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By Jeffrey Greenbaum STAFF REPORTER Institute Sues Over Digital TVLicensing In yesterday's freshman housing By Jennifer Krishnan the lawsuit. lottery, over 80 percent of the 679 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th NEWS EDITOR "We believe that a rather large lottery entrants received one of their er 85 1 MIT has announced that they are number of companies that are mak- top two choices. suing Sony Electronics, Inc. for man- ing digital television or components "We tried to maximize the Bexley 16 1 ufacturing and selling digital televi- of digital television will be or are amount of people who got their first BurtoD-Connor 42 49 2 sions that use components and tech- operating under the claims of our or second choice," said Denise Val- East Campus 41 32 13 nologies patented by the Institute. patents," Nelsen said. lay, manager of Undergraduate Resi- iCG~or 99 In the lawsuit, MIT alleges that Mack Araki, a representative of dential Services. In order to accom- ewHouse 39 13 5 "Sony has directly infringed ... on Sony, said the corporation would plish this, the Office of Residential [the patents in question] by manu- not discuss the pending litigation. Life and Student Life Programs Next House 56 32 facturing, .,. selling, and/or offering (RLSLP) ran the lottery three time , Random 14 4 to sell ... the said digital systems Sony less cooperative than others and selected the results in which the SeDior House '1 11 4 and components." "We have offered license for greatest number of freshmen received Unassigned "MIT has a large part of patents these patents to the companies ... one of their first two choices. related to digital television," said about five companies have already Vallay believes that there was a Technology Licensing Office Direc- signed up for licenses," Nelsen said, good amount of variance in the tor Lita Nelsen. "and we are contacting others." preferences for the lottery, which lottery, many freshmen toured the temporary dormitory's location According to the MIT Technolo- Donald N. Kaiser, Associate helped freshmen to receive one of different dormitories, both with the and facilities. gy Licensing Office's website, MIT Technology Licensing Officer, said their top two choices. help of tour guides and indepen- "1 got a completely different dif- owns 18 U.S. Patents relating to MIT has license agreements with dently. "Touring had a huge impact ferent impression of Senior House digital television. Four of these, Freshmen tour dorms on my decision. I tried to talk to as by living there," said Mandeep which expire in 2006, are named in Sony, Page 10 Prior to entering the dormitory many people as 1 could," Rachel L. Singh '05. He felt that Senior Finck '05 said. House's descriptions did not accu- VaUay feels that "people really rately portray the dormitory, Despite Controversy, RLAs Move In spent some time looking at their dif- Some freshmen who attended ferent options." She noted the Campus Preview Weekend used the By Nancy L. Keuss and administration in MIT dorm cul- positions August 14, are now entries came in slowly at first, but experiences to help elect their tem- Shankar Mukherji ture, the four Residence Life Asso- housed in ext House, McCormick really began to pick up Tuesday porary housing. ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITORS ciates have begun to settle into their Hall, the Eastgate Apartments, and morning. "1 have been here for CPW and Despite months of heated dis- respective residential zones. Building NW30, the Albany Street liked EC the most so 1picked it for cussion surrounding the role of the The RLAs, who assumed their warehouse recently converted into a Temporary housing useful my temporary housing," Timur graduate dormitory. Freshmen generally appreciated Tokmoulinne '05 said. Although he Offices for both RLA and non- their temporary housing experi- visited other dormitories during dor- RLA personnel were recently ence because it allowed them to mitory rush, he selected East Cam- installed in Burton-Conner House, a check out the dormitories first- pus as his top pick. move that eliminates some residen- hand. Although they would have Martijn Stevenson '05 said that "it tial space. liked to have met more of the dor- is hard to tell what a place is like until Critics have deemed the move mitory's residents, freshmen were part of a disturbing trend that able to developed a feel for their Housing lottery, Page 12 involves administrators quietly encroaching on student life. Others question the need to house more administrators at a time when many dorms are feeling the acute effects Michael L. Dertouzos of a campus housing crunch. Professor Michael L. Dertouzo PhD '64, director of the Labora- "In a nutshell, I think this was a tory for Computer Science (LCS), died Monday night at Massachu- good idea implemented at a bad setts General Hospital. He was 64 years old. time and in a sloppy way," said Dertouzo had served as director of LCS since 1974, ten year Burton-Conner resident James L. after be joined MIT's faculty. Under his leader hip, LCS expanded to Hardison '02. become one of the largest research labs on campus, with 400 faculty Burton-Conner residents have members, graduate students, and re earch taff complained of being given insuffi- 'Few individuals have so personally and profoundly shaped their cient notice that non-RLA person- institutions and professional fields. Yet he did so in a manner that nel would also be afforded accom- respected and involved all of his colleague . I will miss his per onal modations in dormitories. friendship and counsel very much:' President Charles . Vest aid to "What burns me about this situ- Tech Talk. ation is that no one thought to clue Colleagues of Dertouzo remember him as a visionary who cham- in the residents," said Hardison. pioned the development of technology with an eye towards human "By that I mean notifying affected utility. "He et an incredible percentage of the agenda for computer resident of what is going on in a cience [in the past several years]," Professor of Electrical Engineer- timely enough manner so that those ing and Computer cience Harold Abelson PhD '73 said. "He was residents can give their input." the first guy who said we hould use computers for education, back Hardison said that it might make when we had about ten computers on campus." more sense to fix what is already in ,In 197 he went around with this crazy idea that someday there place, such as instituting better will be computers in the home," belson said. checks on Graduate Resident Tutors "[Michael] thought of things years before anyone else did. While and housemasters. often suffering ridicule prematurely, he was invariably vindicated Still, the RLA have undergone eventually. For e ample, in 1980, he wrote and spoke about the Infor- extensive orientation activities to mation Marketplace, in which hundreds of million of computer acclimate themselves to MIT resi- would be interconnected via a worldwide network to enable billions ROSHAN BAUGA-THE TECH dential life. of people to create, access and freely exchange information, It took Janet Jackson took the FleetCenter by storm last Saturday in "The RLAs are attempting to get a sold out show of epic proportions. Dertouzos, Page 12 RLA, Page 10
Kevin Smith takes a shot at the Comics OPINIO World & ation 2 movie industry in his new film, Philip Burrowes discusses the Opinion 4 Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. u e and misuse of computer Arts 6 graphics in animation. On the Screen 7 On the Town 8 Page 7 Page 9 Page 5 Comics 9 Page2 THE CD August 30 200 I WORLD & NATION P ace Plan Still Face Dissention Diplomacy Fails to Remove THE WASHINGTO POST
Phase one of TO' effort to di arm ethnic lbanian rebel ended ednesday at an army base in a mall acedonian town. But Israeli 'Iroops from Beit Jala in the capital, opponent of the country' peace plan signaled they will try to vote it down when it is put before parliament in coming By Lee Hockstader operation condemned in Wa hing- quagmire even as I raeli officials days. THE WASHINGTO POST ton and other world capitals. But the in isted they want to leave the po i- Western and moderate acedonian official , fearful this effort JERU ALE cea e-fire never took effect. By late tions they eized a oon as the might succeed are examining the pos ibility of talling the parlia- High-level diploma y failed Wedne day night there wa no sign attacks on Gilo stop. mentary consideration and taking the agreement directly to the people edne day to dislodge I raeli forces that Israeli force were preparing to Some official, including in a referendum. from positions in a Pale tinian-con- leave the hillside town of ocher Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert, said That could force ATO to prolong it operation, which is up- trolled town that they seized Tues- tone hou es that had been turned the army operation 0 far has been posed to be limited to the collection of arms over a trict 30-day peri- day to top attacks on a nearby Jew- over to Pale tinian control a part of insufficient. Olmert hinted that od. A referendum could take at least 60 day to organize after a par- i h housing development. Instead, the 19930 10 peace accords. Israel might have to resort to liamentary vote approving one or the collection of 150,000 signatures the I raeli government eemed to be Israeli offi ial aid their army is tougher tactics or seize additional from among the population. considering an even longer tay after prepared to tay in Beit Jala as long Pale tinian land to make sure the a econd traight day of Palestinian a Palestinian gunmen keep up the re idents of Gilo' s apartment build- mortar and rifle fire from in and attack on Gilo, a Jewish housing ings are free from gunfire. o