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Volume 129, Number 59 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Tuesday, December 8, 2009 UA Demands Official Statement On the State of Dining Reform By Maggie Lloyd Feedback, collected over a period port delayed and the UA Senate out Associate News Editor of two weeks, will then be gathered of session until February, UA Sena- Last night, the Undergraduate from undergraduates and delivered tor Jonte D. Craighead ’13 said this Association demanded that the Divi- to Colombo’s office. resolution will help policy discus- sion of Student Life release a state- According to Senate Speaker sions continue through IAP. ment describing its current work on Paul Baranay ’11, the UA will try to Last October, Colombo said the dining reform and its plans for next get feedback from as many students Division of Student Life was wait- semester. in as many different living groups as ing for the release of the Task Force The bill was drafted by five UA possible. He said that the UA would report, then scheduled for late No- representatives on Sunday and was try to collect statistics about student vember, to make decisions regarding passed unanimously by the Senate opinions as well as qualitative re- these proposals. The release of this last night. It states that Dining’s bud- marks. Task Force report has since been de- get deficits are “significant” and that The DSL would be expected to layed to the end of this term. students need to be updated on the issue a revised position statement The Blue Ribbon Dining Com- progress of dining reform. within two weeks after receiving the mittee and UA dining proposals were Dean for Student Life Chris Co- student feedback. both released this spring. Regarding lombo said on Monday that he is The resolution names the student these proposals, Baranay said he aware of the UA’s resolution on din- body as “the major shareholder in hoped that the DSL would consider Eric D. Schmiedl—The Tech ing reform, but has not yet received a the MIT Dining System” and notes both reports when creating a formal Hackers turned the ceiling of Lobby 7 into a giant “black hole” copy of the document and could not that if changes are to come to Cam- position on dining. early on Saturday morning, complete with a crumpled CERN comment on it. pus Dining next fall, these changes “These reports will certainly be spaceship being sucked into the center (in reference to the The bill calls for the statement to need to be decided on by spring. important to any discussion about Large Hadron Collider project). be released by the end of IAP 2010. With the release of the Task Force re- dining,” Colombo said. Dana Mead to Step Down as Media Lab Team Uses Social Web Chairman of MIT Corporation To Win DARPA Red Balloon Prize By John Markoff in diameter, were arrayed around the cursive incentive structure.” The New York Times country. Some were in highly traf- The approach “rewards people A group of researchers at the ficked locations like Union Square who make real contributions,” said Massachusetts Institute of Technolo- in San Francisco; others were in Crane, whose research has recently gy edged out about 4,300 other teams more obscure places, like Katy Park, focused on how information spreads on Saturday in a Pentagon-sponsored a baseball field in the Houston sub- in computer networks, like YouTube. contest to correctly identify the loca- urbs. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime tion of 10 red balloons distributed The winning researchers, who opportunity to perform an experi- around the United States. specialize in studying human inter- ment at a massive scale,” he said. The contest, which featured a actions that emerge from computer In the simplest case, a single per- $40,000 prize, was organized by the networks, set up a Web site asking son who contributed the correct an- Defense Advanced Research Projects people to join their team. They relied swer would be given $2,000 and the Agency, in an effort to develop new on visitors to the Web site to invite research group would give another ways to understand how information their friends. They also sent e-mail $2,000 to charity. In cases where mul- is disseminated through social net- messages inviting people to partici- tiple people contributed, participants works. pate and sent a small number of ad- will get some fraction of $4,000. The winning group, a small team vertisements to mobile phones. The researchers said they had re- at the MIT Media Laboratory Human They said that they would dole ceived contributions from 4,665 par- Dynamics Group led by a physicist, out the prize money both to chains ticipants. Riley Crane, took just eight hours of individuals who referred people “They got a huge amount of par- Andrew T. Lukmann—Tech File Photo and 56 minutes to complete the chal- who had correct information on the ticipation from shockingly little mon- Dana G. Mead PhD ’67 at an Undergraduate Association Senate lenge. balloons’ locations and to charities. meeting in 2008. The balloons, which were 8 feet They described their method as a “re- DARPA, Page 16 After serving as Chairman of the MIT Corporation for six years and selecting Susan J. Hockfield as MIT’s latest president, Dana G. Mead PhD ’67 announced last Friday that he will be stepping down Former Admissions Dean Returns to from his position at the end of June. According to Corporation bylaws, members may not be older than 75; Mead is currently 74. In an interview with the MIT News Office, Secretary of the Corpora- tion Kirk D. Kolenbrander said that the Corporation’s executive commit- College Game 2 Years After Scandal tee is looking for a nominee to replace Mead, and that a new chairman By Tamar Lewin colleagues at MIT and in other ad- said. will be elected at the Corporation’s next meeting in March or June. The New York Times missions offices, and not responding Only the bare bones of her misrep- Two and a half years ago, Marilee to messages. resentations are known. According to Dana Mead, Page 16 Jones, the highly regarded dean of “I dropped off the grid, on pur- MIT, Jones, 58, had on various occa- admissions at the Massachusetts In- pose,” she said in a recent interview. sions represented herself as having stitute of Technology, vanished from “I needed time to reground and heal.” degrees from three upstate New York public sight when it came to light that But now, like many others tainted institutions: Albany Medical College, In Short nearly three decades earlier, when by scandal (think Martha Stewart), Union College and Rensselaer Poly- ¶¶Don’t forget to pre-register be- cial election to elect the successor she was first hired there, she had lied she has begun a second act. After a technic Institute. In fact, she had no fore you leave! The deadline for to Senator Edward Kennedy. Four about her academic credentials. move to New York, and a divorce from degrees from any of those places — pre-registration for the spring term Democrats and two Republicans That revelation was a major scan- Steven R. Bussolari, of MIT’s Lincoln only a 1973 bachelor’s degree, in biol- is December 30, after which there are vying for their respective par- dal in academic circles, where Jones Laboratory, she has re-emerged with ogy, from the College of St. Rose, an is a $40 late fee. Pre-registration ties’ nominations. The election it- was well known for trying to help a new consulting business, offering independent college in Albany, where for IAP ends January 14. self will be January 19, 2010. students calm down as they competed her services both to admissions of- she grew up. for admission to the most selective fices and to parents. Jones said that she had never read ¶¶Vote today in the Massachu- Send news information and tips to colleges. From the day she resigned, Jones still will not discuss what a single word of the news coverage of setts Senate primaries for the spe- [email protected]. April 26, 2007, Jones went silent, happened at MIT, or how her lies un- cutting off contact with most of her raveled. “I’ve put that behind me,” she Marilee Jones, Page 17

Comics Op i n i o n This is the final issue of The World & Nation ��������������������������2 Editorial: Five Years In: Tech for the term. The Tech will Opinion ����������������������������������������4 The Hockfield Administration publish weekly on Wednesdays Comics & Fun Pages ������������������6 Page 4 during IAP, starting on January 6. Arts ����������������������������������������������8 Thoughts on the future of OCW Good luck during finals week! Sports ����������������������������������������20 Page 6 Page 5 Page 2 The Tech December 8, 2009 Wo r l d & Na t i o n Foreign Investors Warn They Could Iranian Student Protesters Claim Dubai Assets By Landon Thomas Jr. The New York Times Clash with Police As Dubai World and its creditors steel themselves for tough nego- tiations over the conglomerate’s debt, some foreign investors say they By Nazila Fathi with some protesters burning posters tured video clips of rallies in Tehran, have enough support to force the company into default and lay claim and Robert F. Worth of President Mahmoud Ahmadine- Mashad, Isfahan, Tabriz and other to its most prized assets. The New York Times jad and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, cities. This go-for-broke strategy is being led by QVT, an $8.5 billion ac- BEIRUT, Lebanon the country’s supreme leader. Other One video showed hundreds of tivist fund with a reputation for taking leading roles in complicated On a day of angry street clashes, marchers carried an Iranian flag students at Amir Kabir University of situations driven by bankruptcy. QVT, with other hedge funds, is also thousands of people rallied against from which the signature emblem of Technology in Tehran waving bank a large holder of the Islamic bonds of Nakheel, Dubai World’s troubled the government on Monday at uni- “Allah” — added after Iran’s 1979 notes in the air to ridicule the Basij real estate unit. versities across Iran, defying a wide- Islamic revolution — had been re- members, who are officially volun- But instead of just going after the prime waterfront land in Dubai ranging advance effort to suppress moved. At Sharif University in Teh- teers but are widely said to receive that secures the bonds, QVT and other foreign creditors said Friday the protests and bringing a new fe- ran, protesters could be seen on a money for cracking down on protest- that they would consider suing Dubai World in British and local courts rocity to the opposition movement’s video clip posted to YouTube chant- ers. Another video showed students for its prestige properties, including its ports and foreign real estate as- confrontation with the regime. ing “death to the oppressor, whether breaking down the university’s front sets held by the conglomerate’s investment arm, Istithmar. The protests, taking place on Shah or Supreme Leader.” gates, which the authorities had Such a tactic may simply be posturing to threaten Dubai World with National Student Day, set off battles The authorities had barricaded locked to prevent the protests from a long legal process. Many of the assets are highly strategic to Dubai in and around campuses. Protesters and surrounded universities in an ef- spreading. and probably would be difficult to secure, no matter the legal jurisdic- hurled rocks and set fires amid clouds fort to forestall dissent on an official Another group of protesters near tion. of tear gas, while a vast deployment holiday commemorating the killing Tehran University waved a Russian of police and plainclothes Basij mili- of three students by the Shah’s forces flag at the police and then set it on tia members beat back chanting pro- in 1953. They arrested dozens of stu- fire, in a gesture mocking the Iranian Blasts in Pakistan Market Kill 30 testers with chains, truncheons and dent leaders, ordered foreign news regime’s ritual anti-Americanism. By Waqar Gillani stun guns. outlets to stay away and reduced the Russia was quick to recognize Mah- The New York Times LAHORE, Pakistan There were reports of dozens of Internet to a trickle to limit the op- moud Ahmadinejad as president af- Militants set off two bombs on Monday night in one of the busiest arrests and injuries. Many witnesses position’s main link with its support- ter the election, prompting opposi- markets of this eastern Pakistani city, then sprayed the crowd with gun- said the day’s confrontations were ers. tion supporters — who believe the fire, killing at least 30 and wounding more than 100 others, Pakistani the most violent since the rallies Nevertheless, large crowds of election was stolen through massive authorities said. It was the latest in a litany of militant attacks against that followed last summer’s disputed university students gathered on cam- fraud — to protest. Pakistani civilians. presidential election. puses across Iran on Monday morn- The renewed set of protests The attack, which came at about 9 p.m., struck at a corner of the The protests — the opposition’s ing, many holding banners or arm- comes at a sensitive time for Iran’s Moon Market where women crowded rows of garment stands to shop first major street showing in more bands in the opposition’s trademark government, which recently rejected for clothes, witnesses said. Militants set off the second bomb moments than a month — also included the bright-green color, to chant “God is an international proposal to transport after the first, engulfing much of the market in flames, and firedat most aggressive verbal attacks on the Great!” and “Death to the Dictator.” the country’s uranium abroad for people fleeing the scene. Islamic Republic yet, witnesses said, Twitter and opposition Web sites fea- processing. “We were busy in dealing customers at this peak time of the market when we sudden heard the blast,” said Jamshed Akhter, one survivor who runs a garment shop in the same market. “After that we know nothing. We rushed to save our lives across the road.” Chicago Suspect Charged in Pervez Rathore, the Lahore police chief, said there was a strong possibility that the bombs were detonated by remote control, rather than suicide attack. But the authorities still had not determined the 2008 Mumbai Attack exact cause of the bombing by late Monday night. By Ginger Thompson and to murder and maim, signifi- the authorities in Pakistan and India, and David Johnston cantly expanded the government’s and an examination of e-mail mes- Pollution Fears Stir Backlash on The New York Times case against Headley, 49. And his sages between Headley and others WASHINGTON profile — he has roots in the United suspected in the plots, led to the new Natural Gas Boom An American at the center of an States and links to high levels of the charges involving the Mumbai kill- By Jad Mouawad and Clifford Krauss international terrorism investigation Pakistani government and military ings, officials said. The New York Times has been charged with helping plot — makes him a highly unusual ter- A lawyer for Headley refused to Across vast regions of the country, gas companies are using a tech- the 2008 rampage in Mumbai, India, ror suspect. comment. Rana’s lawyer could not nology called hydraulic fracturing — fracking — to produce natural that left 173 people dead, according Headley was arrested in Octo- be reached. The authorities refused gas from previously untapped beds of shale. The push has been so suc- to a Justice Department complaint ber with another Chicago resident, to say whether Rehman was in custo- cessful that potential U.S. gas reserves jumped by 35 percent in two unsealed Monday. Tahawwur Rana, and charged with dy in Pakistan, citing the diplomatic years. David C. Headley of Chicago is plotting to attack a Danish newspa- tensions the case has caused in the What the drilling push will do to local environments is another mat- accused of helping identify targets per that in 2005 had published car- United States, India and Pakistan. ter. The drilling boom is raising concern in many parts of the coun- for a Pakistani-based terrorist group, toons depicting the Prophet Muham- In the complaint, prosecutors try, and the reaction is creating political obstacles for the gas industry. called Lashkar-e-Taiba, whose two- mad, which outraged much of the said Headley received training from Hazards like methane contamination of drinking water wells, long day attack on luxury hotels, a popu- Muslim world. The authorities allege Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is dedicated known in regions where gas production was common, are spreading to lar restaurant, a Jewish community that among their co-conspirators was to ending Indian rule of Kashmir, populous areas that have little history of such risks, but sit atop shale center and a crowded train station Ilyas Kashmiri, regarded by Western on several occasions from February beds. brought India’s financial capital to officials as one of the most danger- 2002 to December 2003. After he A string of incidents in places like Wyoming and Pennsylvania in a halt and shocked the world. The ous Islamic militants operating in was told by the group to conduct sur- recent years has pointed to a possible link between hydraulic fracturing complaint described Headley’s re- Pakistan’s restive tribal areas. veillance in Mumbai, the complaint and pollution of groundwater supplies. Such pollution could damage peated scouting visits to the sites. Since his arrest, Headley has co- says, he made five trips there from crucial supplies of water used for drinking and agriculture. The charges, including six counts operated with authorities. That as- 2006 to 2008. Each time, he took of conspiracy to bomb public places sistance, along with new leads from photos and videos of various targets. We a t h e r Ahh, Winter in New England Situation for Noon Eastern Standard Time, Tuesday, December 8, 2009 By Angela Zalucha Staff Meteorologist Do you like cold, rain, and wind? You’re in luck! An intense low pressure system moving through the Great Lakes will trigger a secondary storm that 130°W 125°W 120°W 115°W 110°W 105°W 100°W 95°W 90°W 85°W 80°W 75°W 70°W 65°W 60°W will affect our region tomorrow. Precipitation may start out as sleet or snow 40°N due to the cold air currently in place, but will soon change over to rain as warm air is advected in the area. Rain may be heavy at times during the day tomorrow. The wind will also be an issue tomorrow and Thursday, with very blustery conditions much like what we have been seeing recently. After the 1031 storm exits, cold air from Canada digs into the region, with lows in the 20s°F 35°N and highs in the 30s°F Friday and Saturday.

