Marathon bomber sentenced to death
Most of the jurors were unconvinced by the defense's mitigating factors, such as the claim that it was Tsarnaev's brother who shot MIT police officer Sean Collier.
Weather
The summery weather will continue through the weekend in Cambridge as a Low over Ontario brings warm southern air our way through Sunday. The chance that this will bring some spots of rain over the weekend is low, but non-zero. The weather we are getting this week is a little warmer than average for May, so don’t burn your spring clothes just yet.
Students given additional time to move out after final exams
Undergraduates living in dormitories may request to remain in their dormitories for an additional day — until Sunday, May 24 — before they are required to move out for the summer, according to an email from Henry Humphreys, senior associate dean of Residential Life and Dining.
Marathon bomber appears to weep as aunt testifies
BOSTON — Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has maintained an impassive or stoic demeanor throughout his trial. Even as survivors told of the carnage he inflicted at the 2013 Boston Marathon, and family members described how he killed their loved ones, he barely seemed to flinch.
Faculty urged to weigh in on climate change, divestment
With the MIT Climate Change Conversation Committee due to report findings within the next month — and expected to recommend whether MIT should divest — Vice President of Research Maria T. Zuber has called on faculty members to join the dialogue.
NFL issues deflategate ruling: Pats likely guilty
An NFL investigation has found that “it is more probable than not” that New England Patriots personnel intentionally deflated footballs to gain an advantage in the AFC championship game last season, and that Tom Brady, the Super Bowl most valuable player, was aware of it.
Nepali students association raises $27,000 for earthquake relief
MITeri, a Nepali students association, has raised more than $27,000 to aid relief efforts in Nepal, according to the group’s homepage.
Witness describes supermax prison as jury weighs life and death for Tsarnaev
BOSTON — In case the jury in the Boston Marathon bombing trial has been wondering, vacancies exist in the most secure cellblock at the remote supermax penitentiary in Colorado, the toughest, bleakest prison in the federal system.
CORRECTIONS
The caption for last week’s front-page photograph of a girl at the Collier Memorial misstated the name of MIT’s president. He is L. Rafael Reif, not “Rafael L. Reif.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
There have been more suicides at MIT this academic year than any other in recent memory. This is unacceptable. The MIT community as a whole needs to have a systematic, active, and open discussion about how to combat the issue. Each individual who chose to commit suicide had a life that cannot be summarized by a statistic, but if we study all of these individuals as a group, then we may find important insights.
Profiting from ignorance
By now many of us have heard that America’s favorite “fast casual restaurant” — Chipotle “Mexican” Grill — has gone GMO-free. Although Chipotle’s decision represents the singular action of a private company, it still speaks to the increasing success of the anti-GMO movement. And while private companies have every right to decide what products they sell, Chipotle’s decision to pander to the anti-GMO movement is dangerous and irresponsible.
Edge of Vision engages the senses with three diverse dances
Boston Ballet’s Edge of Vision, a three-part performance featuring original choreography and eclectic music, grips its audience with stunning sensory detail.
United Nations’ first VR film pushes the bounds of empathy
Virtual reality has always been framed as the next big thing in gaming, but if the United Nations has anything to do with it, it will be the next big thing in humanitarian aid.
The Butterfly Effect
I recall a conversation I had with a friend about the future directions of Kendrick Lamar’s music career about six months after his first studio album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was released. The album was a cohesive, thoughtful exploration of teenage life in Compton, and fans and critics alike received it as a defining album for hip-hop. Where could Kendrick possibly go from here to avoid being cast as a one-trick pony? It was clear Kendrick had the potential for rap greatness, but it was unclear whether this would be the sort of iconic status enjoyed by Jay Z or the niche appeal and recognition enjoyed by Nas.
MIT Cheer travels to Florida to perform at national meet
The MIT cheerleading team had their best performance in program history at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Collegiate Cheer and Dance Competition held in Daytona, Florida. “Considering we didn’t have a coaching staff three years ago, I would say we have improved leaps and bounds,” said Elizabeth Mule ’17, who has been a cheerleader since seventh grade. MIT Cheer, as they are popularly known, performed a regular cheer along with a two-and-a-half-minute routine that included stunts, dancing, and tumbling.
Baseball team wins NEWMAC title again
Like it did in the first of the three-game 2015 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Baseball Championship series, MIT took an early lead and then held off Wheaton College down the stretch as the Engineers claimed a 5-4 victory over the Lyons, giving MIT a 2-1 series win and its second straight NEWMAC championship. Parker Tew ’15 had three hits and drove in a run in the final game and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Cycling team wins conference
The MIT cycling team clinched the Division II Omnium in the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) road season that concluded with the conference championships held on April 25–26. Jen Wilson G (3rd in Women’s A), Emma Edwards G (2nd in Women’s B), Julie van der Hoop G (3rd in Women’s B), and Philip Kreycik G (3rd in Men’s C) earned individual honors. The cycling team will compete in the National Championships to be held in Asheville, North Carolina, on the coming weekend.
Women’s lacrosse wins its 1st NEWMAC title
The MIT women’s lacrosse team clinched their first-ever New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship this weekend with a come-from-behind 11-10 victory over Springfield. MIT battled back from a 10-5 deficit to earn a direct entry to the NCAA playoffs where they will face Regis on Saturday, May 9.
Technical Problems 6
Technical Problems is a weekly column consisting of puzzles and math problems intended to be accessible to undergraduates of all majors. Solutions are posted two weeks later online. If you are interested in having one or more of your solutions published in the column, please send them to general@tech.mit.edu.