ecasters See Even Scant around the embattled community. project built on a facing hillside, till, other senior Israelis said fter European mediation, ju t across a shallow valley on they do not want the troops to stay. Gro as POSItive S·gn Israel's foreign minister, himon We t Bank land captured in the And Prime Minister Ariel Sharon THE WASHINGTON POST Peres, and the Palestinian leader, 1967 Middle East War. said Israel will nut be drawn into WA H GTO Yasser Arafat, agreed at midday on Instead of quelling the shooting, further invasions. "We went into U .. economic growth completely taIled thi spring as battered, a cease-fire to be followed by an however, the Israeli invasion has Beit Jala not to stay but to defend money-losing busines es unloaded unwanted inventorie and slashed Israeli pullback from Beit Jala, the triggered the heaviest Palestinian Gilo,' said Defense Minister new investments, but many foreca ter believe a mode t pickup in Palestinian town just south of attacks on Gilo in the II months of Binyamin Ben-Eliezer. "Everything economic activity has already begun. Jerusalem that Israeli troops partial- the Palestinian uprising. That sug- depends on the amount of quiet The Commerce Department reported Wedne day that the econo- ly reoccupied early Tuesday in an gested the potential for a deepening there will be." my grew at a meager 0.2 percent annual rate in the second quarter, not the 0.7 percent pace originally estimated. The spring growth rate represented the economy' weakest perfor- mance in eight years, and was essentially no better than zero. But Bush Wants to See Education, many analyst had braced for worse, expecting the numbers would show the economy had contracted lightly in the April-June period. A negative number would have purred talk that the United States had Defense Proposals Get Priority entered a recession and perhaps dampened consumer optimism that the economy will improve oon. By James Gerstenzang and Congress left Washington, their increase in the defense budget and and Janet Hook budget offices each reported that the education plans. Making that case AMA Campaign on Ethics LOS ANGELES TIMES once-soaring surplus is nearing the Wednesday, Bush said, "I know S ANTONIO disappearing point. this nation still has enemies and we Funded by Drug Companies President Bush jumped into the The nonpartisan Congressional cannot expect them to be idle. THE WASHINGTON POST Washington political fray from afar Budget Office said the surplus, pro- Security is my first responsibility WA HINGTO on Wednesday, pressing Congress jected last May at $275 billion, was and I will not permit any course The American Medical Association is mounting a new education- to put his education proposals and closer to $153 billion. When the that leaves America undefended." al campaign co ting 1 million to educate doctors about its ethical defense budget at the top of its Social Security surplus is not count- Back in Washington, Democratic guideline against accepting gifts from drug companies - but most autumn agenda. ed, the overall federal budget sur- leaders continued to blame Bush for of the funding for the effort is coming from drug companies. One day before ending his near- plus becomes a $9 billion deficit, the dwindling budget surplus. In a ine large pharmaceutical companies are contributing a total of ly monthlong summer visit to the CBO said. In comparison, the letter to Bush, the Democrats asked about 675,000 to help pay for the campaign, which is aimed at med- Texas, the president set an agenda White House Office of Management him how he intends to finance his ical students, phy icians-in-trainingand drug company sales repre- for Congress that also urges and Budget projected a $1 billion defense budget and other initiatives sentatives as well as practicing doctors, said Alan elson, a former speedy action on a patients' rights surplus. without tapping Social Security A president and a special adviser to the American College of measure and a provision providing Either way, the president and funds. Physicians. prescription drugs to Medicare Congress face a period of unaccus- "It is imperative that you provide elson defended the AMA's decision to accept grants from the patients. tomed belt-tightening. Bush, who specific guidance on how you intend drug industry to publicize the ethical guidelines, which allow compa- While the proposals are not new, pushed through a massive $1.35 to pay for the additional initiatives ny funding of educational conferences but advise doctors against they come amid a rapidly souring trillion tax cut, will now have to that you are calling for," said the accepting gifts of more than minimal value from drug companies. budget picture. Since the president win support for his $18.4 billion letter.
WEATHER
Sights on September Solace Situation for Noon Eastern Daylight Time, Thursday, August 30,2001 By Greg Lawson o~ r:;~ o~ o~ o~ o~ o~ ~ -,~t;;, .....q; .....rvt;;, ...... fij ...... t;;, -ct;;,fij -c<§J 0)';:' STAFF METEOROLOGIST , We have high pressure to thank for yesterday's wonderful weather and can look forward to similar splendor for the latter half of the upcoming holi- day weekend; however, we have to pay the piper with some unsettled skies beforehand. Our friendly high pressure system is slipping out to sea as a trough, with its concomitant urface low and cold front, filch eastward to fill its place. Air circulates clockwise around a high pressure center, and this means we'll see the winds here in Boston shift to southerly (i.e. from the south) as the high passes out to sea. Winds from the south will bring us warmer air and moister air. These two properties will collude to bring con- vective instability to the region. The passage of the cold front Friday after- noon may be enough to set-off showers or even thunderstorms. It is difficult to say whether or not it will rain-v-I will offer that the conditions will be conducive to supporting rain, and I predict that it is more likely we'll see rain than not, perhaps a 60 percent chance of precipitation. In any case, Fri- day will certainly be cloudy and rather humid. It will take a little time on aturday for the remnants of the front to pa to sea, but beginning aturday afternoon or perhap evening, another high pressure y tern will build into the area providing us with what poses to be a clear, wonderful late ummer weekend. Labor Day looks like a perfect day for avoiding labor. The trend should continue to mid-week.
Extended Forecast
Toda : Very pleasant. 0 tly sunny with light winds shifting to southerly. High 75°F (24°C). o.night: ot so bad. Cloudine s developing. Low 63°F (17°C). Friday: Unsettled. Patchy cloudines . 60 percent chance of late afternoon Weather Systems Weather Fronts Precipitation Symbols Other Symbols hower or thunderstorms. Muggy. Cloudy through the night. High Snow Rain _ Trough Fog OaF 27°C . Low 66°F (l9°C). H High Pressure - - Showers =- · l{ Thunderstorm aturda : Gateway to plendor. Cloudiness and humidity give way to ····WarmFront \l* \l Light mo tly clear skie. Winds shifting back northerly. High in the mid to L Low Pre sure co Haze ••••• COldFront · upper 70 (24-26°C. Low in the upper 50s (14-16 °C). Moderate * .. Compiled by MIT unda and beyond: Cooler temp with mostly clear kies. Crisp and § Hurricane Meteorology Staff ...... Stationary Front Heavy ** beautiful! Highs in the low to mid 70 22-25 °C) and low in the 50s ..· and The Tech (11 - 15°C). '* August 30 2001 WORLD & NATIO THE T CH Page 3 IRS Investigates Lost Returns Nigerian Families Sue Pfizer THE WASH/NGTON POST many a 40,000 federal tax return and tax payment checks totalling more than 800 million from the orthea t have been lost For Experiments on Children or destroyed at a processing center operated by a Pittsburgh bank for the Internal Revenue ervice, en. Max Baucu (D-Mont.), chair- By Joe Stephens violated the uremberg ode, nit- exporting human drug tests to the man of the en ate Finance Committee, said Wedne day. THE WASHINGTON POST ed ations human rights standards developing world, where costs were It i unclear whether any of the missing documents will be found. Pfizer Inc. was sued Wedne day and other ethical guideline . They lower and regulations lax. The sto- o the IRS is advising taxpayers who sent payments to Pittsburgh on behalf of 30 igerian families allege that Pfizer exposed the chil- ries documented medical research and whose checks have not cleared to stop payment on them. An who contend the world's largest dren to ' cruel, inhuman and degrad- carried out in poor countries that had IR spokesman said the agency would pick up bank fees for the drug maker violated international ing treatment." cant hope of benefiting from new stop-payments. law during a sweeping 1996 menin- The families are seeking a court drugs or medical breakthroughs. The affected taxpayers, from upstate ew York and several ew giti epidemic by experimenting on order barring the company from The eries included a lengthy England states, will have any penalties waived and replacement children without their knowledge or conducting illegal experiments in examination of Pfizer' 1996 Trovan returns and checks credited as on time, IRS officials said. consent. the future, and ask for unspecified experiment, carried out on 200 chil- The Pittsburgh contractor, Mellon Bank, has not explained what The lawsuit, filed in federal court punitive damages. For the surviving dren with potentially deadly menin- happened, other than to say it does not appear to be a case of identi- in ew York, charges that the chil- children, the lawsuit asks that Pfizer gitis, at a makeshift epidemic camp ty theft, stolen checks or disclosure of sensitive taxpayer informa- dren were exploited as human be ordered to pay for continuing in Kano, igeria. Eleven children tion. guinea