Obama Visits Research Laboratories, Speaks at MIT
President Barack Obama commended MIT for its “extraordinary energy research” and urged America to take leadership in cleaner technologies in a speech today at Kresge Auditorium.
Students Energetically Await President Obama’s Visit, Speech
The news of President Barack Obama’s arrival on campus has sparked excitement throughout the MIT community, but it has also prompted protests.
MIT Seeks To Grow Its Research Abroad
In its 2009 accreditation self-study, MIT identified global engagement as one of the top priorities in the coming years. Unlike some others, this initiative has remained untouched by the need for fiscal moderation.
MIT May Cut Employee Pension Plans, Saving $200M
MIT may cut employee pension plans as part of a plan to save $27–$199 million over the next 2–10 years, according to the preliminary report of the Institute-Wide Planning Task Force released in August. The retirement plan cuts constitute much of the proposed cuts in workforce policies and practices recommended by the report.
Should MIT Have Fewer Grad Students? Admins Still Evaluating Options
Among the 200 cost-cutting ideas presented in the preliminary Institute-wide task force report, several ideas stand out for their potential to impact graduate student life at MIT, if implemented:<br> ¶ “Right-size” graduate student body<br> ¶ Reevaluate TA costs<br> ¶ “3+2” transfer programs<br> ¶ Online-based masters degrees
MIT Greets President Obama
President Barack Obama will speak at MIT today “challenging Americans to lead the global economy in clean energy, and to highlight Recovery Act investments that are creating jobs and making advancements in wind energy,” the White House said.
Task Force Suggests Increasing Transfers, 3+2 Masters Program
Is MIT really going to increase the undergraduate class size? MIT isn’t sure when or how much, but some sort of increase looks likely.
To Curb Risk, Fed to Track Banks’ Top Paychecks
The Federal Reserve announced Thursday that it would crack down on pay packages that encouraged bankers to take excessive risks, but officials acknowledged that the plan might not reduce the biggest paychecks on Wall Street.
Behind War Between White House and Fox
Late last month, the senior White House adviser David Axelrod and Roger Ailes, chairman and chief executive of Fox News, met in an empty Midtown Manhattan steakhouse before it opened for the day, neutral ground secured for a secret tete-a-tete.
Shorts (right)
A short midlevel cleric, with a neat white beard and a clergyman’s calm bearing, Mehdi Karroubi has watched from his home in Tehran in recent months as his aides have been arrested, his offices raided, his newspaper shut down. He himself has been threatened with arrest and, indirectly, the death penalty.
Senate Votes to Expand Hate-Crime Protection
The Senate voted Thursday to extend new federal protections to people who are victims of violent crime because of their gender or sexual orientation, bringing the measure close to reality after years of fierce debate.
Shorts (left)
Stocks moved upward on Thursday, riding momentum from stronger-than-expected earnings reports despite a round of jobless figures that showed persistent weakness in the labor market.
Another Rainy Weekend
The past week has been a terrific example of how variable fall weather can be. While last weekend was cold and rainy (and even a bit snowy on Sunday!), the last few days have been warm and sunny. This variability continues over the next couple of days. Today should be significantly cooler than the past couple days. The temperature will only make it to around 50°F, and brisk winds from the north mean it will feel even cooler. The next low pressure system will move into our area late tonight.
Pressed, Sen. Reid Says Health Bill May Have Public Option
Under immense pressure from the liberal wing of his caucus, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, has told colleagues that he may include a government-run health insurance plan in a health care bill he will soon take to the Senate floor, Democratic senators said Thursday.
The Changing Face of Economics
Last week, the Nobel Prize in economics went to Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson ’55, both non-theoretical economists. This spurred significant interest in the blogosphere due to the unconventionality of the recipients’ backgrounds. It is therefore worthwhile to consider their research in the context of the current economic landscape — this may help explain why Ostrom and Oliver in particular were chosen. Furthermore, because Ostrom is actually not an economist, but a political scientist, the judges have encouraged suggestions to change how we view the economics category.
Nobel Prize Simply Not Worth the Fuss
President Obama didn’t deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. We get it. A big thanks to Erasmus K. zu Ermgassen for regurgitating once more the week-long pat-on-the-back the media has been giving itself. “Look at us,” they seem to be saying. “We’re controversial. We can say bad things about Obama.” Fox News is, of course, in the corner wondering what all the fuss is about, slightly jealous that others are stealing his gig.
Letters to the Editor
It seems everyone is excited for President Obama’s visit to MIT today. Or should I call him Barack Hussein Obama, <i>de facto</i> President?
UA Update
Senate met on Monday, October 19 to discuss three pieces of legislation. Senate passed 41 U.A.S. 2.2: Resolution to Continue Transparency and Representation throughout the Institute-wide Planning Process, which seeks to continue undergraduate involvement in the ongoing budget reduction process. On a larger scale, this is part of a push for an increase in undergraduate involvement in Institute decision-making processes.
OPERA REVIEW Metropolitan’s Production of Aida Refreshing
The audience at the Metropolitan Opera was surely as dramatic as the performers on stage. Despite booing conductor Daniele Gatti for what it considered a lackluster performance of Verdi’s <i>Aida</i>, the audience seemed quite content with a repeated performance a little over a week later.
THEATER REVIEW Murder, Improv, and Pithy One-Liners
The Charles Street Theater delivers with <i>Shear Madness</i>. The combination of a murder mystery, improv comedy, and audience interaction makes this a very unique production. The show’s motley cast features a flamboyantly gay hair salon owner, an attractive and spunky female hairdresser, a slimy salesman, an elderly blue-blooded woman, and two stereotypical Boston cops. The chemistry of the cast adds spice to the on-stage interactions; even the actors occasionally erupt into laughter at each other’s ad lib.
CONCERT REVIEW A Smorgasbord of MIT A Capella Groups
Last weekend had a lot to offer to MIT students, as the wide variety of student groups on campus showcased their love of everything <i>but</i> math and science to the visiting families. One of the weekend’s highlights was the Saturday night a cappella concert, dubbed the “Greater Boston Invitational Songfest.” The lineup included all nine campus a cappella groups, each performing two numbers of their choice.
CONCERT REVIEW Say Hi: Raw Like Sushi
Say Hi (formerly Say Hi to Your Mom), the little-known second opener at TT’s, proved to be by far the most talented band of the evening, blowing both the opening act and the headlining band out of the water. Raw and loud without any sacrifice to their catchy, simple melodies, Say Hi’s show on Tuesday was a performance that changed the way one would listen to a band’s recorded work.
The Head of the Charles: A Rower’s Perspective
<i>The Head of the Charles is the largest regatta in the world, comprising over 8,000 rowers and 1,700 boats. The 5km-long race course connects the MIT, BU, Riverside, Harvard, Cambridge Boat Club, and Northeastern boathouses.</i>
Sports Shorts
Men’s Lightweight Crew raced in three events at the 45th running of the Head of the Charles last weekend. In the Club 8+ event on Saturday, the freshmen lightweight squad powered their way to 16th position out of the field of 46 in a time of 16:19.491. The squad was led by coxswain Henry G. Skupniewicz ’13, followed from stroke to bow by Zachary C. Segal ’13, James E. Byron ’13, Samuel F. Simmons ’13, Cameron S. McAlpine ’13, John R. DiMino ’13, Stephen A. Freiberg ’13, Samuel T, Reineman ’13, and Devin A. Cela ’13.
