News Briefs
The UA Committee on Space Planning is working on revitalizing the former game room next to LaVerdes Market on the first floor of the Student Center.
20 arrested in NYC trying to see underground art
The New York City police have arrested 20 people for trying to enter an abandoned subway station housing the formerly secret guerrilla exhibition of underground street art that was revealed to the public this month.
The secret to how cats drink, as told to professors by Cutta Cutta
It has taken four highly qualified engineers and a bunch of integral equations to figure it out, but we now know how cats drink. The answer is: very elegantly, and not at all the way you might suppose.
Corrections
The article about Commencement speaker Ursula Burns incorrectly stated that the MIT Corporation make the final decision selecting the Commencement speaker. In fact, it is President Susan Hockfield who has the final say.
Two new petitions fight dining process
Two more student petitions against the new dining plan have sprung up this past week, one at Next House and another at Baker.
Obama’s economic view raises hackles of many major US allies
SEOUL, South Korea — President Barack Obama’s hopes of emerging from his Asia trip with the twin victories of a free trade agreement with South Korea and a unified approach to spurring global economic growth ran into resistance on all fronts Thursday, putting Obama at odds with his key allies and largest trading partners.
Shorts (right)
WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday that it was investigating whether Google had violated laws when it collected Wi-Fi data as part of its Street View photo project.
Shorts (left)
Fox News host Glenn Beck was criticized by the Anti-Defamation League, a leading Jewish advocacy organization, on Thursday in response to a televised segment about financier George Soros and the Holocaust.
Little harm found if gay ban is lifted, Pentagon report says
WASHINGTON — The draft of a new Pentagon report concluded that repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law would not cause overall harm to the military but might cause temporary disruptions, people familiar with the report said Thursday.
‘Palin’s Alaska’: fishing, climbing and feeding a following on TV
Sarah Palin says her new series on TLC is not a reality show, and she has a point. The show is not an outdoorsy version of celebrity-dysfunction shows like “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” or “The Hasselhoffs.”
Hoping for magic, start-ups follow Twitter into the building
SAN FRANCISCO — When Joe Fernandez, a tech entrepreneur, moved his start-up here last spring, a big goal, he said, was “to be best friends with the Twitter guys.” His theory was that by hanging around with executives at one of the hottest tech companies today, some of the magic could rub off.
Thanks to a very warm fall, first snow yet to come
New students awaiting their first Boston snowfall will not see it too soon. While November often means the start of snow season in New England, this fall has on average been unseasonably warm so far. This pattern will continue this weekend, as high pressure over will make for clear, dry conditions. In fact, a beautiful weekend is in store for most of the eastern United States, as a large frontal boundary will remain stationary over the Midwest, leaving warm temperatures and calm winds to its east. This pleasant weather won’t last forever, though, as the cold front will finally reach us on Sunday, making things a bit colder and cloudier for the start of the week.
Bring the U.S. out of the Dark Ages
Every four years, the United Nations undertakes a review of member nations’ human rights situations. The United States was recently evaluated, and one conspicuous recommendation was that the country abolish the death penalty.
Mankind is made for giving
Our society is provided with numerous examples of high-profile individuals who give a great deal. Among businesspeople, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet first come to mind. Among singers, Bono is arguably the most visible face of philanthropy. Yet they are not alone: countless other businesspeople, singers, actors, and actresses join them in making substantial gifts to charity with the hope of helping others.
UA UPDATES & ANSWERS
Last Wednesday, at the Exec meeting at Senior House, there was a strong discussion on summer housing. The general student input favored more available student summer housing at the respective dorms, especially when space and money permits. Following that was a more thorough discussion on Kendall Square changes and renovations. Various ideas, from grocery stores, boutiques, and coffee shops to live music, event space, and internship offices for startups or UROPs were presented. The UA continues to seek students who are interested in joining a committee that discusses the future of Kendall Square. Please e-mail ua@mit.edu if you are interested.
The President’s balancing act
SATURDAY, NOV. 6: President Obama arrives in Mumbai, India. Down the Air Force One jet ladders, he and his wife wave and smile. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh greets the president and first lady. Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan gives Obama a memento, Michelle a bouquet. Hands shake hands. Obama and his wife are led to the Taj Hotel where they will stay the first day of the ten-day visit in Asia.
SURVEY ANALYSIS Political preferences by gender
During the week of October 25, The Tech surveyed 2,145 graduate and undergraduate students, or nearly 20 percent of the student population at MIT, about their political views. On Election Day, November 2, we published a breakdown of some of the more interesting results, and promised to publish more in the coming weeks. Conspicuously absent from our original analysis was a gender breakdown, which is presented here.
CONCERT REVIEW Uninspired but familiar
I found the remnants of Gen X last Wednesday. They were stoned at the Dandy Warhols concert at the Royale on Tremont St. This must have been their last bastion of sanctify from the crippling recession, overdue payments on the BMW, and the fact that mom and dad borrowed away their future for that house on Nantucket.
Engineers make NEWMAC all-conference teams this fall
Several MIT athletes received NEWMAC postseason honors this week.
Upcoming Home Events
Saturday, November 13 Women’s Crew: Foot of the Charles 9 a.m., Charles River
Injuries gave football team a losing season
With a loss on Saturday at Endicott College, the MIT football program ends its season at 1-8. After a promising win to open the season, the Engineers were unable to improve on their win total from last year.