pigs during trials of a then- medical care. died during the test, but Pfizer said Sources here said it appeared the IRS contract penalized Mellon new Pfizer antibiotic, known as The experiment came to light in none of the deaths was related to the for unprocessed returns and checks rather then rewarding it for those Trovan. The families of at least six December, when The Washington drug or to poor medical treatment. it did process. children who died during or shortly Post published the results of an 11- Pfizer officials did not respond "The system was flawed," one said. "It gave them incentive to after the experiment are among month investigation. The series, immediately to a telephone message stick the payments in a drawer. It was almost cost-effective for Mel- those suing, according to their attor- "The Body Hunters," revealed that left Wednesday. But in response to lon to do that. There was no reward for timely processing." ney, Elaine Kusel. Pfizer and other large American the Post series, Pfizer said the com- The families contend that Pfizer drug companies increasingly were pany had done nothing unethical. Many Americans live To Be 100, Study Says Study Shows That Air Bag Deaths LOS ANGELES TIMES Martin Magner's voice rumbles and clenches as he relives a night more than six decades gone. Have Decreased in Recent Years For a moment, he is not a IOl-year-old man living at Sunset Hall, a Los Angeles group borne. He is a young man in Germany who has By Megan Garvey to deploy quickly in a high-impact air bags have proven dangerous for directed a controversial reworking of George Bernard Shaw's "Too LOS ANGELES TIMES crash. children under 12, the elderly and Good to Be True," only to come face-to-face with tbe legendarily dif- WASHINGTON "When we look back at where small adults unable to withstand the ficult playwright on opening night. Deaths caused by air bags have we were five years ago when almost force of the air bag opening. Addi- His torso jolts forward at the remembered thud of Shaw's hand declined dramatically since 1996, nightly there was another horror tionally, anyone seated too close to descending on bis shoulder. His face mirrors terror, then jubilation, as when 35 people - 19 of them chil- story about a child being killed by an air bag risks injury if it deploys. Shaw's voice echoes through his mind, proclaiming the staging a tri- dren were killed in mostly slow- an air bag, we've come a long way," The rash of air bag-related umph. speed crashes, according to a study said Phil Haseltine, president of the deaths in 1996, nearly triple the pre- Then the memory passes and he is back at Sunset Hall, in his to be released Thursday by the Automotive Coalition for Traffic viously reported high, prompted wheelchair, in a present that has outlasted all of his expectations. National Safety Council. Safety, an automobile manufacturer- some concerned parents to call for According to newly released 2000 census information, there are Traffic fatalities attributed to funded group that has worked close- the removal of devices that had long now more than 51,000 Americans who, like Magner, are 100 or air bags were cut in half by 2000 ly with the Air Bag & Seat Belt been touted as a tool to substantially older, among them about 1,400 so-called super-centenarians who top - even as the number of automo- Safety Campaign. reduce deaths in serious automobile 110. biles equipped with the front-seat The campaign, sponsored by a accidents. Even the Census Bureau says the numbers are probably inaccu- devices more than tripled. And so coalition of automobile companies The National Highway Traffic rate, mingling human error with equally human wishful thinking. Yet, far this year, federal safety offi- working with federal safety offi- Safety Administration estimates that flawed as the figures may be, they hold a kernel of truth: With each cials said there have been no con- cials, has spent about $37 million air bags have saved the lives of generation of healthier and longer-lived Americans, the romanticism firmed fatalities attributed to air since 1996 to educate drivers about 8,645 people since 1987 -7,224 of of Jiving to 100 is giving way to the reality of it. bags a safety feature designed the potential risks of air bags. The them since 1996. •
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h irman Jordan Rubin '02 ditor in hief Dana Levine '02 Bu ine anag r Huanne T. Thoma '02 anaging itor Eric 1. Cholankeril '02
NEWSIFEATURES STAFF Director: Rima Arnaout 02; ew ditor: Kevin R. Lang '02, Jennifer Kri hnan '04; 0- ciate Editor: elis a . Cain '04, aney L. Keu '04, Eun J. Lee '04, Brian Loux '04, hankar ukherji '04' t ff: Frank Dabek G, Daniel C. teven on G, aveen unkavally G, anjay Basu '02, Efren Gutierrez '03, onali Mukherjee '03, lice . Wang '03, Diana . Cheng '04, Jeffrey Greenbaum '04, Vicky H u '04, Pey-Hua Hwang '04, Palla i are h '04, Rubi Rajbansbi '04, Maria Wang '04, W .. Wang '04; eteorolo it: Veronique Bugnion G Rob orty G, Peter Huybers G, Greg Lawson G, Bill Ram trom G.
PRODUCTlO STAFF ditors: Gayani Tillekeratne '03, Joel Corbo '04, "'I'm here to emphasize values. Remember •.• work hard, aim high Joy Forsythe '04; ociate Editor: Andrew and always use your parents' connections." Mamo '04, befali Oza '04, Tao Yue '04' taff: Mary Obelnicki '98, Ryan Ochylski '01 Ian Lai '02, Anju Kanumalla '03, Virnal Bhalodia '04, Andy Leiserson '04, Eric Tung '04.
OPINIO STAFF Editor: Kris cbnee '02, Jyoti Tibrewala '04; ociate Editors: Veena Thomas '02; olum- nl t : Philip Burrowes '04, Roy Esaki '04, Ken esmith '04; taff: Ba il Engwegbara G, Michael Borucke '01, Kevin Choi '01, Chri to- pher D. mith '01, Jason H. Wa fy '01, Matt Craighead '02, Darnel L. Tortorice '02, Philippe C. Larochelle '03, Gretchen Aleks '04, Christen M. Gray 04, Akshay Patil '04.
SPORTS STAFF Editor: Aaron D. Mihalik '02' taff: L. M. Hughey '01, Robert ron tam '02.
ARTS STAFF ditor : Devdoot ajumdar '04, Annie S. Choi; S 0 iate Editor: Fred Choi 02; talI: Erik Blankin hip G, Lance atban G, Bence P. Olveczky G onja harpe G, Vladimir V. Zelevinsky '95, Bogdan Fedele '03, Jumaane Jeffries '02 Jacob Beniflah '03, Daniel J. Katz '03 Jane Maduram '03, Amy Meadow '03, Jeremy Baskin '04, Chaitra Cbandrasekhar '04, andra M. Chung '04 Izzat Jarudi '04 Chad Serrant '04, Joseph Graham.
PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF Editor: athan Collin G, Ro han Baliga '03, Wendy Gu '03; taff: Erika Brown G, Krzysztof Gajos G, Garry Maskaly G, Karlene R. askaly G, ichelle Povinelli G, Bob umner G, amudra Vijay G, Gregory F. Kuh- nen '00, Wan Yu of Wan orshidi '00, ephir Hamilton '01, Charles Boatin '01, ii Dodoo '01 Kailas arendran '01, James ny- der '01, Yi Xie '02, Leonid Drozhinin '03, Eka- Letters TO The Editor terina Os ikine '03, att T. Yourst '03, Pedro L. Arrechea 04, Brian Hemond '04, Max Planck ASA Missed the Point encouraging people to join should not be pun- Otero G, President of the AS)\, said that the '04, Jacqueline T. Yen '04, isir Botta '04. ished, because the agreement between the ASA AS)\ would look into those potential violations. I picked up Tuesday issue of The Tech, and The Tech, according to Tuesday's article, There are few groups on campus that collective- CARTOO ISTS and was disgusted to hear that the ASA had was obviously unclear. There was a warning e- ly work as hard or are as involved as The Tech. Aaron lsak en G, olar Olugebefola G, Jen- mail received on Friday night after the Saturday Some of these groups are other student publica- nifer Dimase '01, Xi xi D'Moon '01, Bao-Yi revoked office space from the leading student Chang '02, David go'02, Lara Kirkham '03, newspaper on the MIT campus [' )\SA to issue of The Tech had gone to press. Working tions, which are often just as overworked as Alison Wong '03. Redistribute Part of Tech's Office For Rule Vio- on an award-winning student publication Tech staff members. The ASA's decision in a lations"]. The ASA sounds very self-important myself for three years, as well as holding the midnight meeting, to which The Tech was not in its ruling against The Tech. The president of position of co-Editor-in-Chief during my senior invited, to take away office space will not do anager: Rachel John on '02; the ASA was quoted in Tuesday's article a year, I find it fundamentally wrong for Anant K anything to balance any sort of recruitment edge anager: Jasmine Richards '02; saying, "Mo t groups follow the rush rules, but Saraswat '02 of the ASA Executive Committee The Tech might have gained by placing gags in not The Tech," The publi bing of gag jokes in to suggest that "The Tech could probably have The Daily Confusion, except for po sibly weak- The Daily Confusion under the name Theta filled the space with something other than, 'Join ening one of the largest student groups on cam- Epsilon Chi, TEe, is perfectly acceptable on the The Tech.'" Publication deadlines are obviously pus. The ASA does not interfere with the inner grounds that without The Tech, there would be something Saraswat has never had to deal with, workings of other groups, nor does it have any
ED/TORS AT LARGE no Daily Confusion for fre hmen to ort out all nor ever will with the ASA's obvious bias business punishing The Tech for what amounts enior Editor: Eric J. Plo ky '99, Michael J. the rush activities. against The Tech. to some practical jokes and filling space due to RingG; ontributing Editor : James Camp On the second "offen e," the running of Tuesday s article pointed out violations in publication deadlines. G, ing-Tai Huh '02. happy ads promoting the newspaper and other student publications, and Alvar Saenz- Peter)\ugenbergs '05