Extended Forecast Today: Partly sunny. High 41°F (5°C). West winds 5–10 mph. 30°N Tonight: Cloudy. Low 34°F (1°C). West winds 5–10 mph. Tomorrow: Rainy and windy. High 47°F (8°C). Northeast winds 20–25 mph. Thursday: Partly sunny and windy. High 39°F (4°C). Friday: Partly sunny. High 36°F (2°C). 988 Saturday: Partly sunny. High 38°F (3°C). 25°N

1003 Weather Systems Weather Fronts Precipitation Symbols Other Symbols Snow Rain Fog 1014 High Pressure Trough - - - Showers Thunderstorm

Q Q Q Q Warm Front Light Low Pressure Haze LLLLL Cold Front Moderate Compiled by MIT Hurricane Q Q Meteorology Staff L L Stationary Front Heavy and The Tech December 8, 2009 Wo r l d & Na t i o n The Tech Page 3

Records Show Millions in U.S. Live Updates Added to Google Results Drink Contaminated Water By Brad Stone The New York Times MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. By Charles Duhigg systems that broke the law were ever “This administration has made Unveiling significant changes to its dominant search engine on The New York Times fined or punished by state or federal it clear that clean water is a top pri- Monday, Google said it would begin supplementing its search results More than 20 percent of the Unit- officials, including those at the Envi- ority,” said an EPA spokeswoman, with the updates posted each second to sites like Twitter, Facebook and ed States’ water treatment systems ronmental Protection Agency, which Adora Andy, in response to questions MySpace. have violated key provisions of the has ultimate responsibility for en- regarding the agency’s drinking wa- As part of its much-anticipated entrance into the field known as Safe Drinking Water Act over the last forcing standards. ter enforcement. “The previous eight real-time search, Google said that over the next few days its users five years, according to a New York Studies indicate that drinking wa- years provide a perfect example of would begin seeing brand-new Tweets, blog items, news stories and Times analysis of federal data. ter contaminants are linked to mil- what happens when political leader- social networking updates in results for certain topical searches. That law requires communities to lions of instances of illness within ship fails to act to protect our health Previously it took a few minutes for updates from social networks deliver safe tap water to local resi- the United States each year. and the environment.” and blogs to filter into Google’s results. dents. But since 2004, the water pro- In some instances, drinking water The New York Times has com- “Clearly in today’s world, that’s not fast enough,” Amit Singhal, a vided to more than 49 million people violations were one-time events, and piled and analyzed millions of re- Google fellow, said at a press conference at the Computer History Mu- has contained illegal concentrations probably posed little risk. But for cords from water systems and regu- seum here. “Information is being posted at a pace we’ve never seen of chemicals like arsenic or radioac- hundreds of other systems, illegal lators around America, as part of a before, and in this environment, seconds matter.” tive substances like uranium, as well contamination persisted for years, series of articles about worsening Google struck formal partnerships with Twitter, Facebook and as dangerous bacteria often found in records show. pollution in American waters, and MySpace to bring updates from those services into its search index. sewage. On Tuesday, the Senate Environ- regulators’ response. The companies did not disclose terms of those deals. Regulators were informed of ment and Public Works committee An analysis of EPA data shows Facebook has said publicly it is not earning money from the deal, each of those violations as they oc- will question a high-ranking EPA of- that Safe Drinking Water Act viola- and is only giving Google updates from the public profile pages on the curred. But regulatory records show ficial about the agency’s enforcement tions have occurred in parts of every service, which can already be seen by anyone on the Web. that fewer than 6 percent of the water of drinking-water safety laws. state. Help Offered for Indirect Supreme Court to Hear Investors with Madoff By Diana B. Henriques The New York Times Rights vs. Religion Case Some less-affluent victims of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme could receive extra help from a change in the tax code, under a pro- By Adam Liptak tant participation in or advocacy of vor of Hastings in March. posal submitted Monday by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. The New York Times a sexually immoral lifestyle.” Such “Hastings imposes an open mem- The plan would make indirect investors — those who invested WASHINGTON a lifestyle, the group says, includes bership rule on all student groups through so-called feeder funds — eligible for tax breaks for theft and The Supreme Court on Mon- “sexual conduct outside of marriage — all groups must accept all comers fraud losses that are already available to direct Madoff investors; allow day agreed to hear an appeal from between a man and a woman.” as voting members even if those in- for faster, larger contributions to tax-free retirement accounts to make a Christian student group that had The law school, Hastings College dividuals disagree with the mission up for the losses incurred; and allow for penalty-free early withdrawals been denied recognition by a public of the Law in San Francisco, part of of the group,” a three-judge panel of from retirement accounts for those in dire need because of their fraud law school in California for exclud- the University of California, allows the court said in a brief unsigned de- losses. ing homosexuals and nonbelievers. some 60 recognized student groups cision . “The conditions on recogni- Schumer said the proposals were aimed at establishing a fairer tax The case pits anti-discrimination to use meeting space, bulletin boards tion are therefore viewpoint neutral treatment for those indirect investors, who tend to have a lower net principles against religious freedom. and the like so long as they agree and reasonable.” worth than victims who invested directly with Madoff. The group, the Christian Legal to a policy that forbids discrimina- The question of how to reconcile The IRS issued rules in April allowing direct investors to treat their Society, says it welcomes all students tion on various grounds, including anti-discrimination principles with Madoff losses as net operating losses, as if the individual investors to participate in its activities. But it religion and sexual orientation. The religious freedom in the context of were small businesses. That allowed them to “carry back” their losses does not allow students to become school withdrew recognition from public higher education “is a recur- for five years, instead of for three, and to carry any remaining losses voting members or to assume lead- the Christian group after it refused to ring and pervasive national problem,” forward for up to 20 years. ership positions unless they affirm comply with the policy. the student group told the justices in Those carry-back losses put cash in investors’ hands by providing what the group calls orthodox Chris- The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Ap- a brief urging them to hear the case, refunds for taxes paid in past years, the senator explained. tian beliefs and disavow “unrepen- peals, in San Francisco, ruled in fa- Christian Legal Society v. Martinez.

Teaching Excellence CALL FOR NOMINATIONS James A ’45 and Ruth Levitan Award for Excellence in Teaching

All (non-visiting) instructors in undergraduate and graduate subjects taught in the School are eligible (faculty, lecturers, TAs). Students are invited to make their nominations via email to [email protected].

Nominations should include the following information: Nominate by • Your name • Your email Friday, December 18, 2009 • Name of the teacher nominated for the award • Subject(s) taken with the nominee • Why you are nominating this teacher

Please consider and comment on • Teaching effectiveness • Approachability great ideas change the world • Responsiveness to students’ progress SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES, ARTS, & SOCIAL SCIENCES • Impact Page 4 The Tech December 8, 2009 Op i n i o n Five Years In:

