Other Athena changes on the horizon
Though initially interested in deploying multi-function printers, the Athena Working Group will be testing out the idea of scanners in Athena clusters. The pilot scanners will be separate from printers and will be full-featured photo and document scanners that can scan to a file directly. The working group decided against using multi-function printers because many students need higher quality scans than the typical multi-function scanner can provide. (There might still be pilot multi-function devices to test out scanning in general.)
Athena printing changes coming
Over the past year, Information Services and Technology, the UA, and the MIT Administration have been examining how the Athena printing system can be improved to maximize efficiency and cut costs.
Dell hid a plague of faulty capacitors, documents reveal
SAN FRANCISCO — Documents unsealed Thursday in a three-year-old lawsuit against Dell Inc. have raised more questions about how the company handled an unprecedented number of faulty computers sold to governments, schools and corporations from 2003 to 2005.
The online petition against the dining plan
We, the undersigned, write to voice our objection to the new dining plan proposed by the House Dining Advisory Group (HDAG), which is slated to begin next fall.
Gehry helps out in Chicago
It’s not every day that Frank Gehry designs lobby furniture for an office building.
More unrest over new dining plan
Student opposition to the proposed House Dining Advisory Group continues this week. A major new petition launched on Wednesday evening has amassed over 1,298 signatures from undergraduates as of early Friday morning. On Thursday, students held an “eat-in” protest at Baker House to show that they could cook for themselves.
Worm in Iran was perfect for sabotaging centrifuges
Experts dissecting the computer worm suspected of being aimed at Iran’s nuclear program have determined that it was precisely calibrated in a way that could send nuclear centrifuges wildly out of control.
Obama forces showdown with Senate Republicans on arms pact with Russia
WASHINGTON — Just two weeks after an election that left him struggling to find his way forward, President Barack Obama has decided to confront Senate Republicans in a make-or-break battle over arms control that could be an early test of his mettle heading into the final two years of his term.
Shorts (right)
Reading scores for the nation’s 12th-grade students have increased somewhat since they dropped to a historic low in 2005, according to results of the largest federal test, released Thursday. Average math scores also ticked upward.
Aggressive TSA pat downs leave passengers feeling humiliated
In the three weeks since the Transportation Security Administration began more aggressive pat downs of passengers at airport security checkpoints, traveler complaints have poured in.
Obama forces showdown with Senate Republicans on arms pact with Russia
WASHINGTON — Just two weeks after an election that left him struggling to find his way forward, President Barack Obama has decided to confront Senate Republicans in a make-or-break battle over arms control that could be an early test of his mettle heading into the final two years of his term.
With winner absent, Nobel panel won’t hand over the Peace Prize
BEIJING — During the depths of the Cold War, when Soviet physicist and human rights advocate Andrei D. Sakharov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Kremlin barred him from leaving the country. But the authorities allowed his wife to collect the award in his stead.
Bernanke to castigate China for continuing its currency games
WASHINGTON — Ben S. Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairman, plans to argue Friday that a “two-speed global recovery,” with the richest countries lagging behind fast-growing emerging markets like China and India, is hampering the cooperation needed for worldwide economic expansion.
UNTITLED
Reading scores for the nation’s 12th-grade students have increased somewhat since they dropped to a historic low in 2005, according to results of the largest federal test, released Thursday. Average math scores also ticked upward.
With winner absent, Nobel panel won’t hand over the Peace Prize
BEIJING — During the depths of the Cold War, when Soviet physicist and human rights advocate Andrei D. Sakharov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Kremlin barred him from leaving the country. But the authorities allowed his wife to collect the award in his stead.
UNTITLED
FLORENCE, AZ — When a suicide bomber entered a U.S. military barracks in Afghanistan in February, it was not American soldiers but Afghan stray dogs that confronted him. Target and two other dogs snarled, barked and snapped at the man, who detonated his bomb at the entrance to the facility but did not kill anyone.