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moving at one time? Tick" and 'The ew uperman Adven- Philip Burrowes CGI is admittedly preferred when dealing ture ." Reunion with multiple, similar objects. "Oliver and Before anyone rushes out to proclaim Sorry, this one's for the geeks in the Company" showcased a computer-generated cor the wa e of the Saturday morning audience. ext time it s an article on hip- ew Yawk gridlock and his since been fol- future, let' remember what really gives a RoyE aki hop: scout' honor. Jowed by wildebeests in 'The Lion King," show uperficial quality: the money. Who can forget the ballroom cene in the Hydra in "Hercule " Huns in "Mulan," 'Reboot, , the first remotely successful CG Eventually, people all leave their respective Disney s ' Beauty and the Beast" where Belle and Tarzan's jungle. 11 these case no show, generated $550,000 per half-hour ports of origin and sally forth into their blue and Maurice-to-be dance to Mrs. Potts bal- doubt significantly cut down on production episode for Mainframe in 1997. Just a year yonders. After a leave of however-odd year , lad? I certainly can't, but not because I fmd time while at the same time not sacrificing later, eel-based shows were being sold for people occasionally return to touch bases with it especially beautiful (or even because of its appearance. less than a fifth of that, with elvana "lead- old friends and acquaintances. Some people subsequent parody by "The Critic"), but The small screen has gotten into the act ing" the pack at exactly an eleventh of seem to be incorrigibly the same. Others end up because its use of eel characters drawn over too, but despite traditionally having a very Mainframe's price tag. It would be ridicu- unexpectedly successful or surprisingly not. the computer-generated background appears uniform style, televised cartoons have been lous to expect equivalent results from pro- Regardless, it seems there's something about gaudy. Simply put, use of obviously different as equally hit-and-miss as their theatrical ductions with wildly different resources. being confronted with past colleagues and their animation techniques is no better than poor counterparts. On one end of the spectrum More equitable comparisons reveal that divergent present lives that reminds one of the matting or gratuitous use of stunt doubles. lies 'The Real Adventures of Johnny CGI is still visually inferior to eels. "Prince paths we might have taken, and makes one Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is only a Quest," which very gratuitously threw com- of Egypt" had to rely on eel-based touch ups keenly aware of one's level of success in com- lesser approximation of the real thing, even puter animation into nearly ever episode; when generating the parting of the Red Sea. parison to what success may have been po sible. if the real thing is a drawing. imagine "The Simpsons' Treehouse of Ter- "Antz" tried to make the light focused Recently, for his high school's 25th reunion, one of the three animated through a magnify- Steve Case, Chairman of the Board of of AOL features which came out this ing glass far more Time Warner, gave a short talk to fellow alumni summer grasped that, although The use of obviously difftrent animation techniques is no better complex than it had in Hawaii. Attending speeches by notable nota- some did better than others. to be. Even Pixar bles isn't terribly rare, but as someone who "Atlantis: Lost Empire" showed than poor matting orgratuitous ran into trouble with hails from the same alma mater as him, there Disney had learned not to texture "Toy Story" trying was a certain feeling of humbling comparability models too realistically, but the use of stunt doubles. to yes, render between myself and the leader of one of the film's Leviathan depiction still humans. most influential media conglomerates in the contrasted sharply with the eel Let's face it, if a world. obel laureates or world leaders who characters. "Shrek" got away with being ror VI" but by Hanna-Barbera. Currently, medium can't depict humans without people share one's collegiate alma mater are a dime a totally computer-generated because most of Futurama's New ew Yawk feature exten- complaining, it's in trouble. Cel, meanwhile, dozen, but knowing that one of the world's the characters weren't humans. "Final Fanta- sive CGI, which is almost indistinguishable has been housing humans faithfully since most influential business leaders underwent the sy: The Spirits Within," on the other hand, from the work on eels. In between those two Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and - same preparation at the same simple high was consistently bogged down by the aes- poles lie too many (mostly superhero) car- despite Ralph Bakshi's rotoscoping - hasn't school makes one question how different one's thetic shortcomings of "realistic" humans. toons to mention. improved much since. The last attempt at life could be with different choices and opportu- Only Osmosis Jones - which was not Another spectrum exists of totally CG "revolutionizing" eel animation was "Titan nities. totally animated - used the visual distinct- televised cartoons, one which compares A.E.," and its novelty was merely using wise- The issue of unexpected fortune and circum- ness of CGI to its advantage. Although one favorably with either pure eel or combina- ly under-textured CGI (something "The Iron stances is akin to the classic role-reversal of the of the principal characters - Drix, the cold tions. The worst recent CG TV production Giant" almost perfected not two months later). high school reunion, where the football all-star relief pill (don't ask) - is computer gener- was probably "Voltron: The Third Dimen- onetheless, since its legitimization through ated, the technique is usually relegated to sion," which again dealt with animating Luxo Jr., no CG movie has compared favor- bodily tissue that did not display sentience, humans. Still, by virtue of having decent ably to subsequent eel classics like "Hotaru no distinguishing them from the title character framerate and inherently consistent anima- haka," "Aladdin," or "An American Tail." As One's ultimate position in life and his microscopic costars. Like Atlantis, tion, it was visually superior to its contem- much as Moore's Law intrinsically pushes the the vehicles were CGI, something forgivable porary competitors. Mainframe Entertain- CG industry to improve, the grass on "A is the result of nature) nurture, for the sake of both efficiency and mercy; ment was the Spider-Man to "Voltron'''s Bug's Life"'s side isn't any greener than that would you want to draw thousands of cars Venom, outshining such gems as "The of Mononoke Hime, literally. effort and luck.
and the prom queen are overweight and work- Viva Zapata! ing at the gas station to everyone's secret satis- faction, and the newest star attraction is the two countries better off as a whole - all the shouting "Viva Zapata!" as they march neglected outcast. From a class where brilliant Dan Tortorice goods they buy are cheaper - it makes spe- through the city. It was his revolution, and promising students went off proudly to their cific groups worse off. The supply of food in beginning in 1910, that overthrew the dicta- Ivy League colleges and road-mapped careers, On August 8th, the birthday of Mexican Mexico increases, lowering prices and hurt- tor Porforio Diaz and established the com- suddenly, one classmate, formerly a peer, leaps revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, 5,000 rural ing farmers. The demand for unskilled labor munal farms these farmers work on today. into the limelight, becomes so famous that Mexican farmers poured into Mexico City. in the US falls, lowering the wages of US These farmers see their farms as signs of hordes of local news teams and people push and They blocked off roads and government workers. That is why US organized labor victory over oppression, so it is no wonder shove to hear him - just a mortal human like buildings around the city's central square to protested NAFTA; this is why Mexican that they react so angrily to Fox's policies any of us - speak about what the future holds protest the free trade policies of Vincente farmers protest now. that seem to take away their land, not by for the world. Fox, the new Mexican president. And they To his credit, Vincente Fox has seen the force, but through the market. It makes one wonder about the recipe for called for agricultural subsidies as the price benefits that trade will bring to Mexico as a Fox should not underestimate this anger, success - just how much one is responsible for of their cash crops plummeted in light of whole and has not wavered on his commit- and must take measures to placate the farm- one's ultimate position in life. Certainly, it's a increasing imports from the United States. ers. Not only will it help preserve his politi- balance of nature, nurture, conscientious effort, The situation in Mexico is a practical illus- cal future, but it makes good economic sense and serendipitous luck, or lack thereof. Not to tration of the way in which free trade trans- as well. The whole economic argument in discount individual merit, but it seems that being forms a country, and the care with which favor of free trade notes that free trade is in the right place at the right time, as well as one needs to implement free trade policies. While free trade makes the two good because it increases the output of all having the right connections is the characteristic When countries trade freely with each countries better off as a whole, it countries involved, In turn it is good distingui hingthe successful from the thwarted, other, they will produce different goods. because, through resource redistribution, especially for businesspersons and politicians. Considering the case of the United States makes speafic groups worse off everyone can end up better off. Fox should Even for scientific careers, connections