Chairman Austin Chu G The Hockfield Administration Editor in Chief Nick Bushak ’10 During last week’s quarterly meeting of the Corporation, stitute budget is balanced and will not require a readjustment of President Susan Hockfield was given a round of applause in spe- unrestricted endowment funds. Business Manager cial recognition of her first five years of service leading the MIT On campus, however, Hockfield has generally remained dis- Mark Thompson ’11 community. Now, on the cusp of engaged from many of the matters that concern students most — Managing Editor 2010, we as a community can including dining reform, housing, advising, and the effects of ex- Steve Howland ’11 Editorial also look back to see where the panding student enrollment. Many student leaders have become Executive Editor President has succeeded and where she may need to change her frustrated by the often opaque decision-making process in the Michael McGraw-Herdeg G approach in the future. Chancellor’s office and in the Division of Student Life. The Task News Staff It has become clear that thus far in her tenure President Force for Student Engagement has so far failed to address much Editors: John A. Hawkinson ’98, Jeff Guo ’11, Hockfield has positioned herself as a largely outward-looking of its chartered mission and some key student-related initiatives Natasha Plotkin ’11; Associate Editors: Pearle Lipinski ’12, Maggie Lloyd ’12, Ana Lyons leader. By focusing on fundraising, governmental relations and have still failed to include meaningful student input until too late ’12, Robert McQueen ’12; Staff: Vinayak expanding the Institute’s public profile, Hockfield has helped to in the process, like the reduction in the varsity athletics program, Ranade G, Daniela Cako ’09, Elijah Jordan reinforce MIT’s standing as one of the world’s pre-eminent re- or unless prompted by widespread outrage, like the Blue Ribbon Turner ’11, Jingyun Fan ’12, Ziwei Hao ’12, search institutions. She has performed admirably during the pres- Dining Committee report. Camille Z. McAvoy ’12, Natasha Nath ’12, Sandhya Rawal ’12, Zeina Siam ’12, Margaret ent economic recession, threading the difficult needle of reducing While we heartily applaud her media savvy and her achieve- Cunniff ’13, Joy E. Lee ’13, Meghan Nelson the Institute’s budget by embracing community input and con- ments in addressing the Institute’s financial woes, over the next ’13, Jessica J. Pourian ’13, Yuliya Preger ’13, sensus decision-making. However, by focusing primarily on the five years President Hockfield should make it a priority to reverse Divya Srinivasan ’13; Meteorologists: Brian H. Tang G, Allison A. Wing G, Angela Zalucha G, external component of her role, President Hockfield risks delay- her reputation for keeping the student body at arm’s length. The Elizabeth Maroon ’10, Vince Agard ’11. ing progress on key campus issues and isolating some members president now limits most of her scheduled exposure with stu- Production Staff of the community. dents to monthly faculty-student lunches and the occasional living Associate Editors: Divya Chhabra ’13, Connor Many of President Hockfield’s notable successes to date are group dinner. But by using a more proactive approach to student Kirschbaum ’13, Aislyn Schalck ’13; Staff: clear. Building upon a foundation laid by former-President Vest, engagement, the administration can solicit valuable and practi- Alexander W. Dehnert ’12, Joanna Kao ’13. Hockfield has continued to improve MIT’s reputation amongst cal ideas from the MIT student body. President Hockfield should Opinion Staff national leaders in Washington and the Institute’s global footprint make it an issue to take more meetings with students, attend more Editors: Joseph Maurer ’12, Ethan Solomon has arguably never been larger. Additionally, the President dem- student events and provide more opportunities for community ’12; Staff: Florence Gallez G, Alejandro Rogers B. G, Gary Shu G, David Weinberg G, Keith A. onstrated a commitment to preserving MIT’s core principles by engagement, such as regular town hall meetings. In addition, the Yost G, Josh Levinger ’07, Daniel Yelin ’10, preserving need blind admissions and by refusing to mandate a President should provide more direct oversight for reforms to Stu- Ryan Normandin ’13. hiring freeze despite a painful 21 percent decrease in the value dent Life programs — such as dining — while insisting on trans- Sports Staff of the endowment. For the first time in a decade or more, the In- parency, community involvement and timely action. Editor: David Zhu ’12; Staff: Aaron Sampson ’10, Michael Gerhardt ’12, Nydia Ruleman ’12, Russell Spivak ’13. Arts Staff An article on November 24 about MIT’s Rhodes Scholarship winners incorrectly said Editor: S. Balaji Mani ’10; Associate Editors: Ugwechi Amadi ’10, one of the winners, is majoring in Brain and Cognitive Sciences with Maggie Liu ’12, Samuel Markson ’12; Staff: a minor in literature. She is actually double-majoring in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Sudeep Agarwala G, Bogdan Fedeles G, Matt Fisher ’10, Joyce Kwan ’10, Joanne Y. Shih ’10, literature. Kevin Wang ’10, Tracy Kambara ’11, Sun K. Corrections An August 25, 2008 article on first-year undergraduate and graduate orientations includ- Kim ’11, Yü Linlin Huang ’13, Emily Nardoni ed the wrong date, Friday, August 29, 2008, for the close of undergraduate orientation and ’13, Jenny Xie ’13. the start of the Greek Griller. The Greek Griller and the close of orientation were actually on Photography Staff Saturday, August 30, 2008. Editors: David M. Templeton ’08, Andrea Robles ’10; Associate Editors: Vibin Kundukulam ’11, Jessica Liu ’13, Sam Range ’13; Staff: Vincent Auyeung G, David Da He G, Perry Hung G, Sheng-Ying Aithne Pao G, Arthur Petron G, Melissa Renée Schumacher G, Martin Segado Letters To The Editor G, Noah Spies G, John Z. Sun G, Scott Johnston ’03, Martha Angela Wilcox ’08, Peter H. Rigano ’09, Eric D. Schmiedl ’09, Biyeun Buczyk ’10, are important, this is an unfortunate situation. the best solution to every policy issue facing David Chen ’10, Helen Hou ’10, Monica Kahn Vote Today for Ted The Senate seat in contention was previously our government. On the other hand, I object ’10, Corey Kubber ’10, Diane Rak ’10, Jongu held not only by Ted Kennedy, but also by John strongly to his conclusion. Shin ’10, Christian J. Ternus ’10, Michael Yu Kennedy’s Successor F. Kennedy, John Quincy Adams, and Daniel Mr. Broady wrote, “There exist checks and ’10, Dhaval Adjodah ’11, Jasmine Florentine Since this is the last week of classes, you Webster. Once informed about the election, balances within the government. You are not ’11, Dan Kubaczyk ’11, Michael Y. McCanna undoubtedly have many things to do today. no one that I met did not care about it. In fact, part of those checks and balances.” Yes you ’11, Michael Meyer ’11, Aaron Thom ’11, Allison M. Alwan ’12, Yuanyu Chen ’12, Rachel Nevertheless, please take a few minutes to go people were surprised that they did not know are! Yes we all are. To rely too much on the Fong ’12, Jessica Lin ’12, Rui Luo ’12, Andrew to your polling location (Kresge Auditorium about it already. checks and balances within government is to Shum ’12, Meng Heng Touch ’12, Jennifer L. for most students who live on campus) and So, change your Facebook and chat sta- abdicate responsibility for what is done in our Wong ’12, Feng Wu ’12, Arfa Aijazi ’13, Cole vote in the special election primary to choose tuses to: “Vote today for Alan Khazei for U.S. names. Also, at times in history — including Houston ’13, Sunny X. Long ’13, Elijah Mena the next US senator to represent the state of Senate. Change your status to this message,” very recently — one branch of government has ’13, Oscar A. Viquez Rojas ’13. Massachusetts. (or, in support of whoever you think is the best failed in its duty to check the excesses of an- Campus Life Staff On Saturday, I went door-to-door canvass- candidate). And most importantly, if you are other. It is only the pressure of public outcry — Editor: Michael T. Lin ’11; Staff: Roberto ing for Alan Khazei, one of the candidates run- eligible to vote in the state of Massachusetts, the ultimate check and balance — that has any Perez-Franco G, Christine Yu ’11; Cartoonists: ning for the Democratic nomination today. (If go vote! chance of correcting such situations between Michael Ciuffo ’11, Ben Peters ’11, Michael Benitez ’12. you want to find out more about why Khazei is Rachel Sealfon G elections. This is why freedom of speech and awesome, you can read his endorsement by the freedom of the press are so precious. Business Staff Boston Globe, by Mayor Michael Bloomberg As a middle-aged citizen interested in the Advertising Manager: Greg Steinbrecher ’12; Operations Manager: Sherry Yan ’11; Staff: of NYC, or by General Wesley Clark). A re- Yes, You Are Part long-term survival of our unique and worthy, if Wendy Cheng ’13, Moya Chin ’13, Jennifer markable number of the voters I encountered flawed, governmental system, I implore young- Fong ’13. did not know that there is an election today, Of the Checks and er citizens to apply their critical thinking skills Technology Staff Tuesday, December 8. (A November poll found to our government at least as much as to their Director: Quentin Smith ’10. that ninety-three percent of Democratic voters studies and their work. By all means, speak did not know the date of the special election Balances loudly in support when you believe the govern- Editors at Large primary, and seventy-three percent were un- On the one hand, I agree with Craig Broady ment is doing right. What is crucial, though, is Contributing Editors: Caroline Huang ’10, Jessica Witchley ’10, William Yee ’10, Arkajit able to even identify the month in which the (December 4, “Things that Are Political and to speak loudly in protest when you believe our Dey ’11, Monica Gallegos ’11, Robin L. Dahan election would occur). So, if you had no idea Paradoxical”) that unfettered cynicism about leaders are doing wrong. ’12; Senior Editors: Brian Hemond G, Charles that there was going to be an election today, government is destructive, and that we should Riley Hart Lin G, Andrew T. Lukmann G, Ramya Sankar you are not alone. Since U.S. Senate elections acknowledge that none of us personally knows MIT Administrative Staff G, Satwiksai Seshasai G, Shreyes Seshasai G, Benjamin P. Gleitzman ’09, Ricardo Ramirez ’09, Nick Semenkovich ’09, Angeline Wang ’09, Praveen Rathinavelu ’10. Advisory Board be given higher priority. Once submitted, all letters become property of Paul E. Schindler, Jr. ’74, V. Michael Bove ’83, Opinion Policy Barry S. Surman ’84, Robert E. Malchman The Tech, and will not be returned. Letters, columns, and cartoons may ’85, Deborah A. Levinson ’91, Jonathan E. D. Editorials are the official opinion of The Tech. They are written also be posted on The Tech’s Web site and/or printed or published in any Richmond PhD ’91, Karen Kaplan ’93, Saul by the editorial board, which consists of Chairman Austin Chu, Edi- other format or medium now known or later that becomes known. The Blumenthal ’98, Frank Dabek ’00, Daniel Ryan tor in Chief Nick Bushak, Managing Editor Steve Howland, Execu- Tech makes no commitment to publish all the letters received. Bersak ’02, Eric J. Cholankeril ’02, Jordan tive Editor Michael McGraw-Herdeg, Opinion Editors Joseph Mau- Guest columns are opinion articles submitted by members of the Rubin ’02, Nathan Collins SM ’03, Keith J. rer and Ethan Solomon, and Senior Editor Andrew T. Lukmann. MIT or local community and have the author’s name in italics. Col- Winstein ’03, Akshay R. Patil ’04, Tiffany Dohzen ’06, Beckett W. Sterner ’06, Marissa Dissents are the opinions of signed members of the editorial umns without italics are written by Tech staff. Vogt ’06, Zachary Ozer ’07, Omari Stephens board choosing to publish their disagreement with the editorial. ’08, Marie Y. Thibault ’08, B. D. Colen. Letters to the editor, columns, and editorial cartoons are writ- Production Staff for This Issue ten by individuals and represent the opinion of the author, not neces- To Reach Us Editors: Steve Howland ’11, Aislyn Schalck sarily that of the newspaper. Electronic submissions are encouraged The Tech’s telephone number is (617) 253-1541. E-mail is the eas- ’13; Associate Editor: Divya Chhabra ’13, and should be sent to [email protected]. Hard copy submissions iest way to reach any member of our staff. If you are unsure whom to Joanna Kao ’13; Staff: Austin Chu G. should be addressed to The Tech, P.O. Box 397029, Cambridge, contact, send mail to [email protected], and it will be directed to

