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MIT’s The Weather Oldest and Largest Today: Rainy, 40°F (9°C) Tonight: Clearing skies, 30’s F (4°C) Newspaper Tomorrow: Sunny, windy, 50’s F (12°C) Details, Page 2

Volume 125, Number 15 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Tuesday, March 29, 2005 to Perform For Spring Weekend By Hanhan Wang each year. The Spring Weekend committee Rap artists Fabolous and Lloyd tries to get bands on the rising road Banks will co-headline MIT’s annu- to fame. “This year, we had two that al Spring Weekend Concert this weren’t as big as one large band,” year. said Cooper-Gibson. The concert will be held at 7:30 Fabolous, popular for his rap hits p.m. on Friday, April 22, in the “Breathe,” “Tit 4 Tat,” and “Baby,” Johnson Athletic Center. The con- has been rhyming since high school. cert is open to MIT and other col- After star DJ Clue heard leges around the area and will kick Fabolous’s work, he immediately off the weekend’s entertainment signed Fabolous to his Desert Storm lineup. imprint. Fabolous’ fame quickly A Spring Weekend Committee took off from there, producing of 15 students has been planing songs like “In the Hood,” “Take Spring Weekend since fall. In previ- You Home,” and “We Don’t Give.” ous years, the committee surveyed “I’m actually more excited about students about their music prefer- — he’s part of G- OMARI STEPHENS—THE TECH ences. The rock and hip-hop genres Unit,” Qi Feng ’05 said. Lloyd The MIT Chorallaries entertain students recently admitted to MIT at a reception in San Diego last topped the preferences every year. Banks was anointed as 2003’s Mix- Thursday, March 24. “Every year, the survey ended up tape Artist of the Year due to his being 50–50,” said Shawna M. work on G-Unit and his Cooper-Gibson, head administrator Money in the Bank series. Lloyd for Spring Weekend, so the commit- MIT Places First in Putnam Again tee decided to alternate band genres Spring Weekend, Page 15 By Jenny Zhang were Princeton University, Duke exam, said he did not prepare NEWS EDITOR University, University of Waterloo, specifically this year, but 18.S34, For a second consecutive year, and California Institute of Technol- Mathematical Problem Solving, a OCW Continues Growing, MIT has placed first in the William ogy. freshman mathematical problem Lowell Putnam Mathematical Com- The annual Putnam exam, which solving seminar he took last year, petition. The MIT team, selected by is open to undergraduates in the was helpful. Sharing MIT’s Materials mathematics professors Hartley United States and Canada, takes In addition, Kane said, his high Rogers Jr. and Richard P. Stanley place on the first Saturday of school International Mathematics By Jiao Wang benefit from MIT’s OpenCourse- before the exam was taken, consist- December. It consists of two three- Olympiad experience was useful STAFF REPORTER Ware program. The initiative, begun ed of Reid W. Barton ’05, Daniel hour sections of six problems each because many of the problems were A 22-year old Vietnamese man in 2001, aims to put all of MIT’s M. Kane ’07, and Emanuel I. Stoica and has now run for 65 years. similar. steers his scooter to the front of a tat- 1800 subject offerings on the Web ’05. On the 2004 exam, more than half He advised students interested in tered house, climbs flights of stairs, by 2007. Three MIT students, Barton, of the participants scored zero out of participating in Putnam to do prob- and reaches The project, which has already Kane, and Valdimir V. Barzov ’06, a possible 120 points on the exam. lems from previous exams and look a computer, published more than 900 subjects, placed among the top five scorers, Rogers said the MIT median has typi- at some problem-solving books for Feature which dis- will publish 175 new classes over earning them each $2,500 and cally been between 20 and 30. general techniques. plays lecture two of Laboratory in the course of the next month, which recognition as Putnam Fellows. The Kane said he had not made par- Software Engineering (6.170). It is will push the total number of avail- MIT mathematics department will MIT competitors used experience ticular plans for using his reward, through these lectures that Lam Vi able classes to almost 1100, accord- receive an award of $25,000, and The top MIT scorers said they but would be “putting the money in Quoc sharpened his programming ing to the March OCW newsletter. each of the three team members will did not practice specifically for the the bank.” skills enough to developed a pro- receive $1,000. Team ranks are exam, but instead relied on experi- Barzov, however, had more gram that allowed local residents to Intellectual philanthropy determined by the sum of the scores ence. immediate plans for his reward; he find bus routes by destination. The OCW concept can be seen as of the three pre-selected members. Kane, who was also a Fellow Today, educators and learners The next highest-scoring teams and MIT team member for the 2003 Putnam, Page 13 like Quoc from around the world OCW, Page 18 Winter Shuttle Service Extended, Improvements Planned for SafeRide By Brian C. Keegan problems could be fixed inexpen- STAFF REPORTER sively,” she said. “We’re trying to An ad-hoc student committee is make SafeRide safe again.” addressing concerns regarding The committee was initially start- SafeRide, and the Parking and ed by the Panhellenic Association Transportation Office is planning on and includes representatives from upgrading its fleet of shuttles. the five sororities, the Women’s Independent Living Group, the Committee addresses concerns Interfraternity Council, and the Ellen Sojka ’08, co-chair for an Undergraduate Association. Sojka ad-hoc student committee on said the committee remains open to SafeRide, said there are a number of suggestions and hopes to make rec- problems that the committee is try- ommendations to the administration ing to address with the administra- by the end of the term. tion. Among the priorities listed on a Major changes for shuttle fleet document obtained from Sojka were The Parking and Transportation more accurate online tracking, Office is planning to purchase or extending the Boston Winter Shuttle lease several new buses in order to service in IAP, rerouting or optimiz- upgrade the entire fleet over the next ing routes, increasing shuttle capaci- two summers. The changes include ty, and a signaling system that noti- heavier duty and larger capacity fies drivers if there are riders waiting buses and come as a result of at a location. increasing numbers of riders and “We’re not sure how much resis- services provided by the fleet. tance we’re going to get from the YUN WU—THE TECH administration, but a lot of these SafeRide, Page 16 Students wait to board a crowded shuttle at 77 Massachusetts Avenue.