in get- trading with Mexico one would expect that begin to take from those who benefit from ting jobs, luck in getting good results, and each country would import goods made That is why US organized free trade, the manufacturers, and give to serendipity could conceivably contribute to suc- more cheaply in the other country. Since the labor protested NAFTA, this is those who are hurt, the farmers. And while cess more than hard work and intelligence. United States has an abundance of land, its he has reasons to be reluctant - his desire It's an interesting duality of sentiment. On agriculture costs are lower than Mexico's. why Mexican farmers protest to encourage farmers to switch to crops that one hand, the public realizes that any given per- Since Mexico has an abundance of unskilled take advantage of Mexico's relatively mild sonage is only human, perhaps even consider- labor, its manufacturing costs are cheaper now. winters is one - he must not be too slow to ing oneself to be more competent than the other, than those of the United States. We would act. For, as one protest organizer comment- as is the case with the current U.S. President. expect that Mexico would export manufac- ing on the results of Fox's policies said, One wonders why, despite their greater hard turing goods and import food, and the "Rural Mexico could explode. This could work and effort, others enjoy such greater suc- reverse would happen with the United ment to free trade. But he must be careful to take us to the edge of anarchy." And while cess and trappings of wealth and prestige. (It States. .consider the impact that free trade will have this is surely an exaggeration, Fox should seems sometimes that the frustrations of MIT Surely this is a simplified view of the on Mexican culture if he wishes to see free not forget his country's history and underes- contain a tinge of enmity at those who don't world, but this is what we observe in Mexi- trade and his administration reign in Mexi- timate the determination of the Mexican suffer the extra hardships, but still seem to reap co today. Imported grains flow into Mexico. co. farmer. He should, as should the leaders of greater sucess as measured by wealth, prestige, The sons of farmers flow into border cities A long digression into Mexican history all countries who pursue free trade policies, or happiness.) to take higher paying jobs in manufacturing would be out of place, but to recognize the aid those Mexicans marginalized by free On the other hand, much of the public idol- plants that export their goods to the United importance Emiliano Zapata played in Mexi- trade. He should aid the sons and grandsons izes and worships celebrities and notables, with States. While this transformation makes the co, one only needs to hear Mexican farmers of Zapata the Mexican farmers. mobs rushing down to be the first in line to talk to the speaker after the talk. Perhaps because of subservience or a general desire to ingratiate oneself with the rich and famous (or, influential, like a Professor or employer) respect and admi- ration for a person doesn't always correlate with awe or jealousy of the per on' position, an unfortunate manifestation of either society or human nature. With Ca e's humble down-to-earth demeanor, passion for his field, and sincere de otion for public service and community respon ibility, it was comforting that someone really successful really seemed to be a decent, deserving person (then again, so are all people from Hawaii). Though one can only hope that we ourselves will become someone able to so profoundly and succe sfully influence society, if we can, we can hope above all that the sue- ce ful will be the deserving. Page 6 August 30, 200 1 THE ARTS FIL REVIEW Another Bad Mars Mov~e John Carpenter' 'Gho t of Mars Prove that Hol- lywood'll ever Learn By Daniel Dock
Directed by John Carpenter Written by John Carpenter and Larry Sulkis Starring Ice Cube, atasha Henstridge, Pam Grier, Clea Duvall, and Jason Statham RatedR
stale arid and repetitive landscape sets the scene for director John Car- penter's Ghosts of Mars, a stale arid, and repetitive film. The movie begins with a shot of the planet Mars in 21 6, a a planet inhabited by 640,000 people and exploited for its rich natural resource . Given the promi ing start, it might even fool the viewer into believing that, perhaps, this film will not be full of cheap costume , laughable ROSHAN BALIGA - THE TECH sets, and an unimaginative screenplay. Be not Janet, buffeted with eight of her best dancers, asks you to "shake that ass for me" in "Come On Get Up," the first song of her All misled. for You tour, which was in Boston last Saturday and Sunday. Ghost. of Mars is disappointing to anyone who expect movies to convince the viewer that they are spectator to actual events, and By Devdoot Majumdar signs in Chinese script, and flamboyant cos- rest her legs on his shoulders, singing lyrics not that they are watching a bunch of actors ARTS EDITOR tumes galore. And though it had the glittery like "Cause I'm gonna Bathe you, play with jumping around on some sound tage with Janet Jackson "All for You" Tour feel of an ultra-coordinated theatrical mas- you, rub you, caress you." poorly built sets. After watching thi , I have Flee tCen ter terpiece, it conveyed, albeit slightly, the All in all, the concert's kinky side can't decided that you know a movie is bad when August 25, 2001 (cult of) personality that is Janet Jackson. really be overemphasized. Janet has known you say, "I can't believe Pam Grier was in this The visual candy combined with Janet's to be an erotically liberated character, mak- movie!" here will always be those who are stellar vocal delivery (even when drenched ing notable appearances on Oprah champi- Gho t of Mars begins with the return of moved by the Moulin "Roughed" in sweat) made the concert well worth the oning the nipple ring as an aphrodisiac. Her ergeant elanie Ballard ( atasha Hen- . version of "Lady Marmalade" or the overpriced tickets (upper, upper balcony sex appeal was no less subtle in her Fleet- stridge) from orne adventure alone and T latest remix of Destiny's Child's seats at $70). Center concert. Her costumes were all rivet- uncon cious. ergeant elanie and her com- 'Bootylicious." That's pop culture for you From a musical standpoint, Janet cov- ing, from ultra-tight black leather from head manding officer, Helena (Pam Grier), were - talentle s, tasteless, and egregiously ered her entire repertoire. Essentially, the to bootstrap to a sporty, white one-shoulder ent along with Bashira Clea Duvall) and two teenage. concert was the greatest hits CD that never crop top with army pants from her "Togeth- male officer to pick up Jame "De elation" But there are those rare mu ical artists existed. From Rhythm Nation (1989) came er Again" video. Williams (Ice Cube and transport him to hi (and I use the word in the strictest ense), "Rhythm arion," 'Black Cat," and "Miss Beyond that, her distinctive choreogra- trial. When Sergeant elanie and her team who have always been gli tening in their You Much;" from Janet (1993) came phy and highly skilled dancers added to the arrive to pick up 'De elation' Williams, they spotlight despite the turbulent world of pop "Again" and "That's the Way Love Goes;" show's sex appeal. With remarkable syn- notice that most of the people have been music. In spite of the many musicians who from The Velvet Rope (1997) came "Got 'til chronization, elbows flying, stop-and-flow decapitated and hung from the ceilings of cer- entered fame and fortune and subsequently It's Gone" and "Together Again;" and from rhythms, the visual buffet never ended. The tain buildings. If this sight isn't disturbing failed C Hammer, Bel Biv Devoe, Paula All for You (2001) came eight of the more real challenge, however, was managing to enough, next to the bodie there are weapon Abdul Puff Daddy ... ), Janet Jackson has radio-heard singles like "Doesn't Really sing presentably while dancing passionate- mobiles made of scissors and blade , which do always been among the cream of the crop in Matter," "Tru t a Try," and "All for You." ly. There was a time when Christina Aguil- nothing but bring back bad memorie of the her enigmatic genre of soul, R&B, hip-hop, Had Janet not taken the "greatest hits" era had first broken into her bubble of torturous Blair Witch Project. and flat out' 80s. approach, this All for You tour would have celebrity. She made the unfortunate mistake Eventually, the group of officers speaks to And with that aura of continuous uccess fared much worse. The album is, after all a of performing live while dancing. The end the other inmates to find the obligatory charac- did Janet pull off two sold-out, two-hour collection of disparate songs (some gems, result was her dancing fairly well, while her ter who knows every detail about the beast concerts at the FleetCenter. In title, it was in some filler) with an unusual leaning voice resembled that a cat being skinned, and their transgre ions, a person named Whit- celebration of her late t All for You album, towards inane lyrics. Perhaps the only prob- forever giving this writer nightmares of lock (Joanna Cas idy). Unfortunately, Whit- but in reality it was the 'Janet's Greatest lem with the concert's format was a despi- genies in bottles. It's moments like that lock has unleashed the bea ts from years of Hits how' that wa the be all and end all cable trend towards medleys. Instead of when one begins to truly respect Janet. hibernation. Apparently, the so-called "Gho ts of all tadium tours. singing complete song, she lived up to More importantly than the sets or the of ars" are taking over people' bodies and La t Saturday night following a seem- TRL's pathetic standard of shortened songs, attire, Janet's voice came out CD-perfect. making them kill each other in order to protect ingly endless intermission after opening act consisting of a few choruses before transi- There was a point in the concert after sever- themselve from the human invaders. 