The Tech (ISSN 0148-9607) is published on Tuesdays and Fridays dur- Mass. 02139-7029, or sent by interdepartmental mail to Room W20- the appropriate person. You can reach the editor in chief by e-mailing ing the academic year (except during MIT vacations), Wednesdays during January, and monthly during the summer by The Tech, Room W20-483, 84 483. All submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. two days before the date [email protected]. Please send press releases, requests for coverage, Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Mass. 02139. Subscriptions are $50.00 of publication. and information about errors that call for correction to news@tech. per year (third class). Postmaster: Please send all address changes to our mailing address: The Tech, P.O. Box 397029, Cambridge, Mass. 02139- Letters, columns, and cartoons must bear the authors’ signatures, mit.edu. Letters to the editor should be sent to [email protected]. 7029. Telephone: Editorial: (617) 253-1541. Business: (617) 258-8324. Facsimile: (617) 258-8226. Advertising, subscription, and typesetting rates addresses, and phone numbers. Unsigned letters will not be accepted. The Tech can be found on the World Wide Web at http://tech.mit. available. Entire contents © 2009 The Tech. Printed on recycled paper by The Tech reserves the right to edit or condense letters; shorter letters will edu. Mass Web Printing Company. December 8, 2009 Op i n i o n The Tech Page 5 OpenCourseWare and the Future of The Bhopal Education Disaster, 25 can get loans, students can earn scholarships thing did happen as a result of an OCW-like Ryan T. Normandin through hard work and dedication, and state program, all MIT would have to do is institute Years Later colleges can attempt to increase accessibility a mandatory attendance policy. As we are all aware, MIT has and will con- by keeping costs low. Yet some students spend The answer to the second argument is quite tinue to make relatively large cuts to its budget the rest of their lives paying off debt from col- simple: yes, anyone can essentially get an MIT in light of the recent financial meltdown. The lege loans and others cannot even hope to af- education online, but you don’t get the de- Leonid Chindelevitch administration established the Institute-Wide ford it in the first place. gree unless you attend the school. Without a Planning Task Force to evaluate ways to make OCW is a way to remedy this inequity. With degree in a certain course from an accredited In the night of December 3, 1984 forty these cuts with minimal impact to the MIT its immense power anyone, from the student institution, employers will not take you seri- tons of methyl isocyanate, a highly toxic community. One proposal is to cut funding to who could not get accepted to any colleges to ously. Claiming that you’re qualified to operate chemical used to produce pesticides, leaked OpenCourseWare (OCW) or continue funding the senior citizen who is curious about quan- a nuclear reactor because you “watched MIT from a chemical plant belonging to Union only until the grant funding that has paid for 72 tum mechanics, can access information that lectures on it online” is not likely to convince Carbide (now a subsidiary of Dow Chemi- percent of OCW since its creation runs out. For historically has been restricted to those within an employer to hire you. cal) in Bhopal, India, that by some estimates those not familiar with OCW, it is a brilliant the walls of a university. Thus, completely free, The final argument is more ideological. killed 8,000 people within three days and af- piece of intellectual philanthropy that MIT public education can continue beyond high Once again, the age-old capitalism-versus-so- fected over 500,000 residents of the area. Over opened to the public in September of 2002. school. Of course, no degree can be earned cialism debate. Opponents to OCW programs 15,000 more people died of the consequences Essentially, anyone in the world can access through the completion of an online OCW argue that not everyone has “a right” to this of gas exposure in the years that followed. To- the same knowledge and information that MIT course, but the very fact that the dissemina- knowledge. People have spent lots of money, day, with the plant’s toxic waste site still not students are inundated with by classes. Not tion of knowledge is no longer restricted to lots of time, and lots of ingenuity to develop cleaned up, people in Bhopal are drinking just a few classes here and there in the most those who can afford it is valuable. We have the knowledge that we have today, and this very toxic water. Recently published reports common disciplines ­— as of May 2006 there unlocked the secrets of the human genome; we should not simply be given away. Unless you’re from accredited laboratories in Switzerland were 1400 courses online. This is an unbeliev- understand the motion of both the planets and willing to earn it, it should not be made avail- and the UK found 15 highly toxic chemicals able resource that has been utilized by about able to you. in the groundwater of Bhopal whose levels 60 million people, both on and off the campus. Such a philosophy would also mean that greatly exceed the safe levels recommended Twenty years ago, the thought that one could opponents of OCW would also oppose the cur- by the WHO, in some cases over a thousand- log onto a computer and access nearly the en- The very fact that the rent public education system. In the end, what fold. Most of these chemicals could be neuro- tire curriculum at MIT would be unthinkable. it comes down to is that the rich can get this toxic and damage the brain and other internal But now it can be done. dissemination of knowledge is no knowledge while the poor are left out. Yes, a organs. The incidence of children born with Yet what of the costs? OCW is more than longer restricted to those who can poor student who excels will get scholarships congenital birth defects linked to their par- simply recording lectures and posting problem and admittance to universities and rich students ents’ exposure to the gas is ten times higher in sets and exams. A dedicated staff is necessary afford it is valuable. who fail will not. However, an average poor Bhopal than in other localities with matching to deal with publishing the various formats of student may get accepted but earn no scholar- socioeconomic factors. media and keeping OCW updated and relevant. ships. An average rich student may also get ac- Why is it that, 25 years after the disaster, This sums to $4.1 million per year, although cepted and likewise earn no scholarships. But those who survived the tragedy have received OCW has managed to cut about $500,000 from subatomic particles; we comprehend things the only thing that differentiates these students only an indecently low compensation (no more its budget in FY 2009. Since its creation, 22 that people long ago could not even imagine. is the wealth of their parents, the rich student than $1,000 per person who lost their liveli- percent of OCW’s expenditures have been cov- Why should that information be restricted to a will be able to afford a college education while hood due to the gas)? Why does the site still ered by the Institute, 72 percent has been paid select number of people? the poor student will not. Any system that fa- remain massively contaminated, and why is the for through grants from the William and Flora Some argue against making this information vors wealth over ability, character, and dedica- toxic waste allowed to seep into the ground- Hewlett Foundation and the Andrew Mellon accessible to everyone. Suppose MIT contin- tion is wrong. water more and more every year? While many Foundation, and 6 percent has been covered by ues to make OCW accessible, even continuing MIT should continue to support OCW be- answers are possible, one of the main factors is donations, revenue, and other sources. Unfor- to expand it. The average student at MIT can cause it is the first step to promoting free public that Union Carbide, as well as it current owner, tunately, grant funding runs out in two years. then simply go online to OCW and watch the education at a higher level than grade 12. The Dow Chemical, have failed to take responsibil- With that in mind, while many are asking how lectures, do the problem sets, show up for the academic climate in the United States is chang- ity for the disaster, which was caused by the OCW can be sustained, others are wondering if final, pass, and they’ve got their degree. This ing. Due to the tough economy, state colleges, use of untested technology and cost-cutting on it should be at all. leads to empty lecture halls and vacant recita- which are the government’s attempt to provide safety measures. The CEO of Union Carbide Answering this question necessitates a tions. There is no longer a need for professors an affordable higher education, are becoming at the time, Warren Anderson, is an absconder broader view on education. In the United or TAs. But, detractors of universal knowledge more competitive than ever before. The coun- from justice. Meanwhile, Dow Chemical, the States, the federal government provides free claim, if all of the professors and TAs are let try is also undergoing an “inflation” of college current owner of Union Carbide, is trying to public education, grades K-12, to every citi- go, how can OCW continue to be updated? degrees. While a bachelor’s degree would get continue its “business as usual” and pretend zen of the country. We take this for granted, A related argument states that if anyone can you nearly any job in the past, a bachelor’s is that it only acquired Union Carbide’s assets, but I cannot stress enough how utterly re- simply go online and access an MIT education, now expected and it is a master’s that provides not its liabilities, despite international trade markable this actually is. Eighteen-year-olds then what’s the point of paying to attend the better chances of getting a job today. There- laws. leave high school with more knowledge than school? There goes MIT’s source of income. fore, people who get rejected from college or A lot of discussion has appeared in the re- a citizen of the 18th century could even dream Finally, some claim that the program is far are unable to afford a higher education have cent issues about MIT accepting funding from of. Knowledge of math that took the Greeks too socialistic. These people feel that education far fewer opportunities than those who attain a Jeffery Picower’s estate. Meanwhile, MIT’s generations to uncover are imparted in a few must be earned. If you work hard through high bachelor’s and master’s degree. Chemistry and Chemical Engineering depart- weeks in a free high school math course to school, get good grades, develop a good char- Some might argue that if just anyone is let ments (and possibly many others) are getting every American student. This model of educa- acter, and manage to stand out, they claim that into college, then the country will be flooded regular funding from Dow Chemical, and there tion is absolutely revolutionary, and most take you will get into a school, earning the opportu- with unqualified individuals. This is not true — is no discussion about those funds. If MIT as it for granted. nities that will follow. as long as standards are kept high, individuals an institution decided that it would only ac- The model clearly is not perfect, but it is While respectable, none of these arguments who are unqualified will flunk out and be un- cept funding from Dow Chemical after they certainly an excellent foundation upon which hold enough sway to cut funding to OCW. The able to earn their degree. It is wrong to deny pay for the cleanup of the plant site in Bhopal, we can build. However, once a student gradu- first argument will never actually come to frui- an individual the right to an education and, as as the Indian courts are demanding, and if you ates from high school, a guaranteed free public tion; videos for many classes lectures, includ- a result, a good job with a livable wage, on the as an individual pledge not to work for Dow education ends. From that point on, families ing 3.091 and 7.012 (Introduction to Solid- basis that their parents cannot afford it. For Chemical until that happens, then the residents must find a way to pay for a college education State Chemistry and Introductory Biology, logical and moral reasons, free higher level of Bhopal will get one step closer to justice, should a student decide to continue their stud- respectively), are already posted online fol- education is a necessity. OpenCourseWare is a which they have been bravely and tirelessly de- ies. And, quite frankly, without a college de- lowing the lecture. While some students take harbinger of the future of education, and MIT manding over the past quarter-century. gree, their horizons are extremely limited. advantage of this, the lecture halls have yet to would do well to continue to ensure its contin- Leonid Chindelevitch is a graduate student Is this the right model? Sure, families become empty. And if, hypothetically, such a ued availability. in Course XVIII.

Do you want [email protected] to buy some snazzy gifts this holiday season? Put a few extra dollars$ in your wallet before you hit the mall. $ • Website design • Technology staff offers paid positions for: • Business staff December 8, 2009

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Instructions: Fill in the grid so Steal My Comic by Michael Ciuffo that each column, row, and 3 by Sudoku 3 grid contains exactly one of Solution on page 15 each of the digits 1 through 9. 7 4 1 8 7 5 4 3 2 9 9 7 1 2 2 9 6 3 2 5 8 4 7 6 2 9 3 6 8 8

by Roberto Perez-Franco

Dilbert® by Scott Adams December 8, 2009 The Tech Page 7

Crossword Puzzle Solution, page 15

ACROSS 48 Initial letters 18 Dirt 1 Relinquishes 50 Town near 22 Tahlequah, OK 6 Talk incessantly Modesto school 10 Smelly, dirty air 53 Singer Sumac 23 Syrup source 14 “Magic Man” 54 Author of “The 24 Disk jockey’s rockers Third Man” cue 15 Gravure starter 56 Rupture 25 Presidential 16 __ homo (Behold 58 Semi-eternity? plane the man!) 59 Bluish-green 27 Great success 17 Palmer’s 64 Patch up 30 Reagan entourage 65 Ballet skirt confidant Ed 19 Comparison 66 Pavarotti, e.g. 32 Puccini opera word 67 Fruity drinks 34 Klamath relative 20 Garlic unit 68 Impertinence 35 News agcy. 21 Start to breathe 69 Additional 37 Oregon capital 23 Extinct bird 38 La Scala offering 26 Pride member DOWN 40 Vehicle perches 28 __ Vegas 1 Half a dance? for tots 29 “__ Farm” 2 Auction ending 44 Able to perceive 31 Inclined trough 3 Actor Duryea 46 Writing tool 33 Kitchen utensil 4 __ the Red 47 Angler’s bait 34 Comic Martin 5 Astral 48 Lizard of the Old 36 __ buco 6 Cry of World 39 Animation appreciation 49 Reproduce 40 Amount not 7 “Two Women” 51 Borders on covered by star 52 Island feasts health insurance 8 $ dispenser 55 Finishes 41 Break suddenly 9 In an unmanly 57 “Bang a Gong 42 God of love manner? (Get It On)” 43 Mine entrance 10 Fourth man? band 44 Relative size 11 Borgnine’s TV 60 Sine __ non 45 Camera-ready series 61 Bank payt. copy 12 Florida city 62 Neither’s partner 47 Loom operator 13 Trait carriers 63 Period Page 8 The Tech December 8, 2009