Bernanke to castigate China for continuing its currency games
WASHINGTON — Ben S. Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairman, plans to argue Friday that a “two-speed global recovery,” with the richest countries lagging behind fast-growing emerging markets like China and India, is hampering the cooperation needed for worldwide economic expansion.
Aggressive TSA pat downs leave passengers feeling humiliated
In the three weeks since the Transportation Security Administration began more aggressive pat downs of passengers at airport security checkpoints, traveler complaints have poured in.
Shorts (left)
FLORENCE, AZ — When a suicide bomber entered a U.S. military barracks in Afghanistan in February, it was not American soldiers but Afghan stray dogs that confronted him. Target and two other dogs snarled, barked and snapped at the man, who detonated his bomb at the entrance to the facility but did not kill anyone.
Cold fronts to bring hints of winter
A pair of cold fronts will cool things down in New England this weekend, bringing our area some of its coldest temperatures of the fall to date.
For the first time, Ireland admits it needs foreign bailout money
Irish officials acknowledged for the first time Thursday that Ireland was seeking aid from international lenders.
For the first time, Ireland admits it needs foreign bailout money
Irish officials acknowledged for the first time Thursday that Ireland was seeking aid from international lenders.
The value of being seriously funny
Who are those late night orators, keeping real and YouTube crowds from falling asleep? What work do they do and is it worthy of our respect? Should we succumb to the musings and quips of these observational scientists, irrelevant to our culture and irrelevant to our science? Beyond its cackles, laughs, chuckles and giggles, is comedy but an irrelevant escapade into obscurity and inconsequence?
Cash crop
Serious discussions of fiscal reform are usually dominated by the big ticket items: health care spending, Social Security, and taxes. This is sensible — these are the areas responsible for the vast majority of our budget shortfall. But the efficiency losses from these programs are small relative to their size. When we debate them, we are rightfully concerned over the drag they create on our nation’s productivity through disincentives to work. But the broader question, the one that makes reform difficult, is one of wealth redistribution: How much will we borrow from future generations to finance present consumption, and how much will we take from the rich to give to the poor?
UA UPDATES & ANSWERS
The UA President and Vice President met with the DSL and student members of HDAG last Friday. Minutes and slides from the meeting are available at <i>ua.mit.edu</i>.
FILM REVIEW Making awkward ‘cool’
Our generation has become used to the slapstick SNL teen comedies. At first glance,<i> Easy A </i>is not dissimilar to its predecessors like<i> Mean Girls</i>. However, unlike other attempts at teenage comedy following <i>Mean Girls</i>, <i>Easy A</i> is fresh, cheeky and actually on the mark.
FILM REVIEW Working with your mind
<i>It’s Kind of a Funny Story </i>is exactly that: kind of funny.
ON CLASSIC CINEMA The original portrayal of the confused youth
<i>Mr. Braddock: What is it, Ben?</i>
Upcoming Home Events
Saturday, November 20 Men’s and Women’s Fencing - NE Fencing Conference No. 1 9 a.m., DuPont Gym Men’s Crew - Foor of the Charles 9 a.m., Charles River Squash vs. Bates College 10 a.m., Z-Center Courts Men’s and Women’s swimming and diving vs. Babson College 1 p.m., Z-Center Pool Men’s and Women’s swimming and diving vs. Bowdoin College 1 p.m., Z-Center Pool Squash vs. Connecticut College 2 p.m., Z-Center Courts Sunday, November 21 Squash vs. Wesleyan University 11:30 a.m., Z-Center Courts
As players swap in and out, teams lose integrity
With so many players leaving their former teams due to free agency and trading between teams today in professional sports, teams are losing their integrity — the maintenance of the key players that form the essence of the team over a period of time.
Men’s basketball starts season with 91-61 win
Noel Hollingsworth ’12 had 18 points as the MIT men’s basketball team opened its 2010-11 campaign with a convincing 91-61 win over Emmanuel College on Tuesday night in Rockwell Cage. Mitchell H. Kates ’13 and James D. “Jamie” Karraker ’12 each chipped in with 17 points for the Engineers, who debuted at No. 15 in the national preseason rankings.