112 of ' Peaches and Cream" fame the tioning to the next song. For instance, one al dance-overloaded songs that, after a ''De olation" Williams is let out of his cell, Janet-crazed crowd awaited their mistress medley consisted of "What have you done pause, guitarist David Barry sits alone on a only to find himself joining the officers in their with eager anticipation. Her entrance was for me lately," "Control," " asty, stool on an empty stage when Janet comes attac against the beasts. Of course Sergeant preceded by a barrage of Janet's glamour and "Alright" in a single ten minute block out, drenched in sweat, spotlight on her, and elanie makes it out alive, as she i convey- hots, spanning from her black leather of music. the crowd can't stop screaming for minutes ing the tory. Because of the fact we know she Rhythm a/ion day all the way to her In suit with such four-song medleys, set on end. And there sits Janet, gasping, urvive , most if not all of the suspense is lost towel-clad All for You days. The lighting changes were rampant. Incidentally, the All drenched with sweat as she swabs herself as the movie unfold . shifted to reveal a olitary Janet standing for You tour had a caravan of ixteen trucks with a towel and begins an impassioned, ot only i the plot ludicrous and unimagi- erect on a 15 foot pedestal in the center of and 110 people, and a cornucopia of sets technically perfect rendition of "Again" native, but every technical aspect of the movie the tage clad in all white with white frills and costumes. With' Runaway," the festive with all her soul, swaying and snapping her is lacking. ets looked half finished, the cos- dangling from her pants and a white cow- ong that begins "I've seen the world, been fingers. And yet, later in the concert in a tumes look cheap. All out ide hot were on boy hat covering her eyes. Her troupe of to many places," the crowd saw Janet with a performance of "Black Cat," she emulated the arne et a et 0 terrible that the edge of it eight dancers lid down from the ceiling to pair of elf-ears on, dancing with ladybug the vocal rigor of Tina Turner, spitting and could be een at all times. perform the opening ong,' Come on Get and dodging large toylike sets. screaming in the microphone with focused To hi credit, Carpenter conveys the story Up," with Janet's 15 foot pole de cending With "Would U Mind," the song sig- intensity, even breaking into a bit of air gui- in an interesting p eudo Tarantino/Ritchie as the song began. nalling Janet's entrance into the" ex tar. fa hion, but thi does not make up for lost Like any Janet Jackson concert the music" genre, a retractable stretcher Her performances of "Together Again" ground. The part of the movie that were sup- evening was much more than any ordinary emerged from within the barren stage. Pick- and "Rhythm Nation" really roused the po ed to be the frightening got a sigh from the concert - it was a show. It wa a show of ing a lucky gentleman from the audience, crowd, bringing radio rehash to mild artistic audience, and the one-liner were only funny Cirque du Soleil proportions, with en or- Janet promptly had him strapped to the value. All in all, the All for You tour was because of their relative ob curity and absurdi- mou inflatable jack-in-the-boxes large stretcher as she proceeded to fondle him and most definitely worth the overpriced tickets. ty. The movie ends with a gratuitous shot of Henstridge waking up and walking acrosthe room in her military i sued baby blue tank top and pantie. orne prai e must go to the risk Carpenter Well, BLO W ME down, me hearties! took with this movie, and we must thank him or finally bringing Ice Cube and Pam Grier on It's some mighty fine ORIGINAL artfor your walls: the arne creen. It' ridiculous how everything i done • Young, talented artists. Get to say later "I was into that wrong in tbi movie, perhap , in all of it pitiable grandeur, thi movie can be genuinely • Cheap posters + prints artist before he/she got famous." entertaining though not in the way Carpenter intended. If nothing el e thi movie can be c1 ified as a comedy, as I kno it will bring www.YoungPicasso.cc a mile to your face. Augu t 30, 200 I THE ARTS THE TECH Page 7 FILMREVlEW*** Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back After Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma, They Get Their Own Movie
By Steve W. Raso Silent Bob worked from the periphery, appear- through his movie. ince everybody is poking relie on the audience having een the fir t four ing at important points in the movie , but never fun at them elve the movie ba good-natured movies. For in tance, you won't under tand Written and Directed by Kevin Smith given much reen time. However, in Dogma it and playful feel, kind of like a Friar Club what's funny about the number 37 or the men- Starring Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Ben worked very well for mith to give the duo a celebrity roa 1. In contrast, Dogma was a true tion of chocolate-covered pretzel unl s you've Affleck and Shannon Elizabeth prominent role among an ensemble of charac- satire with harp teeth, taking big bites out of een both Clerks and Mal/rats. Even worse are RatedR ters. Throughout Chasing Amy Jay and Bob Catholici m and organized religion. the deeper references to earlier plot lines and allowed their names and likenes es to be used Unlike some other clever Hollywood end- appearances of characters from the other ay and Silent Bob Strike Back, the fifth and in the underground comic book series Bluntman ups such as Robert Altman's The Player and movie that go unexplained. What's most disap- final installment in Kevin mith's ew Jer- and Chronic. ow, in the late t flick, they must David Marnet' State & Main, this movie does- pointing about this effort is its lack of real sub- ey-based eries of "slacker comedie "i a head to Hollywood to top the production of an n't pretend to be highbrow or ubtle. mith tance. It is something of a letdown after Jloose, crude and ometimes hysterical par- unauthorized Bluntman and Chronic movie. makes no apologies for using the all too often Dogma, in which Smith showed that he could ody of the buddy/road movie. We first met the On the surface Smith use this premise as a warmed over genre of the idiot buddy comedy, attack big topics in a way that was deep, spiritu- pot-dealing team of Jay and Silent Bob, played vehicle to take pot hots at the movie industry or making a movie that often feels like it came al and scathingly funny. by Jason Mewe and writer/director Kevin and pop culture in general, but anyone whose from a Saturday Night Live skit. In many ways this movie was remini cent of Smith respectively, in Smith's low-budget 1994 seen Dawson's Creek or Armageddon knows Instead mith (who e previous movies have the final Seinfeld episode, in which all of the film, Clerks. Since, the obnoxious loudmouth that these targets are way too easy. What's real- defied formulae) has chosen to embrace that interconnecting characters returned to wrap Jay and hi quiet but somewhat reluctant side- ly going on is that the movie gave actors, direc- hackneyed stupidity, to the point of having Jay things up. Smith has come a long way from kick have been the only characters to reappear tors, and movie execs the chance to make fun of and Silent Bob befriend an orangutan. In ome using his personal credit cards to make a grainy in all of Smith's movies that followed: Mallrats them elves. It's fun to watch these teen heart- cases this approach worked and the re ult was black and white movie about kids who work in (1995), Chasing Amy (1997) and Dogma throbs candidly talk about coring with costars stupid but very funny; in others it was just tu- a convenience store. Though I've greatly (1999). and rip on each other for playing lame charac- pid and painful to watch. However, there is an enjoyed all of the Jay and Silent Bob movie What sets the eponymously titled Jay and ters or starring in bad movies. unmi takable gritty style and dialog that Smith (perhap not Mal/rats), I'm looking forward to Silent Bob Strike Back apart from the others is Most of the barbs are directed at Miramax bring , such that no one will confu e this movie Kevin mith's next project, which will break that this time Jay and Silent Bob are the main Pictures, Ben Affleck and Smith himself (and with another Wayne's World sequel. away from the gang of ew Jersey lackers and characters. In Smith's earlier movies Jay and by extension, the audience - for having sat As a sequel itself, far too much of the humor attempt omething entirely different. o N THE 5 eRE E - BY THE TECH ARTS STAFF - The following movies are playing this week- bad, the sets are laughable, and Pam Grier, ed High School in Election so she could of action sequences and digital special end at local theaters. The Tech suggests Ice Cube, and Natasha Henstridge are the entertain us as a Graduate student in Legally effects (which make for a truly spectacular using
Motion"; "Seeing Is Deceiv- lub ing." Ongoing: "Friday Night Axis 13 Lansdo ne si., 617-262- Stargazing," Fri., 8:30 p.m.; 2437 "Welcome to the Universe, ~ daily; "Quest for Contact: Sundays: See Avalon below. Are We Alone?" daily. Admis- Mondays: Static. Gay, casual sion to Omni, laser, and dress. $5, 18+. planetarium shows is $7 _50, Thursdays: Chrom e/Skyber. $5.50 for children and Progressive house, soul, seniors. Current laser Light disco; dress code. $10, shows: Laser Beastie Boys, 19+; ~8, 21+. Fridays: Spin Cycle. Progres- Laser Ragefest 3, Laser Pink sive house, 80s. $12, Floyd: Dark Side, Laser Aero- 19+; $10, 21+. smith.