CAMPUS LIFE Comics NEWS Wonder what it’s like in a strip Three MIT Students Win Barry World & Nation ...... 2 club? Goldwater Scholarships Opinion ...... 4 Campus Life ...... 7 Sports ...... 20 Page 7 Page 9 Page 16 Page 2 THE TECH March 29, 2005 WORLD & NATION Report Cites Flaws in CIA Earthquake Hits Indonesia, Assessment of Saddam By David E. Sanger and Scott Shane THE NEW YORK TIMES WASHINGTON No Major Tsunamis Reported The final report of a presidential commission studying American intelligence failures regarding illicit weapons includes a searing cri- By Maria Newman Lanka and coastal parts of Malaysia are going, which means an evacua- tique of how the CIA and other agencies never properly assessed THE NEW YORK TIMES and Thailand, the areas devastated by tion is taking place.” The Pacific Saddam Hussein’s political maneuverings or the possibility that he no An earthquake with a magnitude the Dec. 26 tsunami. Tsunami Warning Center in Honolu- longer had weapon stockpiles, according to officials who have seen of 8.7 shook Indonesia Monday three Sirens wailed and tens of thou- lu said that the authorities in the Indi- the report’s executive summary. months after a somewhat stronger sands of people were evacuated after an Ocean region should monitor the The report also proposes broad changes in the sharing of informa- quake triggered a tsunami that caused tsunami warnings were sounded, situation to determine where evacua- tion among intelligence agencies that go well beyond the legislation widespread devastation in the region while others drove or ran from the tions might be warranted. passed by Congress late last year creating a director of national intel- and killed tens of thousands of people. coast to higher ground, Reuters said. “This earthquake has the potential ligence to coordinate action among all 15 intelligence agencies. The U.S. Geological Survey said A senior police officer told the to generate a widely destructive Those recommendations are likely to figure prominently in the confir- Monday’s quake was centered about news agency that he had seen three tsunami in the ocean or seas near the mation hearings of John Negroponte, whom the president has nomi- 125 miles west northwest of the bodies and that many others were earthquake,” the warning center said nated to be national intelligence director. Those hearings are sched- northern Indonesian island of Suma- trapped in damaged buildings. in an advisory just after the quake uled to begin April 12. The report particularly singles out the Central tra and began around 11 p.m. local “The earthquake was massive, it’s rumbled through the area. Intelligence Agency under its former director, George Tenet, but also time. Some reports put the duration at still shaking now,” said A. Naing- “Authorities in those regions includes what one senior official called “a hearty condemnation” of five minutes, others less. golan, the deputy police chief in should be aware of this possibility the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, While there were no reports so far Gunungsitoli. and take immediate action,” it said. two of the largest intelligence agencies. of a major tsunami, officials in Nias, off the western coast of “This action should include evacua- Indonesia said that there had already Sumatra and about 870 miles north- tion of coasts within a thousand kilo- been “perhaps dozens” of people west of Jakarta, is a remote and meters (600 miles) of the epicenter Palestinians Smuggle Anti-Aircraft killed by the earthquake on land. The rugged island famed as a surfing par- and close monitoring to determine the mayor of Gunungsitoli, the main adise. need for evacuation further away.” Missiles into Gaza, Israeli town on Indonesia’s Nias island, told In Sri Lanka, officials evacuated The Pacific warning center is an By Steven Erlanger a local television station that the that country’s tsunami-battered coast- international tsunami warning system THE NEW YORK TIMES TEL AVIV, ISRAEL quake had claimed several lives and line late Monday amid fears of a operated under U.N. auspices, and is Palestinians have smuggled several Strela shoulder-fired missiles, destroyed hundreds of homes, another tsunami, government officials based in and focused on the Pacific, which pose a threat to Israeli aircraft, into the Gaza Strip with the according to Reuters. told Reuters. where 90 percent of tsunamis occur. help of members of the Palestinian military intelligence agency, “I can guarantee that dozens have From the eastern town of Trinco- In their bulletin, issued 19 minutes Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said in an interview on Sunday night. died,” said Agus Mendrofa, the malee to the capital Colombo, the after the earthquake struck, officials “This crosses a red line for us,” Mofaz said, speaking in his Tel deputy mayor of the town. police used loudspeakers to warn res- from the warning center said that the Aviv office. He said he had ordered the Israeli commander in Gaza, “Gunungsitoli is now like a dead idents to move inland. authorities could “assume the danger Maj. Gen. Dan Harel, to meet with Moussa Arafat, chief of the intel- town. The situation here is in extreme “We received a call from Trinco- has passed if no tsunami waves are ligence unit, “and demand that they better put their hands on the panic.” malee,” Eric Fernando, a spokesman observed in the region near the epi- smugglers and the Strelas and hand them over to us.” The quake provoked a nervous for President Chandrika Kumaratun- center within four hours of the earth- The Strela anti-aircraft missiles, developed by the Soviet Union in reaction across western Indonesia, Sri ga, told Reuters. “We were told sirens quake.” the 1960s and then modernized, can be used against low-flying air- craft like the helicopters that are crucial for Israeli intelligence, espe- cially in Gaza. Most Israeli aircraft can deal with Strelas, said Iftah Shapir of the CO Court Affirms Bible Should Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University. But for Mofaz, a former military chief of staff, the Strelas are a telling exam- ple of how little the new Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, known as Abu Mazen, has been able to put his stamp on the compet- Not Be Used in Deliberations ing Palestinian security services. By Kirk Johnson that atmosphere without the aid or In the state Supreme Court THE NEW YORK TIMES distraction of extraneous texts.” decision on Monday, the dissent- Medicare Applications Sent DENVER The ruling involved the convic- ing judges said the majority had Colorado’s highest court, in a tion of Robert Harlan, who was confused the internal codes of right To Low-Income Americans sharply divided ruling, upheld a found guilty in 1995 of raping and and wrong that juries are expected By Robert Pear lower court’s decision on Monday murdering a cocktail waitress near to possess in such weighty moral THE NEW YORK TIMES WASHINGTON throwing out the sentence of a man Denver. After Harlan’s conviction, matters, with the outside influ- The Bush administration said Monday that it had sent the first of who was given the death penalty the judge in the case — as Col- ences that are always to be avoided some 20 million applications to low-income people who might quali- after jurors consulted their Bibles orado law requires — sent the jury like newspaper articles or televi- fy for financial assistance with Medicare’s new prescription drug in reaching a verdict. The Bible, off to deliberate about the death sion programs about the case. The benefit. the court said, constituted an penalty with an instruction to jurors consulted their Bibles, the But lawyers and other advocates for low-income people said the improper outside influence and a think beyond the narrow confines minority said, not to look for facts form was so complex that they expected fewer than 5 percent of the reliance on what the court called a of the law. Each juror, the judge or alternative legal interpretations, people to respond. The value of the new assistance is substantial. The “higher authority.” told the panel, must make an but for wisdom. government will provide a 75 percent subsidy worth about $1,250 a “The judicial system works “individual moral assessment,” in “The biblical passages the year for the basic drug benefit, plus an average of almost $2,300 a very hard to emphasize the rar- deciding whether Harlan should jurors discussed constituted either year in extra assistance to people with low incomes. efied, solemn and sequestered live or die. a part of the jurors’ moral and reli- The applications have been sent to Medicare beneficiaries in 42 nature of jury deliberations,” the The jurors voted unanimously gious precepts or their general ZIP codes in 21 states. The list of cities includes Bristol, Conn.; New majority panel of the Colorado for death. The Supreme Court’s knowledge, and thus were relevant York; Miami; Chicago; Las Vegas; and Honolulu. Supreme Court said in a 3-2 deci- decision changes that sentence to to their court-sanctioned moral sion. “Jurors must deliberate in life in prison without parole. assessment,” the minority wrote. WEATHER Soggy Start Situation for Noon Eastern Standard Time, Tuesday, March 29, 2005

By Cegeon J. Chan 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 STAFF METEOROLOGIST 40°N What’s that saying? April showers bring May flowers? Apparently, no one told Mother Nature that it’s still March! This storm was also no simple

988 shower. When the storm finally exits, anywhere from 1.5" to 2" of rain will ▼

▼ have fallen with possible localized reports of greater than 3" expected. To ▼

▼ 995 ▼ ▼

put this into perspective, the total precipitation for a typical summer month ▼ 35°N 992 ◗ ◗ ▼ ◗

◗ ▼

◗ ◗

▼ ◗ ◗ in Boston is 3.25". ▼ ▼ ▼

So, because of the copious amounts of rain, the National Weather Ser- ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

vice has kept a Flood Watch in effect until noon today. Although we had a ▼ ▼ soggy start to the work week, we can look forward to more dry conditions ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ 30°N ▼ mid-week. Looking upstream, temperatures in South Dakota yesterday were ▼ ▼ ▼ over 75°F (24°C). It won’t get that warm here, but we can expect high tem- ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ peratures to be in the lower 50’s F. Friday night into Saturday, another low- ▼ ▼ ▼ pressure center heads our way with similar characteristics as this previous ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ storm, likely giving us another bout of rain. ▼ 25°N ▼ ▼ ▼ Extended Forecast: ▼ ▼ ▼ Today: Rain early in the morning with spotty rain showers in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 40’s F (9°C). Northwest 1015 winds 10-15 mph. Tonight: Clearing skies. Lows in the upper 30’s F (4°C). Weather Systems Weather Fronts Precipitation Symbols Other Symbols Tomorrow: Mostly Sunny. Windy. Highs in the lower 50’s F (12°C). Snow Rain Fog Winds gusting to 30 mph in the morning and subsiding in the High Pressure Trough - - - Showers Thunderstorm

afternoon. ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ Warm Front Light Low Pressure Haze Tomorrow Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30’s F (4°C). ▲▲▲▲▲ Cold Front Moderate Compiled by MIT Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 50’s (12°C) and lows near Hurricane ◗ ◗ Meteorology Staff ▲ ▲ Stationary Front Heavy 40°F (5°C). and The Tech March 29, 2005 WORLD & NATION THE TECH Page 3