presents ..... RECESSION

Tickets facebook event: On sale now in W20! tinyurl.com/dancetroupe $7 in advance, $10 at door *Dec 9 show $5 in advance December 8, 2009 The Tech Page 9 Ar t s Theater Review Lose Your Head At ‘The Mikado’ Gilbert and Sullivan Are Turning Japanese By Michael Lin By their nature, Gilbert and Sullivan oper- The Town of Titipu. The more juvenile audience to-swallow plot points, jokes about decapita- Staff Writer ettas demand a slightly different skillset from members will probably snicker — I did. tion and death wishes abound, to say nothing The Mikado subsequent forms of musical theatre, and the Related to the vocal demands of more op- of the paragon of government bureaucracy and The MIT Gilbert and Sullivan Players leads in The Mikado seem to have mastered eratic music is less compelling choreography, integrity known as Pooh-Bah, played to a dead- La Sala de Puerto Rico it. In particular, Barratt Park G as Nanki-Poo although The Mikado is somewhat better in this pan T by Dan Salomon. Plot details might be Thursday and Friday, December 3–4 at 8 and Julie Lauren Stevens as Yum-Yum, the lead regard than past G&S shows. If nothing else, hard to comprehend through some of the op- p.m., Saturday, December 5 at 2 p.m. couple of the production, both perform admi- the lack of a tentpole dance number is compen- eratic vocals, but I suppose it can’t really be rably throughout the show, although Yum-Yum sated for by the somewhat liberal use of Orien- helped given the style of the music, and at any he Gilbert and Sullivan Players’ produc- only truly gets to show off in Act II, so if you tal folding fans, the prop du jour, as a means rate, the gist isn’t hard to catch. tion of The Mikado opened last Friday, find yourself thinking about leaving at inter- of distinguishing one character from another, A final caveat: Although this should go and it illustrates a few points. First, the mission, I would recommend sticking around. in the unlikely circumstance that the brightly- without saying, those expecting a faithful or T Victorian England of Gilbert and Sul- Also, if you think those character names colored kimonos aren’t sufficient. even favorable interpretation of the Japanese livan probably had a very bizarre perception sounded ridiculous, consider Ko-Ko, played by Gilbert and Sullivan are obviously funny on will be grossly disappointed. As easy as it is of 19th century Japan, after seeing this show if Davie Rolnick ’12 (and who really does behave their own, but the acting in this particular pro- to interpret this as typical Victorian lack of not before, and second, G&SP seem to be at the as strangely as his name suggests), as well as duction works well in accentuating many of the cultural understanding, it seems reasonable to top of their game when dressed in kimonos. the giggle-inducing alternate title for the show, best lines. Without spoiling the already-hard- assume that Gilbert and Sullivan were using The show itself is proto- the Japanese as a stand-in for typical of Gilbert and Sullivan the English rather than being productions, so your enjoy- racist. The exception to the ment of the show will probably lack of authenticity is the set be dependent on your tolerance design, which goes beyond the for absurd logical progres- stereotypical backdrop-and- sions, similarly absurd charac- risers in complexity and adds ters, and sprightly music with credibility to a necessarily sil- only the occasional, passingly ly and incredulous production, vague effort to sound Japanese. right down to the sakura trees. That having been said, the show If you’re a fan of Gilbert doesn’t fail to entertain, with and Sullivan’s singular brand this particular production be- of humor already, this show ing one of my favorites of the should already be on your ra- G&SP shows I’ve seen so far. dar as one of the most popular The music didn’t strike me in their body of work. Even as being particularly memora- if you’re not, the MIT G&SP ble, which I suppose shouldn’t production is a solid one that be surprising considering that keeps laughs coming steadily Gilbert and Sullivan predate and requires somewhat less the era of the more spectacu- suspension of disbelief than lar modern stage musical. most Gilbert and Sullivan The exception is “I am so shows. If anything, the hardest proud,” near the end of Act thing to believe is that Katisha, I, which serves as the token played by Francesca Giannetti, tongue-twister number and is is an crusty and unappealing performed with gusto and no old woman, a credit both to small amount of cross-singing her and to the makeup artists. between the characters in it. At Performances are in La Sala any rate, the songs are pleasant de Puerto Rico, Thursday and enough to the ear, and the cast Michael T. Lin—The Tech Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday performs it well. The gentlemen and schoolgirls of Titipu accompany Nanki-Poo (in black, right), a traveling minstrel, in song. at 2 p.m. Restaurant Review Where East Meets West Chanting the Praises (and Shortcomings) of Mantra By Tracy Kambara green chili one (my favorite of the three). For the more STAFF WRITER adventurous, I encourage you to try the PB&J or Choco- Mantra late and Marshmallow flavors. 52 Temple Place, Boston, Ma 02111 We opted for the Tuna Tartare ($16) as our appetizer (617) 542 8111 from the fusion menu. It was our most disappointing dish of the night. The grisly tuna did not come from the best here is something intrinsically romantic and ef- cuts and had a bland, fishy taste. The wedge of broiled fortlessly cool about navigating the side streets grapefruit was a colorful accent piece but added nothing of Downtown Crossing and slipping into an un- to the dish taste-wise. But I couldn’t hold it against them T assuming old bank building that opens up to the too much; after all, I had ordered a dish that was neither modern and impressive space that is Mantra. The restau- French nor Indian. rant and lounge specializes in French-Indian fusion but My friend ordered Mustard-Crusted Halibut ($32) also serves a separate menu of traditional Indian cuisine. with purple potato and cilantro-cashew pesto, an entrée Everything about Mantra seems to appeal to a hip, trend- from the fusion menu. Once again, the flavors lacked setting crowd, from young students and business profes- complexity. The dish tasted simply like fish and potatoes sionals to young-at-heart executives. instead of the mingling of spices and rich herbs that I Take the ambiance, for example. By combining the expected from Indian-inspired cuisine. former bank’s original marble walls, high ceilings, and in- I had Jhinga Vindaloo ($20) from the traditional In- tricate mouldings with stylish colored lights and textured dian menu, a shrimp and potato curry dish known to be upholstery, Mantra avoids the stuffiness overplayed by oth- very spicy yet somewhat sweet. The shrimp was succulent er restaurants that hope their clay-red walls and dim lights and well-cooked, and the sauce had just the right amount automatically create intimacy. Mirrors and Buddha figures of heat (I have a high tolerance for hot foods and ordered add a contemporary touch to the well-lit dining space, and it medium-spicy). Without a doubt, it surpasses most if airy drapery separates the bar. A giant, impossible-to-miss not all other vindaloos in Boston. I was ready to consider woven wood structure in the back serves as a tea lounge it the best part of the meal. that can be booked for small private events. To add even That is, until dessert arrived. Our sampler plate let us more novelty, the bank’s vault door is located downstairs by try chocolate cake, passionfruit panna cotta, bread pud- the kitchen and restrooms. In short, Mantra looks nothing ding, and homemade ice cream. Kudos to the dessert chef Oscar A. Viquez Rojas—The Tech Asha Carter, a freshman from Wellesley, leads the Toons in like your grandfather’s typical Friday night watering hole. for ending our meal on a high note. All of the desserts were their rendition of “Can’t Make You Love Me” during their Glee- Before our food arrived, I had my doubts. After all, incredibly sophisticated, beautifully presented, and down- themed fall concert on December 5 in 34-101. this is fusion food, where your accustomed notions of fla- right delicious. We agreed that the ice cream was the best vors and cooking styles come to die in the face of new we’ve ever had, and the chocolate cake with torched banana blends of East and West that continually challenge your was rich and a show-stopper in its own right. Unfortunate- tongue. And by the end of our meal, my opinion of fusion ly, by this time, we were too full to finish dessert. “Why did cuisine had not changed. The menu, like the restaurant I eat dinner?” my friend moaned as she eyed the last piece Royal Bengal space itself, is divided into separate sections. The main of panna cotta that she could no longer stomach. menu features fusion dishes, further divided into a “Naan From start to finish, our meal lasted three hours, with Boston’s only authentic BengaliCuisine restaurant Bar” section, offering a variety of creatively-topped naan a significant portion of our time spent waiting for the next 313Mass.Ave., Cambridge and tapas-style small appetizers, and a more traditional dish to arrive. Service is attentive and waiters are knowl- Open Daily Except Monday (617) 491-1988 appetizer and entrée menu. A separate miniature binder edgeable, friendly, and approachable, but food takes a 11:30 am–11:30 pm T: Red Line, Bus#1–CentralSquare holds the traditional Indian dishes. long time to come out, even on a quiet Wednesday night. Lunch Buffet $7.95 My friend and I, eager to try something from every I highly recommend Mantra for a date, a classy night out, 10% Discount on $15 section of the menu, started with a trio of naan ($12). or a group function, as long as time is not a major issue Reasonably Priced Dinners (or more) order with MIT ID. We selected the Green Chili and Smoked Mozzarella, (i.e. stop by for dinner and drinks after a show or movie, Sundried Tomato and Rosemary, and Ginger and Honey but not before). Two more lessons that I learned: fusion Free delivery for orders over $10. flavors. The basic naan was soft and doughy, so I had to may be new and exciting, but classic dishes exist for a Take-out, platters, and catering available. stop myself from filling up on them, especially the spicy reason, and, most importantly, save room for dessert! http://www.royalbengalrestaurant.com/ Page 10 The Tech Ar t s December 8, 2009

By Helen You MOVIE Review hh½ A Christmas Carol Directed by Robert Zemeckis Starring Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin A 3D Christmas Carol Rated PG Now Playing

Buckle Up for a Holiday Joyride obert Zemeckis (The Polar Express, Be- owulf) has made yet another film using 3D performance capture technology, with his R latest piece of work, A Christmas Carol. Jim Carrey plays Ebenezer Scrooge in this digi- tally animated take on the classic Christmas story. As the story goes, Scrooge is a stingy old man who lives alone and doesn’t have any friends. He is a living antithesis of what the holidays are about. On Christmas Eve, as he is sitting alone in his bedroom, he is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Each of the ghosts take Scrooge to the respective times in his life. Interestingly, the past is the least scary of the three journeys, while the future is by far the scari- est. The past is known — there is comfort in that. But the future is unclear. For an old geezer like Scrooge, the future looms closely. The proximity of time exacerbates the threat of the unknown. The 3D touch puts you right inside the movie, adding to the entertainment level. For example, you see the ghost’s chains fly out of the screen at you (warning: the movie can be quite scary at times). You can almost feel the wind and snow rushing past you in the scene where Scrooge and the ghost of Christmas past are flying through the ImageMovers Digital, LLC town and woods where Scrooge grew up. Jim Carrey voices Ebe- Especially in these tough times of economic neezer Scrooge in Walt recession, the film’s story rings clear. As more Disney’s 3D update of A people are cutting back on spending this holiday Christmas Carol. season, we can all learn a lesson from Scrooge.

MOVIE Review hh / 4 Out of the Mouths of Babes No Ordinary Sibling Rivalry in ‘Brothers’ By Sun Kim STAFF WRITER Brothers Directed by Jim Sheridan Written by David Benioff Starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman Rated R Now Playing

have to preface this review of Brothers, which is based on the Danish filmBrødre , with a remark. I’m not a fan of musical I manipulation in movies. Overly sappy instrumental music always struck me as un- original, as if the director wanted to cover up poor direction or poor acting. Brothers, directed by Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot), tells the story of two brothers who couldn’t be any more different. Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is a Marine captain, Af- ghanistan War veteran, and hometown hero (cue solo acoustic guitar evoking small town America). He is clean-shaven, cold, and cal- culating. Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) is an ex- convict, a drunkard, and the black sheep of the Cahill family (cue rock music). He is re- sentful of the praise their father Hank (Sam Shepard) constantly gives Sam but chooses to do nothing about it. Sam is about to depart for Afghanistan for another tour of duty, leaving behind his wife Grace (Natalie Portman) and two daughters Isabelle and Maggie. The rest of the film ensues thusly: Sam is killed in action. His family grieves. Tommy cleans up his act and takes on the father role, eventually winning over the daughters and Grace. The plot twist, of course, is that Sam wasn’t killed but captured by the Taliban (cue ethnic music). The experience breaks Sam down and is never the same even after he is rescued and returns home. Tension, emotional and sexual, ensues (cue dark music with or- Lorey Sebastian—Courtesy of Lions Gate Entertainment chestral strings). Tobey Maguire (as Sam Cahill, left) and Jake Gyllenhaal (as Tommy Cahill, right) star in Brothers, directed by Jim Sheridan. Watching Gyllenhaal and Portman is one father’s return since he is not as playful, un- er. Of course, male sexual aggression is not a one of Maggie’s balloons until Sam leaps over of few things that makes the film watchable. derstanding, or loving as Uncle Tommy. rational thing and can get the best of us (not the table to pop it. She wails, screaming that Their dynamics play off each other well, with The egregious weakness of the film, be- speaking from experience of course). the only reason why he’s mad is that Grace Grace’s early dislike of the wayward brother sides the uninspired dialogue, is the acting Spoiler #1: Another interesting scene is would rather have sex with Tommy than with to growing acceptance to unspoken sexual un- of Tobey Maguire. He really nails down the one in which Grace finally reads Sam’s letter him. A collective gasp echoed throughout the dertones. Grace is a fitting name for Portman’s blank stare, and his only capable expressions in the event of his death. She only reads it af- theater at that point. This assertion couldn’t character, who is poised and restrained with are the stupid smirk he has constantly, wide- ter Sam is arrested after he threatens to shoot be true, could it? If this were a surrealist in- quiet emotional strength. Her portrayal of a eyed anger, and that dull stare when he’s not Tommy outside Sam’s home. Reading the let- die film, perhaps, but nothing else in the film grieving widow is not over the top, and it’s doing the first two. Perhaps he was cast as a ter now, as opposed to when he was thought to suggested it (save for Tommy’s weak response maybe even too restrained. Gyllenhaal does a broken Marine due to these skills, but watch- be dead, signifies that he is emotionally dead, to Sam’s sex question). How would a nine convincing job of playing the outcast of the ing him act is almost as painful as being poked that he is essentially nonexistent in society be- year old know about sex anyway? Perhaps she family. His roughness and irreverence is fun with a hot metal stake. cause of his psychological degradation. speaks an untold truth. I like the uncertainty to watch, especially as he interacts with his After his return, Sam is certain that Grace Spoiler #2: The emotional climax, and the this statement presents, even if Grace later ex-Marine father. Tommy’s increasing sense and Tommy have been sleeping together, motivation behind this review’s title, occurs reprimands Isabelle for telling a lie. of responsibility is probably linked to his at- which Grace denies flatly, while Tommy gives at Maggie’s birthday dinner at Hank’s home. The scenes from the trailer come from the traction towards Grace and genuine love for a less direct answer, saying that Sam’s crazy With all the Cahills present, including a blond last fifteen minutes of Brothers. The physical Isabelle and Maggie (cue upbeat 90s music). to think such a thing. This ambiguity suggests whom Tommy had just met an hour prior, tension seen in the trailer adds to the emo- The sister sibling rivalry mirrors in some perhaps something more happened beyond there is a juxtaposition between the blond’s tional strain in most of the film. Although this ways the brotherly rivalry; Isabelle asserts the living room kiss Tommy and Grace shared assertion to Hank that no man is emotion- apprehension is fairly cliché, it makes the film that Maggie receives more love than she does. in Sam’s absence. It’s curious that Sam with- ally wired to kill (which is what Sam had to watchable. The best part of the film is watch- That tension will extend throughout the film, stood months of torture and food deprivation do to prevent his own execution) and Sam’s ing the daughters, who steal the film with ultimately to the emotional climax of Broth- but cracks when he wonders about the hypo- growing deranged annoyance at Isabelle’s bit- their humorous innocence and unpredictable ers. The girls are visibly disappointed in their thetical romance between his wife and broth- ter attempts to get attention. Isabelle crinkles antics. December 8, 2009 Ar t s The Tech Page 11

