News Briefs
The Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation has announced that last summer’s $40 access fee will now be permanent — the fee will continue for summer 2008. DAPER charged students an access fee for the first time last summer. Previously, access to DAPER facilities had been free for all students year-round.
Yunus Chosen as ’08 Class Speaker
Muhammad Yunus, recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in microlending and alleviating global poverty, is MIT’s 2008 Commencement speaker.
Tenure at MIT Still Predominantly a Male Domain
Just one out of 25 faculty members granted tenure this year at MIT is female, a gender imbalance that appears to contrast with the university’s decade-old effort to boost the status of women.
Randolph Defines Role of MIT Chaplain
Having worked at MIT for 28 years in a several different positions, Robert M. Randolph brings a wealth of experience to the table as MIT’s first Institute chaplain.
Bldg. W1 to Undergo Complete Renovation
Building W1, the current graduate dormitory Ashdown House, will be completely renovated before reopening as an undergraduate residence in the fall of 2010, administrators said yesterday.
Girls Sweep Top Honors at Siemens Science Contest
Girls won top honors for the first time in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology, one of the nation’s most coveted student science awards, which were announced Monday at New York University.
Early January
We continue today under the influence of a very cold high pressure, the same system that has being giving us unseasonably cold temperatures over the last week. In fact, yesterday, we experienced temperatures that are normal for the beginning of January rather than early December.
CIA Destroyed Tapes Showing Severe Interrogation Methods
The CIA in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Qaida operatives in the agency’s custody, a step it took in the midst of congressional and legal scrutiny about the CIA’s secret detention program, according to current and former government officials.
Bush Signals New Approach With Letter to North Korea
President Bush, directly engaging the man he publicly called a “tyrant,” wrote a letter to North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-il, in which he held out the prospect of normalized relations with the United States if North Korea fully discloses its nuclear programs and dismantles its nuclear reactor, administration officials said Thursday.
U.S. Foreign Aid Agency Delays Distribution of Approved Funds
The Millennium Challenge Corp., a federal agency set up almost four years ago to reinvent foreign aid, has taken far longer to help poor, well-governed countries than its supporters expected or its critics say is reasonable.
A Leading Asian Utility to Commit To Cutting Down Carbon Emissions
CLP, one of Asia’s largest power utilities, plans to commit itself on Friday to sharply reducing its emissions of carbon dioxide.
Shorts (left)
Mitt Romney asked the nation on Thursday not to reject his presidential candidacy because of his religion, assuring evangelical Christians and other religious voters that his values matched theirs in a speech that used the word Mormon only once.
Britain Cuts Interest Rate Because of Inflation; ECB Keeps Rate Constant
The European Central Bank, caught between fears of rising inflation and subsiding economic growth, walked a middle ground on Thursday, leaving interest rates unchanged.
Shorts (right)
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Thursday that security progress in Iraq was significant yet still fragile, an assessment echoed by the senior U.S. commander in Baghdad, who strongly cautioned against a premature declaration of victory.
Letters to the Editor
Friday’s news article about OLPC (“OLPC Sued for Allegedly Copying Keyboard Design,” Nov. 30, 2007) uses the term “intellectual property,” which is a tool of harmful vagueness. It lumps together copyright law and patent law (totally different) with other and disparate laws. Perhaps this term is why OLPC is unable to be sure whether the accusation concerns patents or copyrights. If we learn to recognize use of “intellectual property” as a sign that crucial information is missing, we can promote clear thinking about these various laws. See <i>http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/not-ipr.html</i>.
Appeasing the RIAA Is Getting Us Nowhere
In a now not so surprising move to avoid any entanglement in students’ affairs, Dean for Student Life Larry G. Benedict’s sole opinion of the Recording Industry Association of America in his last letter was, “We believe this campaign will continue and expand.” What follows is a tacit approval of the RIAA’s actions and a quick guide on how to easily appease the RIAA. MIT’s decision to kowtow to the RIAA is a mistake, both legally and principally.
MOVIE REVIEW ★★★ Dylan in the Movies
The average biopic takes the life of an extraordinary person and creates a larger than life characterization. Well, what do you do when the subject in question is already larger than life? What do you do when your subject is Bob Dylan, an inconsistent and self-contradictory man inseparable from the shadow of his own legend? Simple: you cast six people to play him, and you make up an impossibly fantastic world for your six Dylans to inhabit.
CONCERT LISTINGS December Concerts
There are only a few weeks left to catch shows before the semester ends, so take note of these top picks. Special interest performances are noted with stars. Send future listing suggestions to <i>arts@tech.mit.edu</i>.
THEATER REVIEW Something for Everyone
A couple of months ago, I was excited to find out that MIT Musical Theatre Guild would produce “Pippin,” and I have been eagerly awaiting the premiere ever since. This musical is particularly endearing, not only because of its catchy music but also because of its remarkably powerful symbolism. The story is an allegory of life itself, unwinding as a journey of self-discovery. It offers a little bit of everything and has something for everyone.
MOVIE REVIEW ★★★★ Set Your Sights for the Northern Lights
Picture a girl on the back of a polar bear, bounding across an endless icy expanse with the aurora borealis crackling above, its shimmering veils hiding intimations of a city in the sky. Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials is a captivating exploration not only of new worlds but new ideas and the possibility of hope in a world with and without God.
Men’s Hockey Falls to Vermont 3-1; Winning Streak Snaps at Five
University of Vermont defenseman Adam Roof notched a goal and two assists to help the Catamounts hand the MIT men’s ice hockey team its first loss of the season, 3-1, in NorthEast Collegiate Hockey Association Conference A East Division action on Saturday night in the Johnson Ice Rink. The loss snapped the Engineers’ season-opening five-game winning streak.
Sports Shorts
In light of a spectacular early season run, MIT heavyweight Glenn J. Geesman ’09 has been ranked ninth in Division III among wrestlers in his weight class by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. It is the first time in recent history that an MIT wrestler has been awarded nationwide seeding.
Women’s Hockey Loses Against Holy Cross and Manhattanville
The MIT women’s hockey team lost a pair of games this weekend, including one against nationally-ranked No. 5 Manhattanville College on Saturday.