On Eve of National Assembly, New Largest Prime Found By Kenneth Chang THE NEW YORK TIMES Iraqi Parties Still Disagreeing An eye surgeon in Germany has discovered the world’s largest known prime number, or at least his computer did. By Edward Wong pilgrims are expected to increase. day afternoon, after the leading can- The surgeon, Dr. Martin Nowak of Michelfeld, is among thou- THE NEW YORK TIMES In addition, three Romanian didate for speaker, the current inter- sands of participants in the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search, BAGHDAD, IRAQ journalists were abducted on Mon- im president, Sheik Ghazi al-Yawer, one of several big projects that tap idle computers worldwide. After a wave of violence swept day, according to Romania’s presi- turned down the job, according to Last month, Nowak’s Pentium 4 computer concluded that a num- central Iraq late Sunday and Mon- dent, Traian Basescu, who did not his personal secretary, Ahmad ber it had been crunching on for more than 50 days was indeed prime, day, leaving at least nine people say where the kidnapping occurred. Najati. The leaders of the top parties with only two integer divisors, 1 and itself. A different computer dead, the country’s leading political The three worked for Prima TV, met Monday evening to discuss the using different software verified the result. parties negotiated furiously but part of the Romanian Satellite Net- issue. The number, rendered in exponential shorthand, is 2^25,964,951- apparently fruitlessly on Monday, a work. The leading Shiite bloc, the 1. It has 7,816,230 digits, and if printed in its entirety, would fill 235 day before a scheduled meeting of As the 275-member assembly United Iraqi Alliance, was trying to newspaper pages. the national assembly. prepared to hold its second meeting, put forward Fawaz al-Jarba, a Sunni In addition, it falls in a rare category of primes known as The violence was concentrated two months after general elections, Arab candidate from its group, as an Mersenne primes, which can be written as 2^n-1 where n is also in an area south of Baghdad known it appeared that the top politicians alternative. Some politicians have prime. as the Triangle of Death for the reg- had failed to reach any deal to expressed resistance, though, to The first few Mersenne primes are easily verifiable — inserting 2, ularity with which Iraqi civilians install a government. having a member of the alliance, 3 and 5 for n produces 3, 7 and 31, all prime — but the math quickly and security personnel are gunned At best, the assembly is expected even a Sunni Arab, take on the job becomes overwhelming for larger values. down by insurgents and criminals. to name a speaker and two deputy of assembly speaker, because the In 1644, Marin Mersenne, a French monk, published a list of 11 With Shiite pilgrims now heading speakers, said Adnan Pachachi, a alliance already dominates the prime numbers — the highest being 257 — for which he asserted that through the area to Karbala for a leading Sunni Arab politician. But assembly and is expected to secure 2n-1 was also prime. religious festival, attacks on Shiite even that looked doubtful on Mon- the post of prime minister. That list was not fully checked until 1947, three centuries later. Mersenne turned out to be wrong about two numbers on his list and had missed three others, but his name still remains attached to the concept. Even with computers to speed up the search, Nowak’s num- Federal Officials Plan to Catalog ber is still only the 42nd Mersenne prime to be found. Genetic Abnormalities of Cancer China to Reward Whistleblowers By Andrew Pollack ing new ways to diagnose, treat and vidual scientists. On Bank Corruption THE NEW YORK TIMES prevent cancer. Dr. J. Craig Venter, who led a pri- By Chris Buckley Opening a new front in the battle “Knowing the defects of the can- vate project to determine the human THE NEW YORK TIMES BEIJING against cancer, federal officials are cer cell points you to the Achilles’ DNA blueprint in competition with Seeking to halt a recent increase in bank corruption, China pub- planning to compile a complete cata- heel of tumors,” said Dr. Eric S. Lan- the Human Genome Project, said it lished rules Monday offering generous rewards to bank employees log of the genetic abnormalities that der, director of the Broad Institute, a would make more sense to look at who expose corruption. characterize it. genetic research center in Cambridge, specific families of genes known to Bank managers will also be regularly rotated to different posts and The proposed Human Cancer Mass., that is affiliated with Harvard be involved in cancer. monitored for involvement in pornography, gambling and drugs Genome Project, as it is being called and the Massachusetts Institute of “Diverting a billion or two dollars under the rules, which were issued by the China Banking Regulatory for now, would be greater in scale Technology. from other areas of research when it’s Commission. than the Human Genome Project, The project would cost roughly not clear what answer we’d get, there Other steps announced included making senior managers “legally which mapped the human genetic $1.35 billion over nine years, but might be better ways to move cancer responsible” for major fraud cases; establishing a system of reporting blueprint. It would seek to determine where the money will come from is research forward,” Venter said. on the stock investments of managers and top personnel; and estab- the DNA sequence of thousands of still uncertain. For now, the govern- But Lander and other proponents lishing new checks on loan approvals. tumor samples, looking for mutations ment is likely to start with some say the time is right for such a project “There’s been a succession of major cases due to weaknesses in risk that give rise to cancer or sustain it. smaller pilot projects, officials said. because the Human Genome Project management and internal controls, and this had led to major capital loss- Proponents say a databank of all Some scientists are dubious about has provided the underlying human es from banks,” a commission official told Xinhua, the official news such mutations, which would be the cost and the prospect that a big DNA sequence with which tumor agency, in a statement that appeared in the Chinese press Monday. Xin- freely available to researchers, would science project could take money cells can be compared. In addition, hua did not identify the official. provide invaluable clues for develop- away from smaller ones run by indi- the cost of sequencing is dropping.

Council for the Arts at MIT Funding Available! Next application deadline: April 8, 2005!

Please contact the director of the Council for the Arts at MIT, Susan Cohen, at [email protected], to make an appointment to discuss your project and the Council’s application process. While not mandatory, it is strongly recommended that you meet with the director.

Requests for funding submitted on this deadline must be for projects or events that begin no sooner than May 19, 2005

Important information is available on the web: Grants Guidelines: http://web.mit.edu/arts/do/funding/grantguide.html Application form: http://web.mit.edu/arts/do/funding/grantform.html Other funding sources:http://web.mit.edu/slp/finances/supp-funding-guide.html Page 4 THE TECH March 29, 2005 OPINION Letters To The Editor

Chairman Cell Phone Options also has contracts with Cingular and Sprint, rectify reception problems. Feedback regard- Jina Kim ’06 neither of which has explicit discounts for stu- ing reception problems can be e-mailed to Are Available dents. All contracts provide discounts for MIT [email protected]. Editor in Chief The March 15 issue of The Tech did a very employees, though, so students who are For more information about MIT’s cell Kathy Lin ’06 nice job describing the changes to dorm employed by MIT qualify to receive MIT phone contracts, contact Mary Bacci at mama- phones next fall. However, I realized I missed employee discounts. Further information can [email protected]. If you have questions about the Business Manager an opportunity to comment on the cell phone be found on-line at http://web.mit.edu/ist/ser- changes in dorm phone service, feel free to Lucy Li ’06 options available at MIT. vices/telecommunications/cellphones.html. contact Housing at [email protected], or IS&T MIT has two preferred cell phone vendors, Although Information Services and Tech- at [email protected]. Managing Editor Nextel and Verizon Wireless. Nextel offers nology (IS&T) does not provide cell phone Allison F. Dolan Tiffany Dohzen ’06 discounts to MIT students. In addition, MIT service, we do work with the carriers to try to Director, Telephony Services

