Increased snowfall raises costs by 250 percent
MIT’s budget has taken a hit as a result of the heavy snow this winter: The Department of Facilities has already spent 2.5 times more money clearing snow this year than was spent on the task all last winter. The bulk of the increase comes from the cost of removing snow from campus parking areas to an off-campus site, according to Facilities Ground Services Manager Norman H. Magnuson Jr.
Koch brothers’ money fuels Wisconsin union fight
WASHINGTON — Among the thousands of demonstrators who jammed the Wisconsin State Capitol grounds this weekend was a well-financed advocate from Washington who was there to voice praise for cutting state spending by slashing union benefits and bargaining rights.
Lobby 7 design competition narrows to twelve finalists
The empty plinths in Lobby 7 are familiar to anyone who passes through the entrance to MIT’s campus on a regular basis. Originally designed to hold statues depicting the ancient Greek intellectuals Aristotle, Ictinus, Archimedes, and Callicrates, they are commonly adorned today with a rather unique piece of artwork: MIT students. The Lobby 7 Design Competition, which kicked off last May, aims to fill the empty spaces with more appropriate adornment. After reviewing the 60 student-submitted entries in December, the competition announced its twelve finalists two weeks ago. The competition has separate divisions for undergraduate and graduate student entries, and the finalists were evenly split between these divisions.
Weekend incidents rattle Red Line riders
Two violent incidents disrupted T service along the Red Line, which serves MIT, over the long weekend. A passenger was stabbed on a Cambridge-bound train on Monday, and on Sunday, a Red Line train struck and killed a man at the Central Square station.
Google trying to avoid antitrust fight in Europe
BRUSSELS — At the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the hottest ticket in recent years has invariably been an invitation to Google’s lavish private party, and 2011 was no exception.
MIT student assaulted in Boston
According to an MIT Police crime alert bulletin, two female MIT students were approached in Boston by an unknown male early Monday morning. The first student was assaulted at around 3:05 a.m. while walking down Beacon Street in Boston towards Massachusetts Avenue. The suspect pulled the hood of her jacket after she refused conversation. He attempted to pull her closer by grabbing her stomach, but she escaped to a taxi. The second victim was approached around 3:30 a.m. while sitting with two male companions. The suspect walked up to the group and asked her to come with him. Her companions told the man to leave.
US hardens stance on nationwide immigrant policy
After months of internal wrangling and confusion over an ambitious nationwide program allowing state and local police agencies to identify immigrants with criminal records, Obama administration immigration officials have decided to take a hard line against communities that try to delay or cancel their participation in the program, according to documents made public late Wednesday.
Criticism emerges from downplay of breast implant risk
When talking to patients about a rare type of cancer linked to breast implants, plastic surgeons should call it “a condition” and avoid using the words cancer, tumor, disease or malignancy, the president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons advised members during an online seminar on Feb. 3.
Police Log
The following incidents were reported to the Campus Police between Dec. 19 and Feb. 5. The dates below reflect the dates the incidents occurred. This information is compiled from the Campus Police’s crime log. The report does not include alarms, general service calls, or incidents not reported to the dispatcher.
Initial public offering possible in 2012 for Zynga
Zynga, the company behind many of the Web’s most viral games, is in advanced discussions on an investment that would value the company at nearly $10 billion and could pave the way for an initial public offering next year.
Community reacts to plan for Kendall
Cambridge City Councillor Kenneth E. Reeves expressed deep misgivings over MIT’s plan to revitalize Kendall Square at this month’s Town Gown meeting, saying that MIT’s motives in the project may be driven by profit and that the Institute lacks expertise in building community spaces.
For Watson, Jeopardy! is elementary
Quick! Take a clue, and break it down into keywords, finding out what it’s asking for. Rack your brain and generate a list of hundreds of possible answers to said question. Then evaluate each answer produced for validity, using varying types of evidence. Figure out the best possible choice and report it. And do it in two to six seconds. Such a process is routine for supercomputer Watson, explained David Gondek, an IBM researcher who spoke at MIT on Monday, just before Watson began its highly anticipated competition against human Jeopardy! champions Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings.
Orientation 2011 to be largely identical to previous years
In an e-mail sent to undergraduate students yesterday evening, Undergraduate Association President Vrajesh Y. Modi ’11, Dormitory Council President Christina R. Johnson ’11, Dean for Undergraduate Education Daniel E. Hastings PhD ’80, and Dean for Student Life Chris Colombo announced that the schedule for Orientation 2011, with the exception of the start date of International Orientation, will not change. Residence Exploration (REX) will be the same length as it was last year.
Say hello to our newest dormitory
Last Saturday, the doors to Maseeh Hall finally opened for students — but only if they wore safety gear.
UA presidents call for student engagement reform
Five current and former UA presidents joined forces to write a letter addressing the administrative shortcomings in efforts to engage students on campus issues. The letter argued that the Task Force on Student Engagement (TSE) has failed in its mission of involving students in three important decisions from the past two years — cutting varsity sports, increasing enrollment, and restructuring dining.
Walker Memorial future an unknown
After Monday night’s Walker Memorial community meeting, the fate of Walker Memorial as a student space is still unclear. Associate Provost Martin A. Schmidt PhD ’88 addressed the concerns of student groups whose space in Walker may be affected by a potential renovation and repurposing of the building.
Chevron ordered to pay $9 billion by Ecuador judge
CARACAS, Venezuela — A judge in a tiny courtroom in the Ecuadorean Amazon ruled Monday that the oil giant Chevron was responsible for polluting remote tracts of Ecuadorean jungle and ordered the company to pay more than $9 billion in damages, one of the largest environmental awards ever.