Future of New Dorm Uncertain
Construction for the new graduate residence NW35 has remained on budget since its $11.5 million overrun in February 2007 and is slated to finish in August 2008. Meanwhile, few plans for the old Ashdown House, W1, have been finalized.
Two Nobel Prize Winners MIT-Affiliated
Former MIT economics professor Eric S. Maskin and former graduate student Mario R. Capecchi were among the recipients of the Nobel Prizes in Economics and Medicine this year, respectively.
Police Log
<i>The following incidents were reported to the MIT Police between Sept. 6 and Oct. 11, 2007. This summary does not include incidents such as false alarms, general service calls, larcenies, or medical shuttles.</i>
Postol Speaks Against U.S. Characterization Of Missile Defense Site
Professor Theodore A. Postol ’67, a well-known critic of missile-defense systems, has accused the U.S. of mischaracterizing missile defense capabilities in ongoing discussions with Russia.
Shorts (right)
The two pro-Western political parties in Ukraine that united in triumph in the Orange Revolution of 2004, but then quarreled and lost control of Parliament, reached a coalition agreement on Monday to retake power.
Turkey Seeks Approval to Raid Iraq to Pursue Kurdish Rebels
Tensions mounted along the Iraqi-Turkish border on Monday as the Turkish government sought parliamentary approval for military raids into northern Iraq. The vote in Parliament would permit Turkish armed forces to cross the border in pursuit of Kurdish rebels who launch attacks into Turkey from Iraqi Kurdistan.
Sunny Skies and Fall Foliage
Will today’s sunny skies help produce intense colors for the autumn leaves? Or is it the cold temperatures and the soil moisture that matter? While there is still some debate in the scientific community on the exact details, it seems to be a combination of the three. Cool temperatures (but not below freezing) and lots of sunlight in the preceding weeks help to kill the chlorophyll and setup the formation of anthocyanins, which create the sharp red and purplish colors our eyes are accustomed to seeing. Obviously, plenty of soil moisture will keep the tree “healthy” and help it hold onto its leaves. So with our somewhat rainy summer, sunny Septembers (climatologically the sunniest month of the year for Boston) and a rapid transition to cooler temperatures, the color intensity of our autumn leaves is one of the best in the world.
Shorts (left)
Chinese President Hu Jintao promised to address social fissures, a degraded environment and rampant corruption during his second term as China’s top leader, but he all but ruled out more than cosmetic political reform in his opening address on Monday at the ruling Communist Party’s 17th National Congress.
Citigroup’s Dramatic Profit Decline Surprises Chairman
Citigroup, the global banking giant, said Monday that third-quarter profit dropped 57 percent after it faced heavy blows to its fixed-income and consumer businesses.
Cuban Immigrants Go Through Mexico, Avoid U.S. Coast Guard
Cubans are migrating to the United States in the greatest numbers in over a decade, and for most of them the new way to get north is first to head west –to Mexico – in a convoluted route that avoids the U.S. Coast Guard.
No Child Left Behind Law Up for Renewal, Prescribing Harsh Rules
As the director of high schools in the gang-infested neighborhoods of East Los Angeles, Guadalupe Paramo struggles every day with educational dysfunction.
Letters to the Editor
As a die-hard Yankees fan, I feel the need to object to the sentiments espoused in the recent article about the firing of Joe Torre (“Torre’s Tenure in NY Should Not Hinge on One Division Series,” Oct. 12, 2007). Yankee fans demand a level of performance that other fans may not be accustomed to. For some teams, fans just want a winning season, or to beat their division rivals, or to find some way of not letting a perfectly good season fall apart (like the Yankees’ cross-town friends, the Mets). Yankee fans want a World Series title, though some years we’ll settle for a pennant. We don’t expect one every year, but with such a dominant lineup, getting kicked out of the playoffs in the first round again and again, and losing the way we have, merits the dismissal of the manager. We’re not fickle fans; I love Joe, but he’s lost his touch with the team. They just aren’t working the way they did back in the late ’90s; he is not even managing the way he did then. Joe’s been on the decline for a while, and this was just the straw that broke Steinbrenner’s back.
Anti-Americanism in the New Century
None of the presidential candidates have answered a fundamental question: how can the United States rehabilitate its reputation in the world? It is not, admittedly, a new question. It gains added urgency, however, because the barrier between resentment of American power and resentment of American people is breaking down for the first time in our nation’s history.
Institute Wisdom Watch
<b>MIT announces new hacking guidelines and policy; Committee on Discipline to hear all future hacking cases.</b> It remains to be seen if the policy will support students or vilify them. — question mark
Women’s Soccer Defeats WPI 6-0; Hopmans Earns First Hat Trick
Janine M. Hopmans ’08 enjoyed the first multi-goal effort of her career by supplying a hat trick as MIT women’s soccer topped Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 6-0, in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference’s annual battle of the Engineers. Fellow captain Amy S. Ludlum ’08 factored in five of Tech’s finishes in helping MIT improve to 6-1 at home this season.
News Briefs
The MIT football team earned its first win of the season on Saturday afternoon, beating Western New England College 26-21 in an away game. Quarterback Stephen C. Toth ’09 threw for 52 yards and two touchdowns, while DeRon M. Brown ’10 rushed for 138 yards and another touchdown. Toth replaced Brian P. Doyle ’11, who passed for 11 yards before leaving with an injury.
Sixth-Ranked Water Polo Wins Pair Over Div. I Fordham, Iona
MIT’s water polo team, ranked sixth nationally in Division III, defeated Fordham University and Iona College in a pair of home Collegiate Water Polo Association Northern Division games this weekend.
Rifle Team Sweeps USP in Air, Smallbore; Tech’s Houston Second in Both
The MIT rifle team swept the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia in both guns on Saturday, picking up where it left off after last week’s solid start against VMI.
Ask SIPB
Today, we’ll discuss two popular mathematics software packages, Matlab and Mathematica. In addition, we’ll take a look at gnuplot, a tool designed to produce high-quality data plots.
Squid vs. Whale
My roommate Sam and I were at Nieman Marcus the other day looking at Prada party shoes. It was then that we decided the current avenues for constructive feedback to the powers that be in America are woefully inadequate. Sam and I are strong proponents of constructive criticism, especially when it comes to consumer products.
Through My Eyes
Out of the thousands of photographs I took this summer, I can count on two hands those that I absolutely love. My first project in India proved to be the most difficult in many ways: adjusting to brushing my teeth with bottled water, overcoming the language barrier, reaching the right balance of respect, and, of course, taking a good photograph. While I was able to control composition, lighting, and other technical aspects, I ran into problems with capturing a variety of subjects and emotions.