and their chemistry together is phenomenal. Ballet Review Also worth noting here is the set design — it is enchanting, with softly falling snow against a backdrop of regal evergreens in a flood of lav- Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker Sparkles ender lighting. It is what Californians picture “winter on the east coast” to be like before we actually move here. Try Not To Dance Your Way Home! Act II is where the serious dancing really begins. Clara and the Nutcracker arrive at the Kingdom of Sweets, where they are treated to performances by the Sugar Plum Fairy and all of her subjects. Of note were Brittany Sum- mer and Pavel Gurevich, perfectly embodying sultry, slinky, and impossibly lithe during the creative choreography of the Arabian Dance. The trio of Russian dancers during the Trepak section quickly became an audience favorite by busting moves that would make your neighbor- hood break-dancer jealous, and one small black sheep on-stage during the Dance of the Reed Pipes sprinkled the familiar piece with a touch of humor. While Lorna Feijoo was technically outstanding as Sugar Plum, with extended ara- besques and fouettes en pointe that made my toes wince, her performance in the Grand pas de deux lacked a bit of the artistry and delicacy that makes some Sugar Plums extra sweet. Perhaps more well-known than the ballet it- self, Tchaikovsky’s iconic score was conducted by Jonathan McPhee and played wonderfully by the Boston Ballet Orchestra — I would have stayed for just the music. Their new orchestra pit places the musicians closer to the audience, providing a warmer and more intimate sound that fully immerses all of your senses into the loveliness of the performance. My fear in attending a popular, time-hon- ored performance is always that the dancing during familiar pieces does not have to be par- ticularly inventive for the audience to find them enjoyable, but for the most part Nissinen does not cut corners, and holds his dancers to high ­Gene Schiavone—Courtesy of the Boston Ballet Mikko Nissinen’s choreography dazzles in Boston Ballet’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. standards throughout the show. This season’s performance is sweet — without the calories! — and worth that trip off campus, several times By Crystal Mao number of children both in the corps and in the like if it were ever adapted for ballet. over. Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker audience), the action proceeded with a frenetic With a flurry of midnight magic and some DANCEY: Girls, forget your stilettos — the Boston Opera House. Boston, Mass. pace. Act I opens with a Christmas Eve party spiffy special effects, the tree on stage grows to sprightly choreography will have you jetté-ing December 5, 2009 at the Silberhaus home. Clara’s magical god- the appropriately gargantuan size and Clara’s all over T-station platforms on the way home. father Drosselmeier arrives at the party bear- Nutcracker transforms into a live prince (ah, if CHANCEY: With luck, student rush tick- horeographed by Mikko Nissinen, the ing animated gifts, including a dancing bear it were only so easy!). There is an epic battle ets may still be available for $20 (cash only) at Boston Ballet’s rendition of this classic unique to the Boston production. (As a figure between the Nutcracker and a brave battalion the box office, two hours before curtain. hits all the familiar, comforting notes, skating Chewbacca once told me following a of mice, following which Clara and her Nut- ROMANCEY: Lure a +1 to experience the C while also including a few cheeky de- performance of Star Wars on Ice, “It is not easy cracker are whisked away to a snowy forest, magnificent Boston Opera House all decked tails to keep things interesting for perennial to twirl in a big fur suit.”) Each of his gifts per- where they are welcomed by the Snow Queen out for the holiday season including doorways attendees. In an effort to trim the show to un- forms a small, cleverly arranged sequence that and King, danced beautifully by Tiffany Hed- adorned strategically with sprigs of mistle- der two hours (a smart move, considering the helps you understand what Toy Story would be man and Bo Busby. Their lifts appear effortless toe...

Opera Review ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ A Marriage Between Words and Music By Joyce Kwan In her Met debut as the Countess, German Staff Reporter soprano Annette Dasch embodied the patri- “The Marriage of Figaro” cian character, her voice having a complex The Metropolitan Opera richness to match. Occasionally, however, Metropolitan Opera House, New York, New one could sense self-consciousness taking York over what would otherwise have been a very November 27, 2009, 8 p.m. solid performance. She was best in her mid- range, sometimes erring on the sharp side as uring Thanksgiving weekend, The she leaped to higher notes. Metropolitan Opera staged a rousing The singing, in the general sense, was revival of Mozart’s great comic op- certainly skillful, but at times, particularly D era, “The Marriage of Figaro,” that during the solos, it lacked the sparkle that was characterized by uncanny comic timing pervaded the acting. I, for one, simply want- and keen acting. It wasn’t without a few ed more lilting in the phrasing at times of weaknesses, however, which became appar- playfulness, and more dynamic contrast for ent when the musical performance failed to greater dramatic effect — in sum, the sense match the acting in energy. of abandonment Luisi had set as precedent in Conductor Fabio Luisi made quite an im- the overture. pression in the opening, eliciting a scintillat- The sets and costumes evoked the rococo ing overture from the orchestra. His quick ornateness of the 18th century, supporting pace and sprightly style melded into a subtle the elegance of the music in a very satisfying and impeccable abandonment that would set way. Interestingly, the costumes were pris- the musical standard for what was to come. tine while the sets had a quality of decay, with Soprano Lisette Oropesa as Susanna cap- one going as far as being a lop-sided build- tivated the audience with her energetic per- ing. The contrast was telling, making appar- formance. Her sweet, if slightly shrill, voice ent the darkness that is driving the comic was perfect for her role, emphasizing Su- plot, namely “droit de seigneur,” or the feudal sanna’s youth and spontaneity. Bass-baritone lord’s right to take the virginity of his estate’s Luca Pisaroni was hilarious as Figaro, his virgins. acting and singing technique indisputable. More so, the opera is an example of Mo- For instance, near the end of the opera, Pisa- zart at his most political, it being more than roni impressively sustained his warm, brassy merely a story of infidelity, but of servants sound while helpless on the ground, endur- outwitting their inhumane master. “Figaro” ing Oropesa’s physical attacks as a jealous was revolutionary for its time, having de- Susanna. buted amidst the rising heat of the French Mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard was ab- Revolution. It’s not surprising that the play solutely entertaining as Cherubino, the page off of which the opera is based was banned who falls in love with every attractive female from the Viennese stage, as it challenges the in sight. Her caricature of the lusty young ruling class. Hence, the decaying sets perhaps man was spot on, from his lively gait to his symbolize the decay of a certain ruling class occasional awkwardness. Count Almaviva that the opera itself is suggesting beneath the was played by baritone Ludovic Tézier, who prettiness of the music. oozed lasciviousness — one could feel him Overall, the production was a very satis- creep his hand up Susanna’s leg. He tended fying rendition of what some consider to be toward a reserved portrayal, which greatly one of the most successful marriages between benefited his role by suggesting an authority music and words. Spot-on portrayals and in- Marty Sohl—Courtesy of Metropolitan Opera figure suppressing his debauch ways for pur- sightful details here and there make it a show Luca Pisaroni, an acclaimed performer from Busseto, Italy, played the coveted role of Fi- poses of appearance. worth seeing. garo. The Metropolitan Opera has shown over 400 performance of ‘Le Nozze di Figaro.’ Page 12 The Tech Ar t s December 8, 2009 INTERVIEW Immersion Not Optional Urbane Nomads Brings Culture and Fantasy to Life By Nina Sinatra time, I’d wanted a more creative role and felt TT: You have said that your dream trip would model of tourism — where the tourism dollar Staff Writer that I’d found the answer during a trip to Ar- be canoeing through the Iraqi marshlands? What goes towards preserving the culture, environ- hat is an “urbane nomad?” gentinean Patagonia where the existence of made you choose this particular setting? ment and way of living of the destination trav- Ask Hajar Ali. As founder of luxury lodges in such remote places inspired HA: The marshlands have been referred to as eled to. To me this means a form of tourism the Singapore-based luxury travel the idea of a travel company that constantly an Eden and Eden (and its various manifesta- that preserves rather than bastardizes the local W firm, she specializes in crafting the tests the limits of accessibility, bringing guests tions — Shambhala, Shangri-La, Paradesha…) culture. One of the unfortunate consequences breathtaking and exotic into incredible get- to remote places in as much luxury as pos- has always dominated much of travel lore. The of mass (and unsustainable) tourism is the aways for her clients. Price tag aside, Urbane sible. promise of natural beauty combined with the bastardization of local culture. Staged cultural Nomads is the premier architect to transform TT: Did you travel extensively as a child, area’s tortured recent history makes it a very performances for the benefit of tourists, devoid any dream journey into a reality. and are you multilingual? interesting place for me, personally. Urbane of its original meaning, or the relegation of an Of course, the company does cater to those HA: I Had started travelling extensively Nomads is looking at working with an NGO to important art form into cheap tourist trinkets with a more unique getaway in mind. Ever only in my 20s but being in motion has always offer this itinerary next year so it looks like I because the original art form, having lost its wanted to explore sunken portions of the Great “settled” me — even if it was just taking a bus might be going to the Iraqi marshlands over the traditional patrons, would have been too costly Wall of China by SCUBA? How about heli- ride by myself. Chatwin referred to this in his next few months! Of course there are the issues to be sustained by mass tourism, are just some skiing down Everest or taking an elephant- “Nomadic Alternative,” expanding on Pascal’s of developing sustainable patterns of tourism, of the unfortunate side effects when a country back safari in Nepal? Wherever your global theory about how all of man’s unhappiness in ways that benefit the local community and opens up too fast to tourism. However, any na- passion lies, it is entirely possible that Urbane stemmed from a single cause, his inability to which is not detrimental to efforts of re-building tion learns from its mistakes and countries that Nomads can help you can find it. remain quietly in a room. I am only bilingual, an ecological diversity that was lost when Sadd- are just opening up to tourism are quick to em- Yet why is Urbane Nomads refreshing as unfortunately (Malay and English). I had spent am drained the area over a five-year period. phasize sustainability, not attracting more tour- a travel bureau? Carefully designed itinerar- a few years learning French but as my French TT: What has been your most challenging ist numbers than would be sustainable either ies are ostensibly focused on allowing guests is neither colloquial nor anywhere close to vacation to plan? Your most exotic? through the imposition of artificial barriers like to experience the pure beauty and culture of perfect, I dare not speak it. HA: Most challenging and exotic — a trip daily tariffs or by setting up an infrastructure a host country. Rather than sightseeing only TT: It is often said that travel is an enlight- through Mongolia where we’d had to figure out that is ideal for geotourism. Examples would around the hotel pool and spa, Urbane No- ening and transformative experience. How landing rights and logistics (moving tents during be Bhutan, Oman, and Abu Dhabi — where mads encourages guests to get a taste of the have your travels changed your perspectives winter, toilets, food, generators) and still trying the tourism infrastructure places an emphasis local culture. Private city and museum tours, and perception of life? to do it all in as much style as possible. We’re on the preservation of the environment and cul- tastings at the finest and most exotic restau- HA: I am not sure if I’d had a transformative still planning it as we speak. ture. Abu Dhabi’s tourism efforts are obviously rants, and time spent perusing village streets experience during travel. Rather, it’s a combi- TT: Are you an advocate of ecotourism? predicated on its cultural heritage, with head- and busy city markets convey the spirit of each nation of serendipitous moments and the peo- HA: I am immediately skeptical of terms liner conservation efforts like the Sir Bani Yas culture in an unadulterated form. Ali and her ple I’d met that had steered me into a different that are bandied around in any industry to the Island. Oman has similarly opted for low-rise, co-workers allow guests to experience a coun- course in life. They’re also the moments like extent that it becomes commodified. Most of the luxury hotels instead of skyscrapers dominating try not as an observer, but as a participant. sleeping to the sounds of hooves thundering forms of ecotourism that I’d seen revolve around its skyline and is promoting its eco and marine The Tech: What inspired you to found Ur- past your tent and emerging from your tent in a carbon offset system — rather akin to the sale tourism opportunities. Bhutan is, of course, bane Nomads? the morning to be greeted by camels grazing of “indulgences.” That said, I’d seen really good synonymous with sustainable tourism, with the Hajar Ali: I started in the real estate agency on trees by the outdoor bath, sleeping in a “star work in the most unlikely places — filtering of Kingdom placing strict codes of conduct on industry, developing a niche in well-designed, bed” with nothing between me and the skies water in remote villages in Myanmar that makes cultural performances for tourists — there are architecturally distinguished properties. Work- but a desultory mosquito net and simply the the tap water potable that benefits not just the no cultural performances allowed to be staged ing in such a niche market in real estate, how- splendid beauty of the natural surroundings in hotel but the entire village. purely for the benefit of tourists, and visitors to ever, meant that I was frequently dictated by certain places that will remain with me till my Which brings me to the concept of geotour- Bhutan enjoy cultural performances in their the supply of such properties. For quite some memory’s taken away from me. ism, which works towards a more responsible original setting and intent.

