John Waugh, emeritus chemistry professor, dies
John S. Waugh, an MIT Institute Professor emeritus and professor emeritus in the Department of Chemistry, died Friday, Aug. 22, at the age of 85. Waugh was an authority in chemical physics, known internationally for his work in magnetic resonance.
Ex-prof, alum son plead guilty to hedge fund fraud
A former associate dean of MIT’s Sloan School of Management and his son have pleaded guilty to securities fraud and obstruction of justice after allegedly losing $140 million of investors’ money in hedge funds.
IS&T offers Dropbox for Business to MIT
Last Thursday, MIT and Dropbox, the file hosting service, announced a new program to provide Dropbox for Business to all MIT students, staff, and faculty. All MIT users will fall under what Dropbox calls a ‘team.’ According to MIT, Dropbox for Business will offer unlimited storage space and recovery of deleted files to all users.
Alumna named in Islamic State email to Foleys
Islamic State militants told the family of journalist James Foley, whom the group beheaded last week, that they had previously offered to return captured Americans in exchange for the release of Aafia Siddiqui ’95, an MIT alumna and alleged al-Qaida operative.
Election panel enacts policy by not acting
WASHINGTON — The three Republican and three Democratic appointees of the Federal Election Commission had reached yet another deadlock: They would issue no advisory opinion on whether the Conservative Action Fund could accept contributions of bitcoin, the online currency created to be untraceable.
U.S. says it told Qatar not to pay a ransom for Peter Curtis
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Monday that it brought the family of the American hostage Peter Theo Curtis together with the government of Qatar in an effort to secure his release, but insisted that it told the Qataris not to pay a ransom for the captured journalist.
French cabinet is dissolved, a victim of austerity battles
PARIS — The collapse of the French government Monday exposed widening divisions both within France’s leadership, and Europe more broadly, over austerity policies that many now fault for threatening to tip the eurozone back into recession.
Shorts (right)
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has authorized surveillance flights over Syria, a precursor to potential airstrikes there, but a mounting concern for the White House is how to target the Sunni extremists without helping President Bashar Assad.
Cristobal forms as hurricane season reaches peak
Tropical Storm Cristobal formed on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean, just to the northwest of the Bahamas. Cristobal is the third named tropical cyclone of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, and like Hurricanes Arthur and Bertha before it, Cristobal is forecast to attain hurricane strength later this week. Although the storm is forecast to become a hurricane, it will not pose a threat to the United States, as strong mid-level westerly winds are forecast to sweep the storm out to sea.
Syria declares its readiness in efforts to fight jihadists
BAGHDAD — Syria’s foreign minister said Monday that his government was ready to cooperate with international efforts to fight the extremists of the Islamic State. But in a nod to the possibility of expanded U.S. airstrikes, he warned that any action inside Syria without the government’s approval would be considered “aggression.”
Strikes in Libya broaden fight for Arab power
CAIRO — Twice in the last seven days, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have secretly launched airstrikes against Islamist-allied militias battling for control of Tripoli, Libya, four senior U.S. officials said, in a major escalation of a regional power struggle set off by Arab Spring revolts.
Events Aug. 26 – Sept. 1
Events Aug. 26 – Sept. 1 Tuesday (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) Orientation Pizza Making with Hillel — W11 Main Dining Room Wednesday (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) Learning Fair, open-house event sponsored by GSC and MIT spouses&partners — W20-307 (Student Center) (7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) European Club info session I with MISTI — 1-135 Thursday (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) MIT COOP at Kendall hosts VIP night for incoming freshman class of 2018 and new Sloan students, with food, giveaways, and discounts — NE-49 (MIT COOP) Friday (8:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.) The Musical Theatre Guild presents Grease, $3 incoming MIT freshmen, $6 MIT and Wellesley students, $10 MIT affiliates and other students, $15 general public — W16-035 (9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.) Sid-Pac orientation blacklight dance party, sponsored by Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community, LEF, and GSC Orientation — NW86 Saturday (2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) Chinese traditional art workshop I (Guqin), Chinese tea and refreshments provided, sponsored by GSC Funding Board and Chinese Association of Science and Technology — NW10 (large lounge) (6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.) Summer Grill Night, sponsored by GSC Funding Board and Eastgate Community Association — E55 (Eastgate courtyard) Sunday (8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) Trial by Audience, or Musical Comedy Down to the Waistcoat, sponsored by MIT Gilbert and Sullivan Players, free admission — 4-237 Monday (5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) Sid-Pac Orientation BBQ, sponsored by Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community, GSC Funding Board, MIT COOP BOOKS, GSC Orientation, H-Mart, Harvest CO-OP, and Whole Foods — NW86 courtyard Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
Boston Comic Con
Boston Comic Con has grown so much in recent years that it increased from two to three days in length this year. I thought I might be too tired to experience BCC after attending San Diego Comic Con only two weeks earlier, but thankfully this convention offered a less intense atmosphere. More than anything else, the show focused on providing a venue for comics enthusiasts to meet and interact with some of their favorite artists and writers.
