Candidates Vie For Prize of Big Screw in Annual Contest
The annual Big Screw contest, a charity fundraiser sponsored by Alpha Phi Omega, began this Monday and will continue through Friday.
Police Log
<i>The following incidents were reported to the MIT Police between March 27, 2007 and April 4, 2007. This summary does not include incidents such as false alarms, general service calls, larcenies, or medical shuttles.</i>
Uncontested GSC Candidates Elected
The Graduate Student Council's new officers have been elected and say they are looking to improve communication between the MIT senior administration and the GSC. President-elect Leeland B. Ekstrom G and Vice President-elect Johnna D. Powell G won uncontested elections on April 4 and will take office on May 2 at the GSC General Council meeting.
iHouse Slated to Open In Fall at New House 1
A new living and learning community will open in New House in the fall to undergraduates. iHouse, a way to "bridge living and learning at MIT," according to Professor of Urban Planning Bishwapriya Sanyal, who is involved as a faculty member, will open in New House 1, which used to be the home of the now defunct Russian House. There will be 21 residents.
Student Lender Had Early Plans to Court Officials
The founders of Student Loan Xpress had an explicit plan for corralling a bigger share of the lucrative student loan business: "market to the financial aid offices of schools."
Preferential Treatment May Impact Buyers
Envy is a powerful force in the human psyche — and a tool to be exploited in marketing.
Tech Web Site Receives Facelift
In 1993, <i>The Tech</i> proudly became the first newspaper published on the Web, taking the lead in providing news content to the online masses. However, despite being the public face of one of the leading technological universities in the world, in recent years The Tech would be the first to admit its Web service was lacking in style, timeliness, and usability. Well, not anymore.
Avian Flu, SARS in Tufts' Sights
The idyllic setting of Tufts University's central Massachusetts campus, where for 30 years students have trained to become veterinarians, will soon become a new frontline in the fight against diseases such as Avian flu and SARS.
Harvard Seeks Cheaper Textbooks
Two top deans have asked Harvard University professors to reduce student expenditures on textbooks and other course material by putting those items on line or by deciding earlier if they plan to use the same textbook in subsequent semesters.
Big Screw Day One Totals
Candidate Title Charity Amount Stephen Ansolabehere Professor of Political Science Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition $0.15 Emery N. Brown 9.07 Professor Codman Academy $0.20 Brett D. Parker 18.100B Professor MASSPIRG Education Fund $0.85 Keith A. Nelson 5.60 Professor The Home for Little Wanderers $1.27 Christopher (Kit) C. Cummins 5.111/5.112 Professor TBA $5.19 Krishna Rajagopal 8.05 Professor Union of Concerned Scientists $21.70 Maureen R. Lynch 2.007 Course Administrator Make-A-Wish Foundation $35.80 Richard D. Berlin III Director of Campus Dining The Richard D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling at the University of Connecticut Health Center $90.74 Michael D. Ernst 6.170 Professor St. Mark Community Education Program $202.75 Total $358.65
Freshman's Location Unknown
A freshman, apparently required to withdraw from MIT as part of a secretive disciplinary process, has been missing for over a week, according to the South Hadley, Mass. Police Department.
Loyalists to Militant Cleric Rally Against U.S. in Massive Protest
Tens of thousands of protestors loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shiite cleric, took to the streets of the holy city of Najaf on Monday in an extraordinarily disciplined rally to demand an end to the American military presence in Iraq, burning American flags and chanting "Death to America!"
The Day After Tomorrow
Following the cold Easter weekend, we can expect warmer temperatures for the near future. A high pressure system is sweeping across the New England region, accompanied by clear skies and smooth sailing. For today and tomorrow, expect daytime highs in the high forties and overnight lows near freezing.
Iran Says It Can Now Enrich Uranium on Industrial Scale
Iran claimed on Monday that it is now capable of industrial-scale uranium enrichment, a development that would defy two U.N. resolutions passed to press the country to suspend its enrichment program.
Pfizer's Inhaled-Insulin Diabetes Drug Falters in Domestic Sales
Exubera, the first and so far only commercially available inhaled-insulin diabetes treatment, is on the verge of turning into an expensive flop for its maker, Pfizer.
Challenge Over Emissions Rule Set To Begin in Vermont Federal Court
The fight over cars and carbon dioxide moves Tuesday from the Supreme Court to a federal courtroom in Burlington, Vt., in a case that automakers say could reshape vehicles sold on the East and West coasts.
In Reversal, Britain Says Ex-Captives Can Not Sell Stories to Media Sources
After howls of protest from former military commanders, opposition politicians and relatives of service personnel who had been killed, Britain's defense secretary, Des Browne, on Monday abruptly reversed a decision to allow some of the sailors and marines captured by Iran to sell their stories to the media.
Shorts (left)
Gao Zhisheng, one of China's most outspoken dissidents until his conviction on sedition charges late last year, said in a recorded statement made available over the weekend that while his confession had resulted in a light sentence, it had been made under mental and physical duress.
Shorts (right)
A group of radical clerics has issued a religious decree against Pakistan's tourism minister after some local newspapers printed photographs showing her holding onto a male colleague after landing from a parachute jump in France.
Letters to the Editor
Science may be close to identifying the biological basis of sexual orientation. Dwight M. Chambers, in his Friday column, argues that a pregnant mother should not be able to alter a fetus in order to stop it from becoming homosexual later in life, offering as a reason the effective genocide of homosexuals; an atrocity which would unfortunately be permitted under current jurisprudence. In fact, the law does not prohibit alteration of a fetus; it even allows its termination under the "right to privacy."
Corrections
The April 3, 2007 news article about the Department of Defense investigation into MIT's Lincoln Laboratory did not make clear the role of Brandon B. Godfrey from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. He was the DoD investigator and author of the report.
Men's Tennis Falls to Bowdoin But Returns With Sweep of Babson
In a pair of weekend matches, nationally-ranked No. 22 MIT fell to No. 16 Bowdoin College, 5-3, on Friday and then defeated NEWMAC foe Babson College, 9-0, on Saturday. The split moved the Engineers' record to 8-5 on the year and 2-0 in conference play.
Lacrosse Loses Back-and-Forth Game Casey Flynn Scores Four Goals For MIT, but Pride Pulls Away For a 12-9 Win
Springfield College recorded a 12-9 victory over MIT in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's lacrosse game on Saturday afternoon.
Spring Break at NCAA Tourney A Great Choice For Sports Fans
Tired of sunburns, mosquito bites, and long plane rides? Regretting those eight margaritas you downed in Miami Beach, Honolulu, or Cancún? Perhaps you're just eager to gain respite from the dimly lit lecture halls affectionately called the gates of hell.
Scott's Travels
So, now we're in Mongolia. It's late August 2005. After a few days in Ulaanbaatar, the capital and, well, the only real city in that country, I meet Will, a fellow traveler looking to buy a horse and head out into the vast Mongolian steppe, in search of adventure of some sort. Will was about twice my age and a hardened traveler. Some time ago, he had been a graduate student working on a PhD in history, until one day he realized he wasn't doing what he wanted in life. He discontinued his studies, broke up with his girlfriend and took what money he had to travel the world. When that ran out he found work as a chef on a sight-seeing vessel that operated off the British Columbian and Alaskan coasts; hardly work at all by the sound of it, until he had enough money to do it all over again. He's been living like that ever since.