Yuanyu Chen—The Tech Kevin Hwang ’10 performs with the Harvard Wushu Club in Meng Heng Touch—The Tech Lobby 13 this past Saturday night at TAI.101, an event run by In a stunning weekend performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the MIT Sym- the Association of Taiwanese Students to educate attendees phony Orchestra teamed up with a talented cast of student actors in Kresge Auditorium. about Taiwanese culture. December 8, 2009 Ar t s The Tech Page 13 Concert Review Re-Learning the New The Emerson String Quartet Performs works by Ives, Janácˇek, Barber and Shostakovich By Sudeep Agarwala ning’s concert proved far less daring. ment elocution (cellist David Finckel not only Shostakovich’s 9th string quartet often Staff Writer Ives’s first string quartet, “From the Salva- managed dramatic flare but maintained remark- becomes obfuscated by his more affable 8th; The Emerson String Quartet tion Army,” first on Friday evening’s program, able clarity and pearly tone in these shocking Friday’s performance offered impetus for per- Jordan Hall, Boston, Mass. provided a warm introduction into a potentially passages). True to twentieth-century stereotype, forming the 9th even more regularly: Russian December 4, 2009 harrowing evening of music. Shaggy Americana later movements moved away from traditional melodies reverberated throughout with shock- pentatonic scales ushered in a first movement tonality, throwing startling dissonances in ing vivacity, so much so that it was no surprise wentieth century music is generally as- that proceeded to recall the nostalgic mythology the middle of melodic passages, but contrasts to see violist Lawrence Dutton’s A string snap sociated with atonality and avant-garde of a Main Street heritage were clearly part of in the middle of the the Allegretto movement; experimentation; this is not necessarily complete with warm af- the ensembles rhetoric no issue - the re-stringing of the instrument T an untrue association, and many of Fri- ternoons of baseball and as each surprised ap- provided the audience with yet another itera- day evening’s composers are specially known chilly evenings of apple Russian melodies reverberated peared as unexpectedly tion of the vivacious music, perhaps cleaner the for their forays into these movements. The pie. The work is, by no as the one preceding. second time through. Heavy peasant melodies music is not without its own narrative, its own means, simple: harrow- throughout with shocking vivacity, The evening con- and rhythms concluded the work that sent the tonal lexicon and rationale that somehow cul- ing bursts throughout the cluded with yet two audience into a standing ovation. minates in a cohesive thesis. All of Friday eve- four movements thrust so much so that it was no surprise more patriotic works. This, however, was striking: the ensemble ning’s music was older than fifty years old, and the audience into fits to see violist Lawrence Dutton’s Barber’s Adagio is, by rewarded the audience’s considerable apprecia- it was striking to hear how much of this music that fall nothing short of all accounts, overdone tion with a performance of the third movement has been adapted in to the collective idiom in disorientation; certainly, A string snap in the middle of the and for good reason: of Antonin Dvořák’s Cypresses String quartet the twenty-first century. ensemble work in these played during every (Op. 106), a setting of When thy sweet glanc- It is difficult to think of the Emerson Quar- areas were notably well- the Allegretto movement. national tragedy, Bar- es on me fall. A more traditionally Romantic tet being less than fluent in any genre, hav- crafted, but this is not to ber’s work has surrepti- work, Dvořák’s piece paled in comparison to ing produced award-winning recordings from ignore the cohesion of tiously entered into the the wild and vivid music performed earlier in composers ranging from Haydn to Shostak- the entire work in Emerson’s considerable talent: American subconscious with an air of melan- the evening. ovich and almost everyone in between, but the melodic lines traded fluently from one instru- choly. It is easy to become complacent with the Perhaps it is our association with film mu- members seemed to really grasp the genre in ment to another, particularly between violinists work as both audience member and performer, sic, that pop music, too, has begun extended Friday evening’s concert. Drucker (first) and Setzer (second), who- per to associate it with its ascribed meaning rather tonalities and obviating the standard rhythmic, The Emerson String Quartet, hosted by the formed, for all intents and purposes, as a single than to hear it as part of a cohesive whole. Fri- harmonic structures that teach ust to under- Celebrity Series of Boston, played a program musician. day’s performance took special care not to fall stand the forebears of these innovationIt is of early twentieth century works by Charles Janáček’s first string quartet, performed sec- into this trap, shaping each moving line not ac- striking that, with the passage of time, how the Ives, Leoš Janáček, Samuel Barber and Dmitri ond on the program, was no less well-crafted, cording to its ascribed triplet motion, rather in- avant-garde becomes comprehensible at last. Shostakovich. While an evening filled with this but a striking change of pace; whereas Ives’s venting and re-inventing this notoriously diffi- Boston’s Celebrity Series continues its collection of composers (devoid of Emerson’s work somehow focuses on sonority, Janáček’s cult-to-interpret line in context with its position 2009–10 series on Saturday, December 12, signature Beethoven or Haydn) may seem im- work thrives on contrast and diversity: Film- in the piece. A solemn work, it is remarkable to with a performance by the Vienna Boys’ Choir, possibly heavy-handed or dense, Friday eve- score adagios careen in to riveting solo-instru- be reminded how poignantly beautiful it is. in New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall.

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LEGAL COUNSEL MIT students, family, employers and The Sloan Subject Bidding (SloanBid) System start-ups seeking U.S. legal counsel, Bidding Dates for Spring, 2010 Courses campus or office consultation. Call: James Dennis Leary, Esq. 321-544-0012 https://sloanbid.mit.edu First time logging in? Use your MIT ID as both your log in and password. Follow instructions on the site to Looking for change your password or retrieve lost passwords. Once logged in, make sure and check that your information a challenge (i.e. program of study and graduation date) is correct. BEYOND Institute-wide bidding for Sloan subjects: the books? Opens 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 22 Closes 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 30

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©2004 Bose Corporation. Patent rights issued and/or pending. Delivery is subject to product availability. Page 16 The Tech December 8, 2009 May the New Year Mead Plans to Stay Involved with MIT Dana Mead, from Page 1 bring Good Fortune... During his tenure, Mead led the search for a new president in 2004 after Charles M. Vest retired. Mead nominated president Susan J. Hockfield after compiling input from student and corporation search committees. Mead also diversified the membership of the Corporation and Visiting Committees by increasing the total number of women and foreign members by fifty percent. Mead established the Corporation’s Investment Management Com- pany in 2004, which managed the endowment and other assets during and Good Health. the recession. Mead attributes MIT’s better-than-average financial per- formance during the recession to this Company. Although no longer Chairman of the Corporation, Mead said that he plans to stay involved in the MIT community and to help MIT con- tact and raise funds from alumni. He plans to continue to sit on the Sloan Leadership Center Advisory Council, where he acts as a role model for students and shares his experiences in the corporate world. If given the option to stay on the corporation as an emeritus life member, Mead said that he would accept the position. Emeritus life members of the Corporation are free to participate in meetings and any other trans- actions; however, they do not have the privilege to vote. The Corporation’s bylaws dictate that the next chairman of the Corporation must be an MIT former president, retiring president, or a serving member of the Corporation. Mead was a serving member of the Corporation before his election as chairman, and had previously held several leadership positions including CEO of Tenneco Inc. and chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers. —Robert McQueen

Zesiger Sports and Alumni/Wang Fitness Center MIT Team Defeated

November 18 through January 15 Hundreds of Others DARPA, from Page 1 He said while they were planning the event the DARPA scientists had Buy 3 Day Passes, Get One FREE ey,” said Peter Lee, a DARPA project wondered about the relative effec- manager who was one of the organiz- tiveness of different motives ranging Gift Certificates are also available! ers of the Network Challenge. from profit to working for the com- DARPA had begun holding simi- mon good. lar events focused on autonomous ve- “In the final results all of the Visit www.mitrecsports.com for more information hicles in 2004 to create incentives to motives seemed to be effective,” he quickly advance the state-of-the-art. said. In the Network Challenge roughly The researchers said their tech- 500 teams had made a serious effort nique could be used for many things, and come close to identifying all of including finding criminals and miss- the balloons in a contest that Lee re- ing children, and halting impending recreation ferred to as a “nail-biter.” terrorist attacks. December 8, 2009 The Tech Page 17 Marilee Emerges to

Counsel Families on New EECS Hong Kong/Shenzhen China Summer 2010 Internship Opportunities College Applications For Juniors, Seniors and Grad Students All Expenses Paid! APPLY NOW!! Marilee Jones, from Page 1 sages. So far, she said, not a single client has mentioned the MIT resume (Chinese language skills helpful but not required) her resignation — but that she very scandal. Hong Kong Applied Science & Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) much appreciated the support she had Jones would like to expand her received since. reach, with parent seminars at public 6 positions in areas of communications technologies, enterprise and consumer electronics, IC Design, Biomedical Electronics, Material and Packaging Technologies “I got hundreds and hundreds of schools. letters and e-mails and packages and “The bottom line is that I’m re- angels, from people I hadn’t heard ally afraid of how we’re raising kids, Hong Kong University from in years, people I’d helped, and with so many expectations, and so Project 1: optically powered fiber networks Project 2: Ultra-fast swept-source for people I didn’t know,” she said. “It much fear of failure,” she said. “Fail- biomedical applications was awesome, and it really carried me ure is practice, and we seem to want through a hard time.” everything perfect, the first time. It’s Please contact EECS Prof Charles Sodini ([email protected]) and Sean Gilbert at Jones’ fall from grace came as important to learn to fall and get back MISTI China ([email protected]) she was reaching a nationwide audi- up again. And if I can do it, anybody ence, touring and speaking about the can do it.” http://www.eecs.mit.edu/international/ book she wrote with Dr. Kenneth R. But her plans to move into the Ginsburg, a pediatrician, “Less Stress, broader public arena are being de- More Success: A New Approach to layed. She had offered to speak last Guiding Your Teen Through College Thursday at a college night for juniors Admissions and Beyond,” which ce- at Montclair High School in New Jer- mented her reputation as the leader sey, but Scott White, a guidance coun- of a movement to calm the college- selor there, canceled the appearance. admissions frenzy. White said he had no comment It did not take long for Jones to on the cancellation and no plans to gravitate back to what she knows reschedule. best: college admissions. About four Jones sees herself as a guidance months after leaving MIT, Jones was counselor for parents, and emphasiz- hired as consultant by the admissions es that she is not an independent col- office at the Berklee College of Music lege counselor mapping out strategies in Boston. to get a child into college, but rather “We knew of her reputation, that a counselor helping parents learn to she was someone who could give us support their children through a time excellent advice,” said Damien Brack- of tension. en, Berklee’s dean of admissions. And New York City, she said, may “Obviously we were aware of what be where she can be most helpful. happened at MIT, but she had such a “I moved to New York because stellar reputation as a dean there that I’ve always wanted to live here and we felt the value of the consultation also because there’s a lot of work was in the expertise she could provide. to be done here,” she said. “In New She spent close to a year working with York, you have so many parents ask- me, and it was really, really great.” ing: ‘What’s the secret? Who do I And since then, Jones said, she have to know? How much do I have has been hired as a consultant by two to pay?’ It’s so pervasive, it’s a cultural other institutions, which she would difference. It’s terrible for the system not name. and it’s terrible for democracy, and it Jones said she had also been ap- really hurts the kids.” proached by institutions — she would She added: “In their worrying not name them either — interested in about college, a lot of parents lose hiring her as an admissions dean, but touch with who their kids are. I want had not been tempted. them to fall in love with the child “I don’t want to work that hard,” again.” she said. “And at this point in my life, Usually, Jones said, after parents I’m not interested in institutions that share their worries about whether don’t really move me.” their child will get into an elite col- One part of her new life is volun- lege, will be Ivy League material, will teering as a college expert for teenage find a comfortable place in the world, cancer survivors at the Center for Sur- they realize that the issue is not so vivor Wellness at NewYork-Presbyte- much their child’s college admission rian Hospital/Columbia. as coming to terms with their own Jones, who has a college-age dreams and wishes. daughter, remains committed to the “After they talk about their con- mission of taking the stress out of col- cerns, they reach the point, pretty lege admissions. And to that end, she soon, where they can say, ‘Oh, this is consulting with parents, sometimes is really about me,’ and then they can offering reduced fees, sometimes get out of the way and support their charging about $500 for a three-hour child,” she said. “Ultimately, this is session, plus unlimited e-mail mes- about facing ourselves.”