Avalon 15 Lansdowne si., 617-262- 2424 A '\Neeklyguide to the arts in Boston Sundays: Gay Night (with August 30 - September 5 Other Axis on long weekends). Featuring hardcore house and techno. $10, 21+. Compiled by Fred Choi Takashl Murakami: Made in Japan Thursdays: International send submissions to [email protected] or by interdepartmental maU to "On The Town," The Tech, W2G-483. Night. Eurohouse. $10, Through Sep. 3 at the Muse- 19+. um of Fine Arts, Boston, Fridays: Ava/and. House. 02115. Influenced by Andy $15,19+. Notebook. mines the direction of a Warhol and Japanese anime, Saturdays: Downtown. Mod- Sep. 7: Alastair Moock scene are suggestions ern house, club classics, and Pastures Of Plenty. from audience members Murakami has received inter- and Top 40 hits. $15, 21+. Sep. 8: Les Sampou CD who, at any moment, might national attention in recent Release. be yanked from their seats years for his startling but Karma Club Sep. 9: Pamela eans, to become part of the accessible work. His work 9 Lansdowne St., 617-421- All About Buford, Ksenia show. Performing at the often shows the sinister side" 9595 Mack, Cheryl Hoenemey- Back Alley Theatre in Cam- of "cuteness," through his er. bridge, shows are every reworkings of traditional Sundays: "Current dance Sep. 10: 2 Song Open Saturday at 8 and 10:30 Japanese styles and his use favorrtes" by guest DJs. Mic featuring John p.m. The Back Alley The- of his trademark cartoon atre is located at 1253 Cover varies. Schindler. mouse and mushrooms. Tuesdays: Phatt Tuesdays. Sep. 12: Brian Joseph, Cambridge Street, Inman With Bill's bar, modern Angels in The Round Square in Cambridge. Tick- dance music. $10. (Jodi Sheeler, Emily Cur- ets are $12, $10 for Stu- OMNIMax films at the Wednesdays: STP. Ga~ tis and Gabrielle), dents. 576-1253. Museum of Science friendly, house. $15, 21+. Karaugh Brown. Thursdays: Groove Factor. Blue Man Group'- Take the Lechmere Green House. Fleet Center Charles Playhouse, 74 Line Train to the Science Fridays: Pure. Drum and Warrenton Street, Boston, Park stop. All movies $7.50. bass, guest OJ. $15, 19+. Ticketmaster: 931-2000. indefinitely. Curtain is at 8 Saturdays: Elements of Life. Sep. 8-10: Backstreet p.m. on Wednesday and International House. $15. Boys. Thursday, at 7 and 10 Amezing Caves, Sat. at 10 p.m. on Friday and Satur- p.m. ManRay Oct. 2-3: Neil Diamond. day, and at 3 and 6 p.m. 21 Brookline St., Cambridge, on Sunday. Tickets $35 to Shackletons Adventure, 617-864-0400 The Middle East $45. Call 426-6912 for adventure in the Antarctic, tickets and information on Sat., Sun, Mon at 9:00 p.m. Wednesdays: Curses. Goth. Central Square, 354- how to see the show for 8238 free by ushering. Appropriate dress required. FNX Concert Series $5, 19+; $3, 21+. Ticketmaster: 931-2000. Thursdays: Campus. Popular At the Hatch Shell on the Aug. 30: Massdas Uv Da tunes + House. Gay, casu- Esplanade (by the Charles al dress. 10, 19+; $7, lJniverz, Grey Maddaz, Insight, Open Mic. River, Boston side). Free. 21+. Exhibits Visit
Page 9
Fun With Clip Art FoxTrot by Bill Amend Aaron Isaksen
GoT ANY AAAA! FtvES? I II " '..:~. v- 1/
Dllbert" by Scott Adams
I WAS HERE ACCORDING TO OUR IS IT JUST ME ALL NIGHT. IS SECURITY VIDEO OR IS THIS CON- IT OKAY IF I YOU SLEPT ALL NIGHT VERSATION TAKE TOMORROW ON A PILE OF DEBRIS JUMPING ALL AS A COMP DAY? IN YOUR OVER THE PLACE? "What I miss most about CUBICLE. summer was the mutual ) masturbation."
ACROSS 49 Boozer 13 Participant 1 Sword cases 50 Gunslinger 14 Namib and 8 Compelled Holliday egev, e.g. CI) 15 Usten until the end 51 Picnic pest 21 Coffee server 16 de Saint- 52 Fling 27 Merchant's Exupery 54 Hayseeds figures -N 17 Forthcoming 56 Obscure 28 Second largest 18 Takes back one's 57 Of the Far East state N words 59 Incapacitate 29 Fronts of calves 19 Exploits 61 Primitive mouth 30 Very slow pace 20 Structural support organ 32 Go one better = 22 Only just 62 Hebrew prophet 34 Altar sentence a. 23 Shoe's tip in Babylon 37 Accidents 24 Raw mineral 63 Hit with an open 38 Excitement 25 Disfigure palm 39 British pop group, -a 26 Your brothers, to 64 Ratchet levers and the Waves I- your father 40 Diminished 28 Turner and 41 Followed South o Louise Carolina's lead 30 Is unable DOWN 42 Container for a 31 Modernized 1 Acupressure fossil fuel ~ 33 Insistent desires massage 43 Ringlike molding fI) 35 Bagel topper 2 Poultry hotel? at the top of a 36 Neighbor of 3 London district pillar fI) Wash. 4 Liberal 44 Small seabirds 37 Avoid bogey 5 In addition 47 Lofting tennis shot 41 Mountain peak, 6 Offended 53 Reindeer o often 7 Adrenal hormone herdsman I- 45 Pension $$ 8 Bucket in a Buick 54 Harvestable © 2000 Tribune Media services, lne. AI rights reserved. 46 Smashing 9 Singles 55 Dimensions U Monica 10 & so forth 56 Oven setting 48 Star or wolf 11 Wander 58 Cause to topple modifier 12 Movie theaters 60 Put in position Page 10 THE August 30,2001 Seeks Digital 1V ·censing Agreement Sony, from Page 1 agreement] and they don t take it, you file uit." el en aid. such companies as Toshiba am- sung, and harp. ee lic n e agreement "We have been in corre pon- Litigation i not omething we dence with ony for a large number see ,'Kai er id adding that T of months - more than a year - wa still earching for a ettlement and they have not yet indicated a out of court." willingnes to negotiate for license If IT were to win it la uit to the patents, although we incerely against ony, the company could be hope they ill," el en said. "If prevented from manufacturing prod- they do not, they are in our belief uct u ing the technology. In an infringing [on] our patents." infringement uit, if you win it a Kai er said MIT has never gone number of thing could happen as far to file a lawsuit over these depending on hat you a for. If digital television-related patents. you wanted to - and we don t - 'In the pa t, we have notified you can get an injunction eeping companies that if they did not work them from developing product with us to reach a licen ing agree- under our patent" elsen aid. ment we would file a lawsuit with- Alternatively, "they could take a flTHANCOLL/N. THE TECH ing the next week or two," he said. license under our terms,' he aid. A member of the Kappa Alpha Theta rush committee (believed to be Elaine C. Wong ·03) is force- ony has been the first company "And depending on how long they' e fully dunked in the MIT Chapel's moat. The dunking, an apparently spontaneous frolic that began to refuse such an agreement, Kai er already been operating under the on the 4th floor of the Student Center Wednesday afternoon, also managed to dampen the said. After over a year of di cus ion patents without paying us,' IT clothes of committee members Rose G. Radin '02 and Andrea E. Noronha '03. MIT filed a law uit against ony could receive payments for damages. last Thursday. Rima Arnaout contributed to the " t some point, if you offer [an reporting of thi article. RLAs Have Extensive Experience RLA, from Page 1 graduate and undergraduate." seven years, will live in NW30 and flE bOTTEJtY ~T assume the RLA position for Zone to know the particular culture of RLA plans not warmly accepted 2, which includes Edgerton House, their assigned residence zones," When MIT drafted preliminary Green Hall, Ashdown House, Ran- QUAftTfRo rot!! said Katherine G. O'Dair, Assistant plans to place a Residence Life dom Hall, and Bexley Hall in addi- Dean of Residential Programs. Associate in Senior House, students tion to NW30. n early August arrival to the reacted negatively to the proposal. "Gray brings strong mediation, MlT campus allowed the RLAs to In March, the idea to house an RLA problem solving, and programming DA"£~TO acclimate themselves to the area is Senior House was rejected alto- experience, as well as a breadth and ll-£M£Mf7£ll-: and attend the necessary training gether. depth of knowledge of MIT," . 1'£ LOTT£tl-V and orientation events. The RLAs' "This is something that was ulti- O'Dair said. 01'£N~ time at MIT 0 far has been charac- mately resolved properly but that Gray expects the position to be THUtl-~DAY~ terized by constant discussion with tarted off on the wrong foot," said challenging but rewarding. "I hope tudents, staff, housemasters, and Andrew G. Brooks G, a Graduate to be very involved with the stu- AU6.U~I1-'3~ other members of the Institute com- Resident Tutor at Senior House. dents in my zone," Gray said. "I 7-001 munity. Brooks' understanding of the think one of the important aspects Late. 1'£ LOTT£tl-Y Zone 1 (Westgate Apartments, of this job will be getting to know l.LO~£~ Job description meets changes Eastgate Apartments, East Campus, as many students as I can, listening re.gistration W£DN£~DAV, Though the RLA program has and Senior House) arrangement is to them and figuring out what they that the area's RLA will instead be want and need from their RLA." at first Lass ~f,"PT£Mf7f,JZ. drawn considerable student criti- on a spaLe. cism, O'Dair said that the elimina- highly involved with graduate stu- Mincher, who for three years 7, 1-00!Al tion of the program was never con- dents. has served as a residential director available rPM! sidered. The Office of Residential at ew Hampshire University, will l.LA~~f,~ Life and Student Life Programs RLAs settle into residence zones take on the RLA role for Zone 3, basis' for mon info. ~TA{l..T (RLSLP) did, however, revise the Selection of the four associates which consists of McCormick, "" our 'tf~b-"it~ at - Tony E. Gray Ph.D. '01, Chan- Baker House, and Burton-Conner. 'tfe-b.mit.e.eiu/athtriiLW'!t'fllpb1ud.htm\ MONDAY, RL job description based on stu- dent, staff, and housemaster input. dra L. Mincher, Gabrielle Pardo She will live at McCormick. ~£"PTf,M~f,ll- The most recent version of the and Aaradhana K. Prajapati - was According to Tom Gonyea, 10, 7-001 RLA position includes such respon- done with the help of a committee Associate Director of Resident Life sibilities as "crisis response, event of students, housemaster, and staff, at New Hampshire University, planning, activities support, train- who interviewed a group of candi- Mincher made a significant impact ing, and effective communication dates. on university residential life .~ between MIT's student life admin- Gray, who served as a Graduate through her work with the universi- Or contact PEOffice: 253-4291 istration and residence halls, both Resident Tutor in East Campus for ty's Outright Group and Pride Group by "increasing diversity awareness in the student popula- tion." Pardo served for two years as Assistant Resident Director in the Z Evening Office of Residential Life at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where iOn May she received her Masters of Science in Mental Health ursing. Pardo, who Class of 2005 Party has experience in counseling, train- ing, programming, and promoting student communities, will live at Eastgate but work with Zone 1, which also includes Westgate Live jazz, fresh smoothies, and Apartments, East Campus, and Senior House. The RLA for Zone 4 (MacGre- gor, New House, ext House, and distinctive desserts. Tang Hall) will be Prajapati who served as Hall Director for two years at Eastern Connecticut State University. Prajapati, who in May Meet your classmates from MIT and received her master's degree in Educational Leadership in May, and will live in Next House.