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Printed on addresses, and phone numbers. Unsigned letters will not be accepted. World Wide Web at http://the-tech.mit.edu. recycled paper by Charles River Publishing. March 29, 2005 OPINION THE TECH Page 5 The Killing of Terri Schiavo nesses such as lawyers and the priests who 1992, doesn’t drool, and that Judge Greer why is Terri on Medicare when the malprac- Terri Matsakis occasionally accompanied Terri’s family denied the motions to give her a swallowing tice suit should be paying for her care? Why claim that she responds to her family mem- test and to have her fed by mouth after her was she allowed to be moved to a hospice The actions of Congress last week may bers differently and acts differently when tube was to be removed are quite disturbing. when she didn’t have a terminal condition? have surprised many Americans, but not all of they’re coming and leaving. There are also If the claim is that she’s being supported by Why has Michael been permitted to remain us. For those who have been following Terri numerous doctors, some who have examined “extraordinary means” (which many people guardian when he has clearly violated numer- Schiavo’s case, Congress’s actions were the her in person and some who have looked at dispute in the first place), she should at least ous guardianship laws? Why did Judge Greer last efforts to save the life of a woman whose the video footage, who claim she is not PVS. be given the chance to live by “ordinary dismiss a court-appointed guardian who sided guardianship case seemed riddled with incon- The court-appointed and Schiavo-chosen doc- means,” such as feeding by mouth. Why with the parents and take the guardianship on sistencies and poor judgements. Unfortunate- tors, of course, disagree. deny such a request? Was he worried she’d himself even though that’s against Florida ly, the media has neglected to mention why The nurses’ testimonies do not paint choke to death instead of starving? law? Why did Judge Greer never even visit thousands of people have taken to writing let- Michael as the loving husband he claims to What has some Terri to see her situa- ters to their representatives asking them to be, but more importantly, they are clear that people worried is the tion for himself even intervene in this case. after 1993, despite the fact that Terri’s condi- combination of an though a court- The case was originally brought to court tion was improving with therapy, Michael unexplained bone scan One nurse testified that often appointed guardian is by the Schindlers in order to find out what ordered absolutely no therapy to be done. and Michael’s “cre- required to do so? therapy Terri was being given and to have The nurses were told to follow his orders or mate without autopsy” after Michael’s private visits,Terri You’d think, at the access to her medical records which her hus- be fired. He was happy when Terri was sick order. In 2002, one of would be more agitated and least, that it’d be band Michael Schiavo, as guardian, had con- and would say things like, “When is that the lawyers was given, worthwhile to meet the trol over and was keeping from the parents bitch going to die?” Some nurses did do ther- through discovery, a tense, and another that a couple person you’re having ever since he had her therapy stopped in 1993. apy, but behind closed doors for fear that bone scan done in starved to death to The case did not become a right-to-die case Michael would find out and take it out on 1991 indicating broken of times after his visits, her blood make sure she really is until a couple of years later in 1998 when Terri. One nurse testified that often after bones of such severity sugar was so low,the nurse had PVS. Michael suddenly remembered that Terri Michael’s private visits, Terri would be more that they could only All-in-all, when would not have wanted to live this way. He, agitated and tense, and another testified that have happened through to administer dextrose (implying you hear that this is of course, failed to mention any of this in his a couple of times after his visits, her blood something like a multi- just a right-to-die case testimony in the malpractice suits where he sugar was so low that the nurse had to story fall. This, com- Michael had given Terri insulin with a practical hus- claimed that he wanted to take care of her for administer dextrose (implying Michael had bined with Michael’s shots). band and parents who the rest of her life. His 1998 claim also contra- given Terri insulin shots).Observation notes “cremate without are imagining that dicts his conversations with his friend, Trudy describing Terri’s capabilities were regularly autopsy” order and the their daughter interacts Capone, who said that Schiavo stated multiple removed from the medical charts and thrown fact that he turned with them, be very times that he had no idea what her wishes into the trash. down the Schindlers’ offer to let him keep all skeptical. This case has gotten people, both were. The question of the feeding tube, while the money from the settlements and anything pro-life and pro-choice, riled up because Then there’s the question of whether Terri not the crux of the right-to-die case, is that he would have inherited when she dies, many believe that a woman is literally being is really in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). important because the tube was put in at has led some people to wonder if he’s not murdered, aware of her own suffering, for the This is the crux of the case. The nurses attend- Michael’s request, probably because it was after the money, but rather after staying of sole benefit of a lying, abusive husband. ing her testify that she had likes, dislikes, and easier for the staff to deal with. Anyone jail. The Schindlers have long suspected that For more information on Michael’s testi- was comfortable with some nurses more than who’s fed a baby knows that spoon feeding he was at fault for Terri’s 1990 accident, but mony at the malpractice trial, the nurses’ testi- others — clearly not PVS. She was also able is not very neat, and apparently, feeding no one seems willing to investigate it. The mony, the bone scan, and Trudy Capone’s tes- to say things like “no,” “help me,” and “hi” tubes are regularly put in just to make nurs- bone scan, no doubt, has strengthened their timony, visit http://www.terrisfight.net. and she would laugh at jokes. Terri’s family es’ lives easier. That’s fine. The fact that suspicions. Terri Matsakis is a member of the Class of all claim she’s not PVS, and accounts by wit- Terri hasn’t had a swallowing test since There are many other questions here — ’93. A Response Regarding Sloan Rejections Dear Members of the MIT Cryptography and will be a 7 digit number. copy it (they call it that curiosity to over-ride poor security on a fact got access to any confidential MIT Sloan Information Security Group and of CSAIL, id) replace the following URl with your own Web site to gain unauthorized access to the information. The locked file cabinet was I am replying to your thoughtful e-mail of values of AYID and id: https://app.applyy- site is clearly unethical as well. Your analogy empty.) MIT Sloan, however, will take a stand March 13 and the Tech letter to the editor ourself.com/AyApplicantMain/ApplicantDeci- about an applicant calling the admissions against intentional breaches of security, good from March 16, sion.asp?AYID=3533396-CA54-403A- office to ask for his decision early doesn’t or bad, to gain unauthorized access to Web regarding MIT B6F53D804B35AE9&mode=decision&id=12 hold. Asking is not taking without authority. sites. Curiosity is not an excuse. We will take Letter Sloan’s position on 34567paste this link in the browser. You will Asking provides the admissions office (as it a stand on ethics and good judgment, attribut- the treatment of applicants who gained unau- be able to check your decision immediately, would provide your neighbor or the owner of es that are important to us in our mission of thorized access to a restricted area of the no waits. a Web site) the ability to deny the request. developing principled, innovative leaders who Apply Yourself admissions site. I spent a love u applyyourself for bad coding …” What if the posting on the Business Week site improve the world. good deal of time thinking about this issue said that Admissions keeps the decisions in We take ethics seriously at MIT Sloan. We before I set our policy, and I’ve read and con- The Apply Yourself server did not indis- the Director’s office, and provided a map of also take fairness seriously, which is why we sidered a number of e-mails from people who, criminately hand out confidential information, how to get to the Director’s office, noted have repeatedly said that we will consider like you, think we were too severe. I remain as you allege – someone had to follow delib- which file cabinet contains the decisions, and appeals on decisions related to the Apply convinced that we were not too severe. erate and unusual steps to gain unauthorized provided the combination to a padlock being Yourself incident if there is good information First, let’s start with a clarification of the access to a portion of the Web site. From used to secure the cabinet? Breaking into the that we do not have and that is relevant to our facts. The instructions for gaining access to looking at the posting and following the steps, locked file cabinet would be clearly unethical. conclusion about the ethics and judgment the admissions decisions area of the Web site, a reasonable person would have known these In fact, accessing the file cabinet even if it demonstrated by a particular applicant. We which were posted on the Business Week site, instructions were intended to provide unin- were not locked would be unethical, because also believe that people can learn from their made it clear that whoever followed those tended and unauthorized access. it is clear that applicants are not authorized to mistakes, and this is why we have also said instructions was taking advantage of poor I believe the lock and key analogy holds in access it. This is analogous to the people who that the decline decision is only for this year coding to enter an unauthorized area: this situation. If Person A picks the poor lock gained unauthorized access to the Apply and that we welcome people to reapply for on his neighbor’s house and tells Person B Yourself decisions site. We would deny admission next year. While very serious, this “I know everyone is getting more and how to do the same thing, is it alright for Per- admission to people for intentionally gaining is not the worst possible offense, and we have more anxious to check status of their apps to son B to use the information to pick the lock unauthorized access to a secured (even if not applied the most stringent possible penal- HBS, given their black box. So I looked and enter his neighbor’s house? Or if Person poorly secured) Web site, just as we would for ty. I continue to believe that a one year penal- around their site and found a way. Here are A steals his neighbor’s easy-to-copy key, gaining unauthorized access to a file cabinet ty is appropriate and fair in this case. the steps makes a copy and gives it to Person B, is it whether or not it was protected by the best Nonetheless, I want to thank you again for 1. Login to HBS site. alright for Person B to use it to enter his available lock. your thoughtful comment. It seems that this 2. check your url, it contains something neighbor’s house? In either case, if B enters In your letter, you mentioned that “MIT incident has provoked a broad national con- like: AYID=3533396-CA54-403A-B6F5- his neighbor’s house, it doesn’t matter if he should lead the charge in teaching security to versation on the ethics of actions like the ones 3D804B35AE9. Copy it somewhere. does it only out of curiosity or for some other the world (including other business schools), at issue here, and I believe will ultimately 3. Next, click on the link called application reason, it is still breaking and entering. rather than laying blame on a few students benefit us all. for admission on the main page. Open the You are correct in stating that curiosity is that are guilty of nothing more than legitimate Sincerely, source from your browser (view->page not a crime, but acting on that curiosity to curiosity.” We will leave it to EECS and Richard Schmalensee source) enter your poorly locked neighbor’s house groups like yours to teach the world about John C. Head III Dean 4. Next, search for packageanswerid it without authority is a crime, and acting on security. (I will note, however, that nobody in MIT Sloan Production We make them look good News ✦ Photography ✦ Campus Life ✦ Opinion World and Nation ✦ Sports ✦ Comics ✦ Arts E-mail [email protected] Page 6 THE TECH March 29, 2005

 

