Medical may cut overnight care
MIT Medical has proposed to eliminate its inpatient unit and close its overnight urgent care services by the end of 2010. The space vacated by the inpatient unit would be filled with a new “Community Care Center.”
One operator per train on Orange Line
The MBTA will stop using two employees to run each Orange Line train, part of a plan approved by the agency’s board Wednesday to balance next year’s budget without raising fares or cutting service.
The end of Northwest Shuttle?
MIT is considering shutting down the Northwest Shuttle service, which runs between the MIT graduate dorms north of Vassar St. and west of Massachusetts Ave. and the main academic buildings. MIT would expect Northwest Shuttle riders to instead use EZRide, a shuttle operated by the Charles River Transporation Management Association that services most of the same area, according to Lawrence R. Brutti, the operations manager of MIT Parking and Transportation.
Perault promoted to Captain
Jay A. Perault has been promoted to the rank of Captain of the Patrol Division of the MIT Police. Perault’s promotion is effective as of February 10, 2010.
As states shrink budgets, concern over trimming prison populations
In the rush to save money in grim budgetary times, states nationwide have trimmed their prison populations by expanding parole programs and early releases. But the result — more convicted felons on the streets, not behind bars — has unleashed a backlash, and state officials now find themselves trying to maneuver between saving money and maintaining the public’s sense of safety.
Bracing for tepid job numbers, House grants tax breaks for hirers
WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday approved a $15 billion measure intended to spur job creation by granting tax breaks to businesses that hire workers, as Democrats, bracing for new jobless figures, tried to show that Congress was doing something about stubborn unemployment.
Deadly attacks on soldiers at polls mar early voting in Iraq
BAGHDAD — Iraq opened its polls early on Thursday for hundreds of thousands of soldiers and police officers responsible for protecting the country’s electorate, and they came under assault themselves.
China’s spectacular real estate boom may presage bubble
SHANGHAI — The spacious duplex comes with crocodile-skin bedposts, hand-carved bronze doors inlaid with Swarovski crystal lights — and a $45 million price tag.
Coupling solar energy to natural gas, and hoping for the best of both
INDIANTOWN, Fla. — In former swamplands teaming with otters and wild hogs, one of the nation’s biggest utilities is running an experiment in the future of renewable power.
Shorts (left)
SACRAMENTO — Angered by increases in tuition and cuts in state funding, thousands of students, parents and faculty protested across California on Thursday, demonstrating at colleges, universities and even elementary schools to plead for help with the state’s ongoing educational crisis.
Shorts (right)
Thousands of processed foods — from soups to hot dogs to dips — contain a flavoring ingredient contaminated with salmonella, but government food safety officials say most affected products are safe because cooking, either before or after sale, eliminates the risk.
Brighter weekend ahead
A series of slow moving storms has affected Boston’s weather for the past week. Overcast skies, breezy conditions, and intermittent precipitation have dominated the recent weather. These storms have also caused continuous flooding along the east coast of Massachusetts. The combination of ocean swells and high astronomical tide has put some coastal roads underwater. However, the ocean flooding and dreary weather should end by the start of the weekend. For today, residual precipitation will linger as the nor’easter over the west Atlantic finally begins to depart. In its wake, an area of high pressure will arrive in the northeastern U.S. A pattern of clear skies and warmer temperatures is in store by Saturday and into the middle of next week. This should keep the mythical and meteorological March “lion” under control for now!
Get over it
Thirteen months ago, I wrote an article for this newspaper entitled “Screw Bipartisanship,” in which I claimed there was a fundamental disagreement between Democrats and Republicans on the most important problem facing health care markets. I suggested that, rather than fruitlessly try to find common ground, Democrats should ignore the Republican point of view and muscle through legislation that would mandate individual insurance coverage.
Why you should care
Sometimes it seems like the Undergraduate Association can’t do anything for you. After all, isn’t it really just the same powerless, ineffectual government-ish organization that couldn’t do anything for you in high school, either? At the end of the day, doesn’t the MIT administration really call the shots? Maybe. But that doesn’t mean that participation in student government isn’t valuable for other reasons.
Campaigning has begun!
Senate met on Monday, March 1. Senate members passed 41 U.A.S. 4.2: Bill to Create Midterm Reviews, which created a review process for members of the UA Executive Committee between the fall and spring semesters. Senate also passed 41 U.A.S. 10.1: Bill to Task the Treasurer with Reimbursement Responsibilities. Ashley M. Nash ’11 was confirmed as the Vice Chair for the Special Projects Committee. Maggie K. Delano ’10 and Timothy R. Jenks ’13 were approved as Chair and Vice Chair of the Nominations Committee, respectively. Senate requested the report from the Financial Policy Review Committee to be ready for discussion at the next meeting on Monday, March 8.
MOVIE REVIEW Scorsese taps into the core of fear
From the very start of<i> Shutter Island</i>, even in the opening credits, director Martin Scorsese is out to mess with minds. The first frames of the movie show a vomiting Leonardo DiCaprio, hunched pitifully over the toilet of a rusty ferry, stricken by the ruthless waves and impossibly thick fog. “Get it together, Teddy,” he coughs. Scorsese has no time for pleasant introductions. The ominous music never ceases.
FEATURE Making the most of restaurant week 2010
Restaurant Week is actually a two-week event that happens twice a year, once in March and once in August. Hundreds of Boston’s best (and priciest) restaurants prepare special menus at discounted prices. From March 14–19th and 21–26th, these restaurants will be offering 2-course lunches for $15.10, 3-course lunches for $20.10 and 3-course dinners for $33.10. See <i>restaurantweekboston.com</i> for full listings.
CONCERT REVIEW If high school’s a bitch, become a rock star
Returning from a hiatus that has kept them off the stage and out of the spotlight for the last couple of years, Rogue Wave kicked off the American portion of their latest tour at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Sporting a new keyboardist and a fairly recent guitarist, Rogue Wave sprouted no pretension in the two years since their last studio visit, playing more than 100 minutes of honest, earnest rock to the mostly full ‘Dise.
CONCERT REVIEW Perfectly inappropriate
Most of us remember our first times — especially if in the process we were rapped painfully on the head several times by streaming toilet paper rolls.
Who cares about men’s basketball?
The MIT men’s basketball team, even after its loss in the NEWMAC tournament this past weekend, are having their most successful year in the program’s 50-plus-year history — did you know?
Scoreboard
Men’s Swimming and Diving Friday-Sunday, 2/26-28 NEWMAC Championship1st of 7 Men’s Volleyball Tuesday, 3/2 vs. Newbury College W 3-2
Upcoming Home Events
Saturday, March 6 Women’s Tennis vs. New York University 10 a.m., duPont Courts Women’s Lacrosse vs.. Manhattanville College 1 p.m., Jack Barry Field Men’s Volleyball vs. Bard College 4:30 p.m., Rockwell Cage Men’s Volleyball vs. Milwaukee School of Eng. 7 p.m., Rockwell Cage Sunday, March 7 Men’s Volleyball vs. College of Mt. St. Vincent 10:30 a.m., Rockwell Cage Men’s Volleyball vs. Carthage College 1 p.m., Rockwell Cage
Men’s swimming wins fifth NEWMAC title
The MIT men’s swimming and diving team won 15 of 20 events to defend its NEWMAC Championship. The Engineers, whose five league titles are one shy of the Coast Guard’s NEWMAC record, finished with 1,027 points. Coast Guard came in second with 947.5 points, while Springfield College was third with a score of 673.5.