Wellesley. Solution to Crossword frampage 9 Saturday,September 1st 8PM·Midnight, MIT Student Center (2nd Floor).
Sponsored byZ and "YJYmF.;..;.;:.'-;;--- .... Questions? [email protected] August 30,2001 THE TECH Page 11 trs all here...
at the • • • Stop by the COOPin Kendall Square todaYJ and see all we have to offer: • School, office, and dorm supplies •The area'slargest book selection including • Cards, souvenirs, and gifts Fiction,Technical Reference, Travel Guides • Electronics, software, and accessories and Maps, Business Reference, Science • Quality M.I.T. sportswear.and gifts Fiction, Bargain Books, and much more, • Full selection of M.I. T. course materials with everyday discounts on our National and more cash for your books at buyback Campus Bestsellers m and Staff Selections
Take the Red Line to The COOP-located above the Kendall Square T stop 3 Cambridge Center • Cambridge, MA 02142 • (617) 499-3200 • www.thecoop.com Hours: Monday-Friday: 9:30a.m.-6:30p.m., Saturday: 10:00a.m.-6:00p.m. Page 12 August 30 2001 Dertouzos Led LeS Dertouzos, from Page 1 profe or and became a full profe - or in 1973. nearly twenty year for the Internet Dertouzos also holds patent for and the Worldwide Web to pro e a graphi al di play sy tern, an incre- him right ' aid A ociate Director mental photoelectric encoder, a ofLC ictor W. Zue CD 76. graphic tablet and for a parallel Recently under Dertouzo thermal printer. Dertouzo has writ- guidance LCS has pearheaded and ten numerous books including the upported everal notable initiatives best-seller "What Will Be' (1997) including the World Wide Web con- and "Made in merica" (1986). His ortium, Project thena, and the latest book, 'The Unfinished Revo- 50 million Oxygen project, whose lution: Human Centered Computers purpo e is to make computers easier and What They Can Do for Us" to use, 'as natural a part of our envi- (2001), discusses the need to make ronment a the air we breathe." LC computer more accessible and easi- ha also been the foundation for er to use. several succe ful startups such as In one of his last public peaking RS and Akamai. engagements, at the MIT Alumni Asia Pacific Conference, Dertouzos Dertouzos a prodigious author delivered a keynote address charg- Dertouzos, who was raised in ing the audience to reconcile the Greece, came to the United State technologi t and humanist.. on a Fulbright cholarship and The funeral service will be held earned his B .. and M.S. at the Uni- on Monday in Athens; a memorial MIGUEL CALLE THE TE 'H versity of Arkansas. He received his service will follow at MIT. Dona- T 0 teams drop their egg inventions simultaneously as part of the annual Integrated Studies Program doctorate in electrical engineering at tions may be sent to Athens Col- Egg Drop. Participants hoped to hit the center of the target, or, failing that, the back ofa pickup truck. MIT in 1964. He subsequently lege, 342 Madison Avenue, Suite joined the faculty as an assistant 16161, New York, NY, 10173. 399 Freshmen Receive First Choice in Honsing Lottery Housing Lottery, from Page 1 uite better than halls like Ran- first choice. Rush Chair Ben Maron similar to that of Random Hall," Several freshmen who did not dom has," aid Lin. '04 felt that Baker rush was sue- Baker said. place Senior House as their first you Jived there." tevenson lived at ces ful because different groups onetheless, one of the two choice will be living there. Of the Baker during CPW and acgregor an pleased with re nits would show up to the various Baker freshmen accepted to German 30 freshmen who will be living for temporary hou ing, ultimately Of the 679 tudents who entered rush events. House during the summer, Jessica there, seven ranked it first, followed electing Baker as hi first choice. the lottery, 399 received their first This helped us show what A. Lee '05, participated in Indepen- by 11 who ranked it second. However, ome fre hmen were choice followed by 146 econd- Baker is about to a larger amount of dent Living Group rush. She Bexley will house 17 freshmen, disappointed with their temporary choice recipients. Vallay said that freshmen [than last year]," he said. applied to German House during the 16 of whom placed it as their first hou ing experience , u ing them he did not want to ee any fre h- ext House will be housing 88 summer because she knew that she choice. instead as a learning experience. man receive a dormitory as ignment freshmen in addition to the fresh- did not want to live in a dorm and In addition, 93 freshmen have "I realized that I wanted to live in that wa not one of their first five men who have been accepted for the was excited by living in a German been assigned to Burton-Conner and a single because I am a light sleeper," preference . Re idence Based Advising program. environment. 18 to Random Hall. Kamimoto said. Kamimoto had li ed acGregor will house the ew House wa also pleased In addition, French House Rush with a roommate for her temporary large t number of freshmen this with its dormitory rush, especially Chairs said that they had no prob- Second dormitory lottery housing and consequently elected year with 99 selecting it as their the language houses. "It always lem fmding freshmen who wanted One group of freshmen did not acGregor in a bid for a single. :fir t choice. Kamimoto, as well as eems to be alive," Enhua said. to live in their six available spaces. receive their dormitory results Likewi e, Erika Lin '05 learned many other fre hmen, elected Mac- German Hou e Rush Chair Tere- Mary E. Ross '03 and Miriam L. because they will be placed into a that she would like to live in a Gregor because they are likely to sa . Baker '02 said that they Sorell '04 were excited to see that second lottery. The second lottery is larger room. "I tayed in Random Jive in a ingle as fre hmen. accepted two students into RBA and more freshmen wanted to be social conducted as, year after year, a group HaH and my room was really Eighty-five of the 86 new Baker five from the dorm lottery. "Ger- members of La Maison Francais of students decline their dormitory mall. I al 0 learned that I like resident selected the dorm as their man House will conduct RBA very than in the past. Eight students results in order to live in an FSILG. expressed an interest in becoming This year, 99 freshmen have social members, and LMF has been placed into the second dormi- already accepted some members tory lottery. According to Vallay, who have committed to Random or some freshmen entered the lottery an FSILG as social members. late, and others have been randomly East Campus will be housing 90 placed into this lottery. • • students, with 41 selecting it as their Historically these students receive first choice. Singh selected East Cam- one of their first three choices, and pus as his fourth choice, and was they should receive their assignments hoping to live on West Campus. " by 4 o'clock tommorrow. • • • save Buying used textbooks saves you 25% OFF the price of new!
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NATHAN COLlJNS-THE TECH The wreck of the battleship Flameheart went on display at the Hart Nautical Museum in Building 5 yesterday-though no one is sure who put it on display. According to a description Included with the ship, the Flameheart was set ablaze when Kendall Square • 3 Cambridge Center • Cambridge its weapons systems failed and It came under attack by a similar ship anned with a halrspray flamethrower. (617) 499-3200 • www.thecoop.com • Mon.-Fri. 9:30am-6:30pm, Sat. 10am-6pm