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www.marsandco.com March 29, 2005 THE TECH Page 7 CAMPUS LIFE felt sexy when performing. Sometimes, she were genuinely glad to see me. said, especially when the customers are smil- Because it was a slow time of day, there I Did It for Science ing. were only four strippers on duty. The Lind- I returned to my seat downstairs. Two say Lohan look-alike came around again. I brunettes danced in tandem, each of them was struck, as I was with all the women, by Divine Revelations in a Strip Club about my age. Sometimes they seemed dis- how beautiful she was. At the end of her rou- By Monica Byrne the runway, pumped like a boxer coming out tracted due to the low attendance; one woman tine, she squatted in front of me, naked as a to the ring. paused in her routine to watch a Sox play on jaybird, everything there for me to see: Can you believe there are no male strip And suddenly, there was a naked woman! ESPN. The off-duty strippers sat at the bar, ridges, folds, and petals opening out. I was clubs in Boston? Neither could I. I was look- Right there, in plain sight! In nothing but fraternizing with patrons and regulars. In most completely awestruck. It wasn’t desire; it ing forward to writing a column about Boston Plexiglass platform pumps, she shimmied up a cases, they are required to do this. Whenever was gratitude. I knew, by current social beefcakes wearing tight Red Sox briefs, but silver pole like some hairless marsupial. She there was a drought in tips for the stripper norms, that she was likely stripping out of alas, I didn’t have the option. climbed impressively high, and then slid down onstage, they hooted encouragement. No one financial need, self-esteem issues, or a histo- At first glance, going to a female strip club like a practiced firefighter. She was a dead else did. ry of abuse. But I could only see her as shar- is not especially unusual or alternative. Busi- ringer for Lindsey Lohan, with a blonde bob. The fourth dancer was caramel-haired, ing a gift with me, a gift of inestimable ness deals, bachelor parties, big game nights, She had beautiful arcing tattoos over both wearing a frilly black-and-white number with value. fraternity soirees, and 21st birthday parties breasts and another weaving over the small of cutouts over her midsection. She followed the When the men clamored for her attention, regularly populate strip clubs on weekends. her back. standard three-course meal format: 1) the waving bills, her expression changed On Saturday nights, venues like Centerfolds I sat in a dark corner. Getting over the gown that peeled off like molting skin, 2) a markedly. Her eyes went blank, and her — a strip club in a Chinatown alley — over- initial shock of seeing exposed jiggling teasing parade in a thong, and finally, 3) full- expression turned vacant. The men didn’t flow. breasts ten feet away, I peeled my eyes away blown shaven nudity. At one point, I remarked paw or harass, behaviors that are not unusual That is why I went at 4 o’clock on a Tues- and scanned the dark lounge. The handful of to my friend, “What I wouldn’t give for one of in strip clubs. According to a recent study of day afternoon. scattered men gave me black looks when I these strippers to come out with a big ol‘ shag Mid-western strip clubs, 94 percent of strip- Going to a strip club was also a personal sat down, but that was the limit of their carpet.” pers experienced harassment or abuse. adventure for three reasons. First, I’d never expression. They were mute lumps in the I moved to the front row, right by the stage, Patrons make threatening phone calls and been to one. Second, I’ve been a very vocal dark. One tall gaunt man in his 60s wore which took some serious ’nads on my part. As follow them to their cars, pelt them onstage, feminist since I could speak, committed to the white sneakers and stared through Coke-bot- soon as she saw me, her face bloomed. She or outright attack them. The pervasive atti- eradication of sex as a social category. Third, I tle glasses. One giant man with hip-length grinned ear-to-ear, openly and unguardedly. tude is, “If she’s showing her body to me, have the mind and libido of a twelve-year-old dreadlocks scribbled furiously on a piece of “How ya DOIN’?” she shouted over the she must want it. And if she doesn’t want it, boy. Boobies are neat. paper, looking up periodically. One younger music. “Great to SEE you! Are you ENJOY- she shouldn’t be showing off her body.” Going to the strip club on a weekday after- guy hung around the stage dressed in ING yourself?” At this point, I had become They live in a world where they are entitled noon was a deliberate choice. The act of droopy, powder-blue warm-ups, looking like incapable of forming words. I’m sure I looked to access women’s bodies with no requisi- patronage would be stripped, so to speak, of an ill-advised boy band refugee. In his palm like a moonstruck lamb. Speechless and agog, tion. To strippers, men mostly represent dan- its legitimacy. I expected a stark exhibition of was a seemingly inexhaustible pile of bills, I just smiled back and nervously threw a five- ger. Unfortunately, they also represent liveli- gender dynamics, painful to watch, but com- which he used to attract the strippers’ atten- dollar bill at her feet. Her grin got wider and hood. pelling as a train wreck. I expected to watch tion. she leaned over the rim of the stage, bare This was a higher-class establishment, and the strippers dance, then become bored; I Feeling self-conscious, I went to check out breasts swinging. “This song is so stupid,” she the men kept their hands and insults to them- would mingle with the male patrons and find the bathroom. There was only a men’s room whispered conspiratorially. She smelled like selves. Instead they leaned in, their mouths out their stories as the novelty of naked on the first floor, so I was led behind the vel- baby powder and the stale traces of a blow making O’s, smacking their lips, and breathing women faded into the background. I was right, vet rope to the ladies’ room on the second dryer. Then she rolled onto her back and through their teeth — sad stereotypes in sport and I was wrong. floor. The single-seater was tiled in gray, with opened her legs in a gigantic V, heels stabbing coats. Were they the oppressors or just another When I arrived, a kindly, soft-spoken studded metal trim – a nice S&M touch, I outward like pitchforks. kind of victim? In either case, they also inhab- bouncer met me at the door. “Don’t look so thought. Also, there was a pay phone affixed She didn’t skimp because I was a girl. She ited this fantasy world. nervous!” he teased gently. “No I don’t!” I to the center of the wall. I wondered about its relished performing for me. I stayed in the On the other hand, in my world, these yipped back. “I mean … I’m not!” (Slick, purpose: the door locked fast. front row thereafter, and each stripper seemed women did work of inestimable worth and Monica, slick.) I came across the blonde stripper similarly thrilled to perform for me. I have value. They deserved reverence and gratitude The girl in the ticket booth, who looked upstairs, stacking her tips at an empty table, considered whether they knew how to play for their generosity and as much money as I my age, put down her copy of “In a Sun- wearing a long black evening gown with a me, just like they knew how to play the men. make in a month. There is certainly prece- burned Country” and gave me a red stub. A slit up to her waist. I said hello cheerfully That may play a part in it. But since talking to dent for this attitude. Far from being a femi- hallway rose to the lounge, where the main and complimented her on her performance; a counselor who has worked with strippers, I nist myth, evidence abounds of prostitutes- stage was. My eyes had to adjust to near total she grinned widely and thanked me. First can also be confident in my intuition. I was darkness. I took a deep breath and ascended asking her permission, I asked if she herself safe to them; I represented no threat. 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http://web.mit.edu/baker-foundation/www/ DEADLINE: April 13th Page 8 THE TECH CAMPUS LIFE March 29, 2005 Monkey Gone to Heaven Breaking the Second Law You Always Pay for It Spring Break Fever By Ruth Miller eleventh row seats for the story of Galileo By Bill Andrews about how the MIT administration consistent- OPINION EDITOR Figaro and Scaramouch as they struggled to STAFF COLUMNIST ly targets and even persecutes the dorms of I decided to write this after throwing back bring Rock n’ Roll back to the Bohemians, You should be proud of me. Here I am, in East Campus and Senior Haus, the very heart a few ciders at the conclusion of the most kick oppressed by the Killer Queen, in the form of the midst of Spring Break, not partying or and soul of MIT, and how West Campus does- ass Spring Break ever. Yes, I know people their prophesied Rhapsody. I highly recom- dancing or drinking, but writing. Of course, n’t care because they’re too busy buying throw that around a lot. But seriously, this mend it. Seriously — I still have “Somebody by the time you read this it will, sadly, no clothes at The Gap and downloading annoying time, it’s true. to Love” stuck in my head. longer be Spring Break. But trust me — I’m ringtones. Now a lot of your typical “best Spring Then Paris. Oh Paris, how I’ve longed to giving up a lot by writing this for you. You See, plenty of great topics out there, any Break ever” stories involve shelling out a lot see your tiny streets, unwashed residents, and see, my Spring Break finds me in Ft. Laud- one of which would raise a few eyebrows, to of your or your parents’ money to go to some yummy baguettes. Even Lana from Smallville erdale (woot!), the one-time capitol of Spring say the least. So why don’t I go into them? sandy tourist hot spot, get boozed out of your got to spend the whole summer traversing Break pandemonium. I could probably go to First, because I write for Campus Life, and mind, and have giant orgies with other boozed your busy streets and colourful markets. Hell, the beach right now and find a dozen camera not Opinion; my editor’s expecting me to plop up college students. That’s why my story is Pinky and the Brain did an episode in crews (MTV, VH1, CNN, etc.) doing their something down on his desk, not the competi- better. I’m the proud recipient of the “Dating Napoleonic France. Now, it was my turn. “Wild Spring Break” shows. I could be on tion’s. Second, because such issues can never Someone Wealthier Than Me” Scholarship, Our accommodations were more than lush. national TV right now, dancing with half be won, not really; they’d just start a chain of and while it doesn’t cover tuition, it does offer The poshly-decorated, one-bedroom guest naked girls, drinking till I throw up, and meet- “Bill’s column was sooo wrong!” “No you’re one hell of an all expenses paid European apartment sat above one of the tastier cafés in ing caraazy mad famous peeps, yo. But no, I so wrong!” “Nuh-uh, you are!” letters, and we vacation. a busy touristy district, so it was boisterous chose to spend these minutes with you have enough of those. Third, and here we get Leaving Friday afternoon, after my until the café closed at 5 a.m. and started up instead. to the heart of the matter, I don’t really want boyfriend’s 18.03 exam, we headed straight to again when it reopened at 7 a.m. The apart- So what is it all about? Why have I chosen to back up any of those arguments, because South Station for the Chinatown buses. Maybe ment had no television, no phone, and lots of you, gentle readers, over wild ruckus and par- that takes work and thought, two things that I’ve watched too much “Amazing Race,” but I Marvin Gaye. Our neighbours had a very orig- ties? Originally, I was going to talk about the are antithetical to Spring Break. Even worse, I was narrating the whole time: “now, our teams inal idea; as a result, we woke up on the last fortune program. The problem with that topic might realize I’m wrong about something travel via Chinatown bus to , morning to the muffled sound of Parisians is that no one I talked to (except my inner (most likely the last idea), and would then where they must meet their boyfriend’s parents having sex. I shouted back, “At least we have sanctum of friends, who first showed me) have to go through the torturous process of and head out to JFK Airport to wait in an end- an economy.” Oh yeah, guess who else is knew about such a program. To have to both changing my mind. No thanks. less mess of lines and smile nicely at the TSA vying for an Olympic bid? explain and investigate a topic is a fair amount So what’s a growing boy to write about? employees to cut ahead at security check- The city was lovely, but strange. The cata- of work, and quite honestly, I don’t feel up to Man, who knows. Back in the day, when I points, where they’ll then receive their next combs were closed for the season; thus, I had it. Plus, I can’t really do any investigating actually lived here, when I was similarly stuck clue.” Did you know New York City is trying to starve my bloodlust until we found a car- from 2000 miles away except calling Night- (be it in writing, or video gaming), I’d just go to get a bid for the 2012 Olympics? Neither touche and I forgot what was in black boudin. line, and I figure they deserve a Spring Break for a drive. I must say, much as I love public did I. We decided to see “Be Cool,” hoping that the too, at least from me. transportation and walking, I really miss dri- Virgin Airlines is awesome — mad props exact moment of John Travolta’s career’s death The end result being that I won’t investi- ving around here. When it’s a nice day like to Richard Branson. The “cabin crew” would be funnier with French subtitles. Do gate fortune for you, at least not right now. today, and you got some you can laughed at me for not knowing what kind of you remember the part of “Bowling for Sorry. I’ll tell you about it, though: your sing along too, there ain’t nothin’ like going wine to have with barbeque chicken and then Columbine” with the clip of the good assignment, should you chose to accept it, is for a drive with the windows open and just told me the British were more advanced for “Matrix,” where Agent Smith is being badass to type, on any Athena prompt, “add sipb,” cruisin’. I’d satisfy my adventurous urges by calling her position “cabin crew” instead of and real coolly says “No,” a pause, and then a then hit enter, then type (on a new prompt) driving into places I’d never even heard of the dastardly, more American “stewardess.” weak “non” flashes on the bottom of the “fortune.” And don’t use the quotes, for heav- before and see the sights, look at the people On our last day in the city of London, screen? Turns out, it’s a cool movie on its own en’s sakes. Now go ahead, try it. and the houses. God blessed me with a great which is also trying to get an Olympic bid, we — that is, if you ignore every scene with The name can be slightly misleading, as I sense of direction (lots of modesty too), so decided to hit a pub for lunch one more time. Steven Tyler. I love Aerosmith, but seriously, haven’t always gotten fortunes per se, but it’s getting lost was never a problem. Even more Needless to say, this involved a bit of cider. if you can mentally block his parts, it’s a great always been worth my while. See what you importantly, I never had to put my manhood in Once tipsy, we then proceeded back to the movie. Cedric the Entertainer, Vince Vaughn, think. jeopardy by (shiver) asking for directions. house of my boyfriend’s uncle to retrieve our The Rock, and André 3000 are incredible. Our Which leaves me with the daunting task of There’s nothing so liberating, so freedom- luggage and hit the train station. Committee on Campus Race Relations would writing about “Something Else.” I could be endowing, as being the master of your own Lo’ and behold, we were locked out. be proud of a certain monologue, and I don’t controversial. After all, Terri Schiavo practi- destination, of almost being home and sud- Leatherman back in the States and far too ine- mean The Rock’s rendition of a scene from cally lives in my back yard; I could write denly, on a whim, deciding to stay on the briated to scale the back wall of the fortress, “Bring it On.” pages and pages on government interference interstate a little longer and find a new way we waited around for a while. How will it end? Will I get to my 10 in civil matters and the incredible disregard home. Ah, those were the days … In the end, we gave up and headed back to o’clock class in time on Monday morning? for the separation of powers so many politi- Y’know, maybe I’ll just go out for a little the city. We decided to try for a show, but it Will I get to my 11:30 a.m. class on time? cians are displaying. Or, using an old favorite, drive now. You’d hardly even know I’m gone. was already six o’clock, and the only place we Who knows? I left my watch in the dorm, and I could write about why it is every woman’s Honest. I just need a little fresh air to get a could think to go was surely sold out. We I haven’t known the time through any of the right to choose whether or not to have a child. good idea, to get those creative juices flowing. arrived at “We Will Rock You,” a new musical time changes so far. March 27 is the day of Or about the unjust war in Iraq, or the phoni- Besides, you can’t expect too much from me by Queen and Ben Elton, and waited patiently daylight savings England, so I REALLY don’t ness of the social security crisis, or the totally during Spring Break anyway, right? in “Will Call” as everyone hurried to their know what the hell time it is. But The Tech has ignored (actual) medical coverage crisis. I Hmm, maybe I’ll take this suntan lotion seats. We finally got to the window and asked funny deadlines, so I’m writing this in London could even, to bring it closer to home, write with me just in case … for two tickets. The nice lady told us they on Saturday night, and the conclusion is yet to were probably close to sold out. But wait … be had. So hello . I hope it all worked What was that? Two tickets just went online; it out alright. Either way, I haven’t done shit for homework for this next week, so: A Spiritual Experience appeared someone had cancelled. They were in row K. I looked at the seating chart, and Nothing really matters, there appeared to be two row K’s. Surely she Anyone can see, meant the one in the nosebleed section. Nope, Nothing really matters… At the Local Strip Club she meant that row K, down by the stage. Sure Nothing really matters, to me, enough, within minutes, we were sitting in Any way the wind blows … Strip Club, from Page 7 softly alive she is … how terrible to fail her, or to trespass on her!” In contrast to this [email protected] as-priestesses in ancient Mediterranean and deep respect, the strip club was a bare, Mesopotamian cultures. They were masters bleeding pageant of human failings, needs Break from the ordinary. and teachers of the one craft most sacred to and desires contorted, unfulfilled, and driven the human race. If their modern descendants to shame. aren’t paid in heaps of gold and silk, then at Radical though it may seem, I live for the the very least, they deserve safe cover, day when sex is sacred again. Strip clubs