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21W.781J Communication About Technology: Intriguing reading from arts to sciences. Colossal Failures in Engineering (12 Units HASS Elective, CI-H Credit) Explores communication about technological subjects in the context The MIT Press Bookstore❅ of colossal engineering failures including Three Mile Island, Bhopal, [email protected], 292 Main St., Cambridge (617) 253-5249 the Columbia Shuttle, 9/11, and Katrina. Open❄ Mon-Fri 9-7, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-6. check our website for special Holiday hours December 8, 2009 Sp o r t s The Tech Page 19 Varsity Fencing Team Overcomes Sc o r e b o a r d Slow Start to Take Second Place Men’s Basketball By Vinayak Ramesh mountable, deficit. The foil squad inspiration for this historic event,” Saturday, December 5, 2009 TEAM MEMBER lost their first three to fall to 0-3, Kopylov said. Gordon College 73 On November 21, the MIT and the sabre and epee squad fared Unfortunately, the winning MIT 78 Varsity Fencing Team had its first only slightly better. “We just didn’t streak would not continue for the team meet of the season, defeat- come out there with the kind of en- MIT fencers. Despite their impres- ing conference opponents UMass ergy they did initially” commented sive start to the day, the team was Women’s Basketball (20-7), Boston University (21-6), Rangarajan D. Nadadur ’10. After humbled by Sacred Heart Univer- Saturday, December 5, 2009 New Hampshire (26-1), and Bran- rapidly falling behind 13-6, all hope sity, 8-19. “They’re not unbeatable, deis (14-13) before falling to Sacred seemed lost. It was in this darkest of our heads just weren’t in the game,” Springfield College 53 Heart University (8-19). hours that the team turned to assis- said Richard C. LaGrandier ’11, MIT 51 A total of 27 bouts were fenced tant coach Igor Kopylov G for guid- “we’ll see them again this season; against each school, 9 in each of ance. “He just told us what needed the story isn’t over yet.” Men’s Fencing the three events: foil, epee, and sa- to be done, and we did it,” Maximil- MIT closed out the day defeat- bre. The Engineers opened the day ian L. Brand ‘11 said “We knew it ing Boston University 21-6, re- Saturday, December 5, 2009 by handily defeating their first two was his birthday, and that motivated turning home with 4 victories. The Brown University 15 opponents, UMass 20-7, and UNH us.” In an unlikely Cinderella Story, depth of the team was apparent, as MIT 12 26-1. While it seemed that MIT was the team went on to win 8 straight the foil squad ended the day with coasting easily towards victory, the bouts, defeating Brandeis Universi- a ledger of 30-15, with the epee University of North Carolina 19 Cardinal and Gray was soon faced ty 14-13. The Brandeis coach could and sabre squads following closely MIT 8 with perennial rival Brandeis Uni- not be reached for comment. “Even behind with records of 29-16. The St. John’s University 19 versity. back when I was young and fencing team will compete at its second The team opened the round slow- for MIT years ago, this is among the meet this coming weekend, where MIT 8 ly, losing several of the initial bouts best comeback victories I’ve ever they will face St. John’s, Brown, Yale University 21 to fall to an early, seemingly insur- seen. I’m just glad I could serve as UNC, and Yale. MIT 6

Women’s Fencing Saturday, December 5, 2009 Brown University 12 MIT 15 University of North Carolina 17 MIT 8 St. John’s University 19 MIT 10 Yale University 21 MIT 6 Cornell University 18 MIT 9

Men’s Swimming & Diving Saturday, December 5, 2009 MIT Invitational MIT 1st of 7

Women’s Swimming & Diving Saturday, December 5, 2009

Dan Kubaczyk—The Tech MIT Invitational Justine Li ’10 takes aim in the smallbore (small caliber) competition during Saturday’s match at MIT 2nd of 7 the MIT rifle range. The Tech wishes you the best of luck on finals and a safe and happy winter break!

Made possible by the Council for the Arts at MIT FREE TICKETS for MIT students Boston Chamber Music Society Holiday Concert: All Bach Program

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Fenwick Smith, flute Lucy Chapman, violin Roger Tapping, viola Natasha Brofsky, cello

Two tickets per MIT student ID Tickets available at the MIT Office of the Arts (E15-205) Monday - Friday 2:30-5:30pm Page 20 The Tech December 8, 2009 Sp o r t s M. Swimming and Diving Wins 2009 MIT Invitational Handily By Paul Blascovich recording a score of 1197.5 and easily out the participating schools. daper staff beating out second-place Tufts Uni- Brendan T. Deveney ’13 was a MIT’s powerhouse men’s swim- versity (750.5). clear standout for MIT, recording ming and diving team dominated the New York University (696), four NCAA “B” cut times with wins 2009 MIT Invitational held Friday Brandeis University (397), Bowdoin in three individual events [200 IM and Saturday in the Zesiger Pool. The College (304), Colby College (206), (1:53.03), 400 IM (4:06.15) and 200 Engineers won 17 out of 20 events, and Wheaton College (187) rounded Back (1:51.33)] and a second-place finish in the 100 Back (52.11). Deve- ney was also a part of four winning Women’s Rugby Team Wins relay teams. The Engineers displayed their most National Championship impressive performance early Satur- day morning during the 200 Medley Three weekends ago, MIT Womens’ Rugby competed in the Divi- Relay. Deveney, Rastislav Racz ’10, sion III National Championship in Cherry Hill, NJ. In the semifinal Brett L. Boval ’12 and Luke R. Cum- match, MIT easily defeated Hofstra University 63 to 5, led by Caroline mings ’10 took first place with a time H. Hunting ’11 and Adedoyin T. Ogunniyi ’11. of 3:24.12, the only NCAA “A” cut MIT faced East Stroudsburg University in the final. of the meet. The Engineers exerted pressure on ESU and controlled On the women’s side, MIT won 10 the entire match. Rachel E. Forman G, Elizabeth B. out of their 20 events, finishing sec- Umhoefer ’10, Carly A. Narlesky ’11, and Ogunniyi all ond. They recorded a score of 863.5, scored trys in the first half, the last coming as time ex- but fell well short of the winning squad pired, for a 24-5 lead heading into the break. from New York University (1045). MIT would retain their momentum coming out of the half, scoring MIT dominated the relays, win- two tries within seven minutes. Ogunniyi would tack on one final try in ning all five relays and recording the final seconds, beating four defenders on a 25-meter run. This was NCAA “B” cut times in the 200 her 12th score of the tournament, and brought the score to 41-5, cap- Free Relay (1:36.71), 400 Medley ping MIT’s dominating run to the championship. Captain Alyssa M. Relay (3:58.78) and 800 Free Relay Baccarella ’11 was named the tournament MVP. (7:50.19). Anna S. Kokensparger —Kat Kononov, Team Member ’13 broke school records — some her own-en route to four individual wins, four individual “B” cut times, Springfield Edges Out Women’s and seven wins in each of her seven races. Vibin Kundukulam—The Tech Basketball, 53-51 This weekend’s meet marked the Austin C. Anderson ’12 returns a shot on Saturday at the Zesi- Despite numerous MIT comeback attempts in the final minutes, final competition of the calendar year. ger Center squash courts. The Engineers’ match against the Springfield College held on for the 53-51 victory Saturday afternoon. MIT hits the water again on January Huskies was the last in a triple-header with Tufts University, The Engineers were led by Kristen E. Whaley ’11 with 15 points and 8, when it hosts Wheaton College for Middlebury College, and Northeastern University. seven rebounds. a dual meet. Springfield raced out to an 11-4 lead, but MIT slowly chipped away, at one point tallying seven unanswered points to even the frame at 21. Springfield went on to record the final five points of the half and entered the Men’s Basketball Has Best Start break with a 26-21 advantage. In the second half, MIT scored eight straight at one point to go up 35-33. Springfield responded with a 10-2 spurt to take In Program History after Sat. Win the lead for good with 9:36 left. A three by Aparna A. Sud ’13 trimmed the deficit to one with 54 By Greg McKeever end it in regulation but was unable to verted a layup and the foul shot on seconds on the clock. The Engineers had several opportunities to take DAPER Staff knock down another three. opening possession of the second the lead down the stretch, but were unable to convert. William E. “Billy” Bender ‘12 Gordon took the lead early in half to even things up at 36. A three MIT will host Babson on December 9 in its next matchup. had a pair of clutch three-pointers, overtime, and the teams traded turn- by Aaron Trigg with 7:53 remain- —Mindy Brauer, DAPER Staff one at the end of regulation and one overs before James R. Burke ’13 and ing gave Gordon its first lead of the in overtime, to help lead the MIT Bender nailed threes to give Tech a game, 56-54. The Scots would score men’s basketball team to a 78-73 win four-point lead. Kates made a driv- eight of their final 12 from the foul over Gordon College Saturday. Noel ing on the next possession to put the line, including another and-one by Hollingsworth ’12 led the Engineers game out of reach. Gaskill with 1:18 on the clock, set- with 28 points and seven rebounds MIT scored the game’s first 10 ting up Bender’s heroics. Up c o m i n g Ho m e Ev e n t s before fouling out late in regulation. points, capped by a layup from Kates, with 15 points, Burke Tech is now 8-0, the best start in pro- Kates, in the opening 4:21. Gordon (11), and Bender (13) joined Hol- Wednesday, December 9, 2009 gram history. came back and trimmed the lead to lingsworth in double figures. Kates Women’s Basketball vs. Babson College With MIT trailing 68-65 with just three, but the Engineers responded also added five assists while Bender 7 p.m., Rockwell Cage 42 seconds remaining, Bender took a with a 7-0 run to go back up by had six boards. The Engineers shot Thursday, December 10, 2009 pass in the corner from Mitchell H. double digits. The Tech lead would 46 percent from behind the arc, as Men’s Basketball vs. Salem State College Kates ’13 and drained the game-ty- grow to as many as 11 with 5:48 to both Bender and Burke went three-

print ad 4 x 5 for the tech.pdf 1 11/17/097 p.m., 12:40 Rockwell PM Cage ing bucket. After the Fighting Scots go in the first, but the Scots were for-five. were whistled for an offensive foul able to battle back to within three at MIT will be back in action on on the ensuing possession, Willard J. the break. Tuesday night, traveling to UMass- “Billy” Johnson ’09 had a chance to Gordon’s Benjamin Gaskill con- Boston for a 7:00 p.m. start. MIT Museum Store 20% Off Store Items Smile. Laugh. Ponder. Gadgets and Gizmos Toys and T-shirts Books and Bags! 20% Off with MIT ID MIT Student Sale December 7 – 11 only

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Elijah Mena—The Tech James R. Burke ’13 attempts to block mid-court during the Saturday game against Gordon College at 265 Massachusetts Avenue, Building N51 Rockwell Cage. The Engineers won 78-73 in overtime.