Newt Gingrich.
EU austerity hawks shrug off criticism of flawed academic paper

Despite a new paper detailing flaws in the Rogoff-Reinhart study that has been used to argue in favor of austerity policies, Europe's austerity advocates are holding course.
Ancient Arctic was warm, wet, and green. What that says about the future.

A 1,000-foot core sample taken from a lake in Russia's northeast Arctic documents a period when the region was 14 degrees warmer than today, but with similar atmospheric CO2 levels.
Boston bombing probe: Three suspects told stories that don't match

In broad terms, the three suspects arrested and charged with obstructing justice in the Boston bombing investigation told the same story. But the accounts varied on some important details.
New arrests hint at unseen side of Boston bombing suspect (+video)

Three of Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's friends were arrested Wednesday and charged with covering up for him. Two told authorities they heard Tsarnaev brag about his bombmaking ability.
Boston Marathon attack: Circle of possible bombers narrows, experts say (+video)

Experts who follow radical groups inside the US look at emerging details about the Boston Marathon attack and see the work of a domestic operative – either American jihadi or antigovernment extremist.
Change Agent In India, SELCO brings solar power to the people

SELCO founder Harish Hande set out to dispel the myths that poor people can't afford or maintain solar technologies.
Brown-Warren debate: Will race boil down to jobs, character, or both?

With Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren squaring off in a hotly contested Senate race, polls suggest that both character issues and substantive policy questions could make a difference.
Modern Parenthood Bullying facts: Sifting through the hype for a clear picture

Bullying facts are not as straightforward as you might think because "bully" has become a buzz word in education. Separating normal childhood development from a serious problem is increasingly difficult as the concept of bullying gets spin from interest groups.
A literary road trip through New England

Take a trip through historic New England and visit the homesteads of famous literary figures.
How a shrimp's 200-lb. punch could lead to better football helmets

Scientists have marveled at how the mantis shrimp breaks open its prey, but only now are engineers learning how the shrimp's club is built – and how that could help humans.
Cover Story Employment solutions: Can a town’s good deeds lower unemployment?

The dollars and cents of good deeds: Communities with high social capital tend to have lower unemployment. Some seeking employment solutions see this altruistic glue as something to study.
Elbowing our way to better writing

A new book argues that people would write better if they connected better with their true 'mother tongue': spoken language.
NCAA Tournament: 16 remain, with some 'Sweet' matchups

A selective preview of some of the more intriguing matchups in the so-called 'Sweet 16' - the round of sixteen remaining teams in the NCAA men's basketball tournament - taking place on Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23.
Minimum wage milestone: Why Washington State surpassed $9 an hour

Minimum wage laws raised the wage floor in eight states as of Jan. 1. Washington now tops all states, at $9.04 an hour. Economic effects of raising the minimum wage are in hot dispute.
20 non-fiction books to watch for in 2012

Oh, the promise of a new year! So many fresh starts and remarkable discoveries lie ahead – including the many that will be made between the pages of a book. For those eager for a preview, here’s a sampling of some of the more promising of the early 2012 titles.
Is the EPA really a 'jobs killer'?

For Republicans, the EPA ranks up there with the IRS as one of the most-reviled agencies in Washington, calling it a 'jobs killer.' The record of the Obama EPA, though, is more nuanced.
Difference Maker Ned Eames uses tennis to boost inner-city reading skills and graduation rates

Tennis helped Ned Eames thrive during his childhood – now he uses it to help Boston kids improve their reading skills and stay in school.
Feds warn colleges: handle sexual assault reports properly

The Obama administration has taken a tougher stance after federal officials saw problems at a number of schools. But some say the administration is taking things too far.
EPA tells coal-fired plants to reduce pollution. Some may just shut down.

The details of new EPA regulations, released Thursday, mandate reductions in power-plant emissions. 'Old, decrepit plants' without pollution controls may be just too costly to retrofit and be shut down by their owners, say analysts.
Whitey Bulger caught: why he topped FBI most-wanted list

Who is Whitey Bulger, and why does Wednesday's arrest of this aging crime boss matter so much to the FBI?
Whitey Bulger, ruthless Boston mob boss, caught by FBI in California

Whitey Bulger: After an international manhunt, the FBI finally caught the 81-year-old Bulger at an apartment in Santa Monica along with longtime girlfriend Catherine Greig on Wednesday.
The Monitor's View: Does prayer exist, in Washington's eyes?

Despite a big leap in the use of prayer for health among Americans, the government has decided not to study it as a complement or alternative to medicine.
NCAA Tournament: Boston University loads its slingshot for Goliath Kansas

Boston University, 16th seed and victor of the America East conference championship, faces the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks in an opening round West Regional NCAA tournament basketball game tonight at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (6:50 p.m. Eastern time, TBS).
Opinion: Are brothels and bikinis signs of progress for Arab women?

No. So why has the Western media used them as a gauge of social freedoms? Sexual exploitation isn't sexual liberation. Women in the emerging democratic movements in the Middle East stand between the twin dangers of Islamist and secular fundamentalism. They deserve better.