wholesome working conditions, and fair would be like churches, and male and female wages. dancers would shed clothing to a full-blown But I don’t pretend that the current reality gospel choir, with patrons shouting praises in even approaches this ideal. For that reason, I the pews. The term “divine revelation” would was living a fantasy too. have a whole new meaning. As it is, I’ll think Whatever I expected going into the strip of those women working on weekday after- club, I certainly didn’t expect to have a spiri- noons and can only hope they’re honored as tual experience. In researching the history of they deserve. sacred prostitutes, I came across a passage Can you think of something weird, alterna- by D.H. Lawrence that echoed my senti- tive or downright crazy in the Boston area ments exactly: “She is getting herself naked you’d like me to try? I’m your guinea pig. and clear of her fear … how sensitive and Send your ideas to [email protected].

Freshmen Open House Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics – Course XVI Wednesday, April 6, 2005 Refreshments, Questions & Answers About Unified Engineering 3:00 - 4:00 pm. At the Seamans Lab (33 - 116) Lab Tour Leaves from 33–116 at 4:00 pm.

Bring your questions about the course curriculum, UROP, and summer internships. There will also a display of student projects, prizes, etc. Find out what exciting opportunities Aero/Astro has to offer.

March 29, 2005

Page 9

Tr io by Emezie Okorafor

by Brian Loux

One Screw Loose by Josie Sung

News ❃ Arts ❃ Campus Life ❃ Opinion ❃ Sports ❃ Photography ❃ Production ❃ Fun! [email protected] Page 10 The Tech March 29, 2005

Splatform by James Biggs Dilbert ® by Scott Adams

If you’re such an alpha male why do you have to pick up my shit?

March 29, 2005 The Tech Page 11

ACROSS 38 Vitamin figs. DOWN 31 Decade divs. 1 Very softly, in 39 Excessively 1 Short, hollow, 33 Torn tickets music 40 Spray can twanging 34 Trig. function 4 Those, south 43 Grabbed a bite sound 35 Two-time loser of the border 44 Mail letters? 2 Black tea to D.D.E. 9Windows 46 Chip off the old 3Wet blanket 37 Gooey mass predecessor block 4 Feeling of well- 41 Stick up 14 Poetic 47 Method of being 42 Made suds meadow voting 5Pitchman’s 45 Poem parts 15 Ivy league sch. 49 Borscht need pitch 48 Vietnam founded by 51 Ask for a Ben Franklin handout 6Come-on neighbor 16 Bakery 53 Touch lightly 7 Raggedy doll 50 Workout workers 54 Write sloppily 8Elitist clothes 17 Neighbor of 56 Household 9 Pulverized 52 Drinking vessel Russ. exile 10 Ticket reseller 55 Chop off 18 Ivory tickler 60 Sign gas 11 Susan of “L.A. 57 Mitt 20 V-shaped cuts 62 Consecrates Law” 58 Japanese 22 Bushwa! 63 Place for a 12 Mined mineral watch Solution, page 19 23 slice 13 Lith. or Azer., 59 First name in Eavesdroppers 67 Big success once cosmetics ’ posts 68 Zagreb 19 Baby beagle 61 “The Face is 25 Granular resident 21 Chew the fat Familiar” poet seasoning 69 Spaghetti 24 Keeled over 63 % 29 Golf score strainer 26 Panting 64 Damaged 30 Amtrak, e.g. 70 Barely manage bicyclist? mdse. tag 32 Tractor maker 71 Lock of hair 27 Muse of poetry 65 Ms. Caldwell KRT Crossword KRT 33 Nova __ 72 Couldn’t stand 28 VCR button 66 Narrow inlet 36 OAS word 73 Fish eggs WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

Óääx WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER? HOW DO GREAT LEADERS SUCCEED?

%XPLORETHESEQUESTIONSANDMOREATTHE-C+INSEY3UMMER,EADERSHIP3UMMIT4HIS DAY FORUM FORSTUDENTLEADERSATSEVERALTOPUNIVERSITIES WILLINCLUDEDISCUSSIONSWITHCURRENTLEADERS INTHEPUBLICANDPRIVATESECTORS TEAM BUILDINGACTIVITIES ANDINDIVIDUALSESSIONSONMAXIMIZING PERSONALLEADERSHIPSTYLES 4(%!00,)#!4)/. $%!$,).%)3 4HURSDAY -ARCH

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%86+5220   March 29, 2005 THE TECH Page 13 Putnam Provides Fun, Food, and Rewards Putnam, from Page 1 “very good surprise,” and that he improved on his math since coming very proud of MIT,” he said. thought his improvement in English to MIT and relied on his high school Rogers also said that females said he is going to use it to pay for was an important factor. IMO experience. from MIT and in general did very insurance for a motorcycle he A Civil and Environmental Engi- He said MIT students should well on the most recent exam, men- recently bought. Of his perfor- neering and Economics double “just go and do it for fun … I do it tioning Ana Caraiani, a sophomore mance, Barsov said that it was a major, Barsov said he has not for the food,” he said. from Princeton who is a Fellow and Stoica, an Honorable the highest scoring female. “I’m MIT Awards in the Putnam Competition Mention recipient, said he sure [Harvard president] Larry Sum- First Place MIT Team Zhongtao Wu ’05 was “happy about the team,” mers will hear about that,” he said. although he was not entirely Two female Harvard students were Reid W. Barton ’05 Honorable Mentions satisfied with his personal among the top 15 scorers but had Daniel M. Kane ’07 Boris Alexeev ’08 performance. He said he had not been chosen for the team. Emanuel I. Stoica ’05 “many things to pay for” Rogers estimated that 98 students PoNing Chen ’06 with his reward money. from MIT participated, the highest Putnam Fellows — Five Highest Anand R. Deopurkar ’08 of all participating schools, as usual. Scorers, Award of $2,500 Adam V. Donovan ’07 Team does well To celebrate, “certainly all the Reid W. Barton ’05 Karola Meszaros ’05 Rogers said the team was people who got [at least] an honor- Vladimir V. Barzov ’06 Nizameddin H. Ordulu ’07 selected “more or less auto- able mention” would be invited to a Daniel M. Kane ’07 Virgil C. Petrea ’07 matically” based on the three dinner and party in May, he said. Shubhangi Saraf ’07 highest scorers of the previ- Rogers said he would encourage Next 10 Highest Scorers, Award of Steven W. Sivek ’06 ous year, although some- MIT students to take the exam for $1,000 Emanuel I. Stoica ’05 times exceptional freshmen fun, but keep in mind that the medi- Timothy G. Abbott ’07 Matthew J. Thibault ’06 are chosen. an is very low and it is a “very hard Iliya T. Tsekov ’08 Although two of the three exam.” This space donated by The Tech Next 11 Highest Scorers, Award of David W. Vincent ’07 members of the team were $250 Putnam Fellows the previous SOURCE: year, Rogers said he was still Oleg I. Golberg ’08 HTTP://WWW.UNL.EDU/AMC/A-ACTIVITIES/A7-PROB- very surprised about MIT’s LEMS/PUTNAM/-HTML/PUTNAM2004RESULTS.HTML Daniel R. Gulotta ’07 win. “I’m very happy and

