Koch brothers’ money fuels Wisconsin union fight
WASHINGTON — Among the thousands of demonstrators who jammed the Wisconsin State Capitol grounds this weekend was a well-financed advocate from Washington who was there to voice praise for cutting state spending by slashing union benefits and bargaining rights.
Lobby 7 design competition narrows to twelve finalists
The empty plinths in Lobby 7 are familiar to anyone who passes through the entrance to MIT’s campus on a regular basis. Originally designed to hold statues depicting the ancient Greek intellectuals Aristotle, Ictinus, Archimedes, and Callicrates, they are commonly adorned today with a rather unique piece of artwork: MIT students. The Lobby 7 Design Competition, which kicked off last May, aims to fill the empty spaces with more appropriate adornment. After reviewing the 60 student-submitted entries in December, the competition announced its twelve finalists two weeks ago. The competition has separate divisions for undergraduate and graduate student entries, and the finalists were evenly split between these divisions.
Weekend incidents rattle Red Line riders
Two violent incidents disrupted T service along the Red Line, which serves MIT, over the long weekend. A passenger was stabbed on a Cambridge-bound train on Monday, and on Sunday, a Red Line train struck and killed a man at the Central Square station.
Google trying to avoid antitrust fight in Europe
BRUSSELS — At the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the hottest ticket in recent years has invariably been an invitation to Google’s lavish private party, and 2011 was no exception.
MIT student assaulted in Boston
According to an MIT Police crime alert bulletin, two female MIT students were approached in Boston by an unknown male early Monday morning. The first student was assaulted at around 3:05 a.m. while walking down Beacon Street in Boston towards Massachusetts Avenue. The suspect pulled the hood of her jacket after she refused conversation. He attempted to pull her closer by grabbing her stomach, but she escaped to a taxi. The second victim was approached around 3:30 a.m. while sitting with two male companions. The suspect walked up to the group and asked her to come with him. Her companions told the man to leave.
Gadhafi’s forces strike with fury as Libyan unrest grows
CAIRO — The faltering government of the Libyan strongman Colonel Moammar Gadhafi struck back at mounting protests against his 40-year rule, as security forces and militiamen backed by helicopters and warplanes besieged parts of the capital Monday, according to witnesses and news reports from Tripoli.
Zimbabwe arrests 46 for watching uprisings on TV
JOHANNESBURG — Dozens of students, trade unionists and political activists who gathered to watch Al-Jazeera and BBC news reports on the uprisings that brought down autocrats in Tunisia and Egypt have been arrested on suspicion of plotting to oust President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
Shorts (right)
Blockbuster, the bankrupt video rental company, said on Monday that it had agreed to sell itself to a group of creditors for about $290 million as a way to jump-start an auction process that could yield a higher bid.
In Wisconsin, back to work in the Senate — minus a party
MADISON, Wis. — With the Capitol braced for another week of protests and deadlock over a budget bill that would severely restrict public employees’ unions here, the top Republican in the State Senate announced that the body would resume consideration of other matters.
Egypt’s new leaders signal commitment to civilian rule
CAIRO — The military and civilian leadership controlling Egypt in the wake of a popular revolution took several high-profile steps Monday to reassure Egyptians that it shared their fervor for change and to signal to foreign leaders that the move to full civilian rule would be rapid.
New Jersey’s ailing economy may test governor’s charismatic allure
In a year as governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie has captivated conservatives with an in-your-face frankness and nonstop aggressiveness that few have seen from a chief executive.
Shorts (left)
FRANKFURT, Germany — BMW, the German luxury car builder, said on Monday that it would create a sub-brand known as BMW i to market a line of battery-powered cars starting in 2013, and gave the most complete picture yet of how the vehicles made of carbon fiber and aluminum would look.
Winter-like conditions return to New England
The cold temperatures of the winter season are back in full swing after an unusually warm period late last week. Last Friday evening, the warm weather came to an abrupt end as some surprising thunderstorm squalls raced through the area.
Digital freedom, liberty, civility, love
While it is certainly encouraging to see that the current U.S. government is intent on bringing more freedom of expression and opportunities for democratic action to people in repressed regimes around the world, the latest effort at new legislation for improving Internet access to such regions may understandably leave us perplexed.
The inequality illusion
Benjamin Disraeli is once said to have remarked that there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. As a man who views the world through empiricist lenses, I’ve never been fond of the saying (I prefer to think of the three categories as lies, damned lies, and personal anecdotes), but there is some truth to the maxim. Statistics, arranged with malice aforethought, can lead their viewers to make facile, incorrect inferences.
Letters to the Editor
It disturbs me that most in the MIT community have missed the point when it comes to hazing.
Williams sneaks Track win
MIT Women’s Track and Field once again demonstrated their characteristic competitiveness and tenacity as they competed in the New England Division III Indoor Championships held here at MIT over the weekend. Although rival Williams College was favored to win the event, the Engineers refused to allow Williams to simply walk into their house and take the title without an impressive fight.
Upcoming Home Events
Thursday, February 24 Men’s Tennis vs. Emerson College 4 p.m., Carr Courts
Infinite congestion
Ever been impatiently inching along the Infinite in a hurry to be on time but found yourself trapped among the masses of people cluttering the hallway, slowly waddling along like molasses on a cold winter’s day? It can be frustrating, to say the least. Here are a few suggestions to successfully avoid the heavy traffic of MIT’s passageways.
Institute Double Take
An evening view of the west side of campus was taken during a cloudy day in the spring. The astroturf field and the tennis bubble are at the center of the image. On the left stands the MacGregor House tower. To the right of the bubble is Tang Hall and Westgate Apartments. The mixture of blue and orange in the sky creates a striking effect, rendering the MIT skyline exceptionally beautiful.
Events: Feb. 22 - Feb.28
Events:Feb. 22 – Feb. 28 Tuesday (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) Celebrate National Recreational Sports & Fitness Day with special events and free group exercise classes — Zesiger Center (7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) Networking dinner for students involved in public service hosted by the MIT Public Service Center and Office of the Dean for Graduate Education — W11-190 Wednesday (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) Diversity Career Fair — Lobby 13 (7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.) IDEAS and MIT Global Challenge: Spring Generator Dinner — W20, La Sala de Puerto Rico Thursday (5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) Online News: Public Sphere or Echo Chamber? A presentation by Joshua Benton and Pablo Boczkowski — 3-270 (6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.) MIT Transportation Showcase — MIT Museum Friday (1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.) Drumming with Griots: Sabar drumming workshop (beginner level) — N52-199 (7:00 p.m. – 10:00p.m.) LSC shows The Social Network — 26-100 Saturday (11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) Mujeres Latinas 2nd Annual Conference — W20 Twenty Chimneys (9:15 p.m. – 11:15 p.m.) Jews on Ice — W35 SUNDAY (12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.) Kita Alef — Hebrew for real beginners — 8-119 (2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) American Rumba and East Coast Swing Workshops — W20, La Sala de Puerto Rico MONDAY (all day) FSILG&D Community Service Challenge Kick-Off — 4-104 (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) Collision 2 Lecture Series: Guillermo Faivovich & Nicolas Goldberg — E15-070, Bartos Theater Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