STANLEY HU—THE TECH Mary P. Harding ’07 knocks the ball loose from Springfield College’s Holly Carmody on Saturday, March 26, at the Jack Barry Field. MIT lost its second game of the season, 12–9.

THE 2005 HAROLD & ARLENE SCHNITZER PRIZE IN THE VISUAL ARTS

The Council for the Arts at MIT and the MIT Student Art Association invite all registered MIT students to submit works of visual art (2 dimensional, 3 dimensional, and video) to the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Competition Submissions will be accepted on Monday, April 4, 2005 between 12noon – 5:00pm at the Student Art Association (W20-429)

FIRST Prize $1500 SECOND Prize $900 THIRD Prize $600 Winners must be willing and able to display their work in the Wiesner Student Art Gallery The show will hang in the gallery during commencement, from late May 2005 through June 30, 2005

Schnitzer Prize Applications are available at the Student Art Association (W20-429), Campus Activities Complex (W20-500), and the Office of the Arts (E15-205)

You may also download the material from the SAA web page: http://web.mit.edu/saa/schnitzer.html Winners will be announced on Monday April 11, 2005

If you plan to enter the Schnitzer competition, please send a confirmation email to [email protected] with “Schnitzer Prize” in the subject line Page 14 THE TECH March 29, 2005

[email protected]

The Elements of a Good Newspaper

[email protected] March 29, 2005 THE TECH Page 15

Many Events Slated Join us in April for this insightful conference: For Spring Weekend Our Brains and Us: Spring Weekend, from Page 1 Joplin performed, and R.E.M. headlined in 1985. In the 1980s, Banks has built his popularity on his Spring Weekend funding came Neuroethics, Responsibility, works on the mixtapes. from a Campus Activities Commit- tee Programming Board, which Drag show, LipSync among events collected money for hiring the and the Self Spring Weekend will kick off bands from the gameroom and cof- Thursday night with the Fierce For- feehouse in the Student Center, ever Drag show. On Friday, the said Linda D. Noel, program coor- April 17–19, 2005 iFair will be held in Kresge Oval dinator for student activities. Massachusetts Institute of Technology during the day. Events such as Today, Spring Weekend costs Alpha Chi Omega’s LipSync, bands about $100,000 to run, with on the steps, a barbeque in the pits, $40,000-50,000 allocated for the and Habitat for Humanity’s Campus featured band. • What is Neuroscience? What is Neuroethics? Build will be held on Saturday. The • What implications do the neurosciences have for understanding weekend will end with the MIT Holi Tickets available online human freedom, moral agency, and legal responsibility? Dance, where people throw colored Since Johnson can only hold • What insights do the neurosciences provide into the concepts powder at each other to celebrate 3000 people, MIT students can pur- of the self? the Spring, sponsored by the Hindu chase their tickets in advance Student Council. online. Tickets, which go on sale • What opportunities do the neurosciences provide for therapy, Spring Weekend has existed Friday, are $10 for MIT students for neurological enhancement, or for the exercise of social, since the 1960s. In 1969, Janice and $15 for non-MIT students. economic, and political influence? This conference brings together scientists, philosophers, members of diverse religious communities, and the public for Spring Weekend Schedule a multifaceted, interdisciplinary and multi-traditional dialogue Wednesday Night about the neurosciences and questions like those above. Kick Off, Free Mike’s Pastries, Ticket Sales It provides an opportunity to explore a range of emerging ethical, Thursday Night religious and philosophical issues associated with neuroscience Fierce Forever Drag Show research and its present and foreseeable applications.

Friday Daytime For additional information about the conference, iFair accommodations, and online registration visit: Friday Evening Concert: Fabolous & Lloyd Banks (co-headlining) www.aaas.org/spp/dser/

Saturday Daytime Bands, BBQ, Habitat for Humanity Campus Build The conference has been organized through Saturday Evening aprimary collaboration among AXO Lip Sync

Sunday Holi Dance

SOURCE: CINDY X. YUAN ’05, A MEMBER OF THE SPRING WEEKEND COMMITTEE

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April 30, 2005.

This space donated by The Tech The Production Department’s Word of the Day Gob: 1) A small mass or lump. 2) A large quantity.3) A sailor. [email protected] Page 16 THE TECH March 29, 2005 Increased Capacity ,//+).'&/2!.%8#)4).'*/" Needed for SafeRide '//$"%#!53%2%$"5,,)3,//+).' SafeRide, from Page 1 Brutti said the Parking and Transportation Office has been coor- The demand for transportation dinating its efforts with the Disabili- &/2!345$%.4"2!.$-!.!'%2 services in increasing, said Larry ties Services Office and the Environ- Brutti, Operations Manager for MIT mental Health and Safety Office. Parking and Transport. “However, The new vehicles will differ it’s really eating up the equipment. from the current fleet in that they These vehicles are running 18 hours will use bio-diesel fuel to improve a day. We’re in the process of efficiency and reduce emissions. upgrading to transit-type vehicles The new fleet will continue to be with 10 to 12 year lifespans versus handicap accessible. the current 3 to 4.” Currently, the largest capacity Saferide schedule extended buses hold 22-28 passengers while The Boston Winter Shuttle ser- the smaller vans only have capacity vice has been extended through for 14. The proposed new vehicles Spring Break to Friday, April 1. The for the SafeRide routes may include service was originally slated to end room for as many as 38 people sit- on the Friday before Spring Break. ting and standing. Buses with room The request and funding came from for 48 passengers (28 seated and 20 the Division for Student Life. standing) would replace current He also said the Winter Shuttle shuttles for the TechShuttle and will have an extended schedule next Northwest Shuttle. year. 2ED"ULLISONTHELOOKOUTFORA3TUDENT"RAND-ANAGER!N3"-ISA RELIABLEANDMOTIVATEDSTUDENTWHOSERESPONSIBILITIESINCLUDERELATIONSHIP Three Named as Goldwater Scholars BUILDING BRANDDEVELOPMENTONCAMPUS ANDHAVINGAGREATTIME/+ Three MIT undergraduates are among the 320 recently-named THATLASTONEMAYNOTTECHNICALLYBEAhRESPONSIBILITYvBUTWEREGOINGTO Barry Goldwater Scholars, receiving a prestigious national award given annually to sophomores and juniors planning careers in science HOLDYOUTOITANYWAY and engineering. The three winners from MIT are Jacob Fox ’06, /UREXPECTATIONSFROMYOUARETHEFOLLOWING News a mathematics major who plans to pursue a PhD in mathematics with a focus on combinatorics, Kevin s9OUREGOINGINTOYOURSECONDYEARORHIGHERATTHISSCHOOL Brief K. Miu ’06, a mechanical engineering major who s9OUHAVEAGOODKNOWLEDGEOFWHENWHERETHINGSAREHAPPENING plans to obtain an MD/PhD in biomechatronics, and Alicia Y. Zhou ’06, a biology major who plans to obtain a PhD in s9OUREINTERESTEDINMARKETINGANDHAVEGOODCOMMUNICATIONSKILLS cancer biology. Fox and Zhou plan to conduct research at the universi- s9OUREOUTGOINGANDHAVEANENTREPRENEURIALSPIRIT ty level, while Miu would like to “create prosthetics and other devices s9OUCANCONNECTWITHDIFFERENTKINDSOFPEOPLE that can aid in daily routines and contribute to an improved quality of life,” according to the list of winners. s9OUHAVEAFLEXIBLESCHEDULE The Goldwater Scholars receive up to $7,500 for each of their remaining undergraduate academic years. Goldwater scholarships are $OESTHISSOUNDLIKEYOU )FSO THENPLEASEGOTOWWWREDBULLUCOM awarded on the basis of academic merit. Of this year’s 320 scholarship recipients, 239 are majoring in science, 45 in engineering, 27 in math- ematics, and 9 in computer science related majors, according to a press release from the Goldwater program. There are 165 male scholars and Ú2ED"ULL.ORTH!MERICA )NC!LLRIGHTSRESERVED 155 female scholars. Universities can nominate up to four students to be considered for the awards, which honor Senator Barry M. Goldwa- ter. —Kelley Rivoire

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[email protected] This space donated by The Tech March 29, 2005 THE TECH Page 17

A Course for Everyone TUFTS SUMMER

Is your spring schedule full? Summer is wide open! Consider Summer Study at Tufts University. First Session May 25 – July 1 Second Session July 5 – August 12 12-Week Session May 25 – August 12 Tufts Summer Session 2005

It’s Back! Summer Resident Assistant Positions http://ase.tufts.edu/summer

Benefits x Free, guaranteed Summer Housing! x $500.00 Stipend! x Summer Leadership opportunity! MIT Job Summary Emile Bustani Middle East Seminar The Summer RA is a fundamental part of the success in the Summer Housing Presents experience. Students hired for this position will be responsible for building community in their building, for having a presence in their assigned area, and for Dr. Bernard Avishai being a resource to students in terms of information about services available to Visiting Professor and Senior Fellow students or contacting the appropriate people on campus in case of a crisis. Sanford Institute of Public Policy and Fuqua School of Business Duke University Eligibility

In order to be considered for the Summer RA position, a student must qualify for Summer Housing under the guidelines set out by the Housing Office (see “CAN A JEWISH STATE BE DEMOCRATIC?” Student Life Handbook, pages 53-54). In addition, all applicants must be registered for classes at MIT in the Fall 2005 semester. Graduating seniors will only be considered for the Summer RA position if they have been accepted into Tuesday, March 29, 2005 an MIT graduate program that will begin in the Fall 2005 semester. Applicants 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. must have lived in an on-campus dorm for a minimum of two years. Applicants E51-095 must currently be in good standing both academically and disciplinarily, and must 70 Memorial Drive Cambridge remain so throughout the term of employment. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Come to an Information Session to learn more : x March 15, 3:00-4:00 PM, PDR1/2 in the Student Center Sponsored by the Center for International Studies x March 31, 7:30-8:30 PM, MacGregor Dining x April 4, 7:30-8:30 PM, Talbot Lounge, East Campus

For an application and more information, go to our website: web.mit.edu/residence Page 18 THE TECH March 29, 2005 OCW Materials Translated into Various Languages OCW, from Page 1 knowledge” and a way to encourage Margulies. English Web site, annual confer- completely voluntary. the world-wide dissemination of As of now, only MIT has ences, training sessions, and semi- Initially, faculty members were a major philosophical shift from the educational ideas. promised to put up every undergrad- nars. concerned about the quality of the mid-1990s, when colleges and edu- uate subject. Other colleges would CORE hopes not only to trans- material placed online. Some cators alike protected their course Selecting courses also like to put up courses, but most late all of MIT’s courses into sim- thought that OCW may reflect poor- materials and teaching methods for OCW staff select departments are restricted due to funding limita- plified Chinese text but also to put ly on the Institute if not carefully private use and monetary gain. The and classes to put on the Web with tions. Some also believe that it is up courses on the Web that are coordinated. Others felt that the name of the project is an allusion to diversity in mind. Each subject put not necessary to put up again what unique to China for other worldwide publication of course material open-source software, in which pro- up generally includes a syllabus, MIT has already done. viewers. would detract from sales of their grammers use the Web to make their course notes, lecture notes, exams, MIT’s Stellar Web site now books, which may incorporate simi- individual computer codes available problem sets, and handouts. holds many of the school’s internal Surging Taiwan effort not affiliated lar information. to others on the condition that any Due to limited funding, very few sites and require student certificates Luc Chu, a professional translator At the initiation of the project, future advances made are also simi- classes are videotaped. These are all for access. Some of them are in the who just finished translating J.R.R. some believed that OCW may larly posted back to them. done with the permission of the process of being transferred to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, in col- devalue an MIT education and take MIT was one of the first to instructor. external sites on OCW. laboration with MIT alumnus Frank faculty time away from students. espouse the idea of open sharing, Videotaped lectures are usually Liu ’66, a retired venture capitalist, Earlier in the year, Dean of Stu- Since then, OCW projects at the ones that would garner the widest Formal translating partners decided to take it upon themselves to dent Life Robert Redwine confi- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School audiences and also at the same time MIT is currently officially affili- translate MIT’s OCW site into the dently fended off these suggestions. of Public Health and Utah State provide some value back to the MIT ated with two programs that trans- traditional Chinese characters for the “The essence of an MIT educa- University have been introduced. faculty. late OCW, Universia.net, represent- benefit of the Taiwainese public. tion is what happens on campus,” he The two programs were launched in According to OCW’s own crite- ing the Spanish and Portuguese The venture was named Open- said. “What would people think if February of this year. ria for video selection, videos countries, and the China Open source OCW Prototype System we charged them our tuition and OCW’s projects are not intended should capture “unique exercises, Resource for Education, represent- (O.O.P.S.). Its advisory board sent them a large box of books? In as a replacement for a secondary demonstrations, and field experi- ing mainland China. Native speak- includes experts in publishing, tele- some ways, OpenCourseWare is education. No credit or degrees will ences that fulfill the desire of self- ers regularly check the quality of vision, electronic media, and volun- analogous to that box of books.” be granted. Associate Dean of Engi- learners for rich curriculum units translations on both sites. teer translators. Statistics have shown that enroll- neering Dick K. P. Yue ’74, one of and enhance the learning processes Universia.net is maintained by a As of now, O.O.P.S. has suc- ment has not been hurt by OCW and the people who initially came up back at MIT.” Madrid-based consortium of univer- cessfully translated 17 courses, and that in fact, 16 percent of prospec- with the idea of OCW, describes the sities and is responsible for translat- 69 more are near completion. This tive MIT students know about OCW project as “not a door, more like a A model for other schools ing MIT’s OCW material into Span- task was accomplished in eight and use it to help decide whether or window” for those outside MIT. Anne H. Margulies, executive ish and Portuguese. months with a mere $3,000. not to attend MIT. OCW “is a way for MIT in partic- director for OCW, hopes that OCW CORE’s mission is to coordinate Chu allows the translators to ular, but the modern higher education will provide a model other universi- and utilize OCW from MIT to have a say in which courses should MIT uses OCW internally [in general], not to fall into this area ties can use to develop their own enhance the quality of education in be translated first, since it is the vol- Seventy-three percent of MIT where educational content is viewed OCWs. China. Currently, CORE has a unteers that are doing most of the upperclassmen undergraduates use in a monetary way,” Yue said. “What we hope to do over time membership of more than 70 Chi- work. the OCW site to complement mate- Chair of the Faculty Steven R. is to give a view not only of just a nese universities and a total enroll- rials from courses that they are tak- Lerman ’72 presented the project as course, but of an entire progression ment of five million students. Its OCW faces various concerns ing, to plan a course of study and to a challenge to the “privatization of of study over a period of time,” said programs include a Chinese and Faculty participation in OCW is review materials for courses they have completed. Fifty-three percent of incoming freshmen are aware of the site, 16 percent say that it influenced their decision to come to MIT. Peaks in traffic occur during MIT’s registration and exam weeks. Students say that OCW allows them to have increased access to informa- tion and to better shop for classes before the term starts. OCW funding OCW is currently supported by the Mellon Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation. Benefits accrued by those outside of MIT is the true reason why OCW was initiated. Yue believes that many faculty support the project because it “appeals to the moral higher ground” by forgoing any attempts to commer- cialize the information. “If MIT sets a good standard and model of how to do it, other people will follow,” Yue said. “Then we would have truly changed the land- scape.” Solution to KRT Crossword from page 11 March 29, 2005 THE TECH Page 19

Tuesday, March 29 at 8:00 p.m. Room 5-134

Got an Egg?

Easter is all about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Come find out more and help us celebrate! Eat free food, praise God, and learn about the relevance of Easter.

http://web.mit.edu/mitccc/easter

This space donated by The Tech Page 20 THE TECH March 29, 2005 SPORTS Men’s Swimming Team Places Synch. Swimming Ends 10th at Div. III Championships Season with 7th Place By Jonathan A. Goler Carlucci ’05, Fuzellier and Snyder place finish by Edwards in the 200 TEAM ALUMNUS placed fourth in the 400 Medley Backstroke with a time of 1:50.76. In an impressive showing, the Relay and clinched All American Snyder and JP Carlucci took 26th At ECAC Competition MIT Men's Swimming team took standing with a time of 3:24.09. place in the 100 free and 200 By Victoria K. Anderson Blasiak’s placement in the solo 10th place out of 56 teams at the On the second day, the team of breaststroke preliminaries, respec- TEAM ALUMNA competition was especially impres- NCAA Division III Edwards, Varsanik, Carlucci, and tively. The MIT team finished out The MIT Synchronized Swim- sive given that she was pitted National champi- Snyder started the day by taking the championship with a win in the ming Team closed out its second against five athletes who made onship at Hope Col- fifth in the 200 Medley Relay. JP consolation finals of the 400 competitive season by hosting the finals at the national championships lege in Michigan. Carlucci swam into 20th place in the Freestyle relay with a time of 2005 Eastern College the following weekend. Coach Dawn 100 Breaststroke, while Craig 3:06.02. Athletic Conference Blasiak also helped contribute to Gerken said, “We Edwards tied for third in the 100 The final standings put MIT at (ECAC) Synchronized MIT’s point total by teaming with really surprised a lot of people, and Backstroke, coming back with an 135.5 (10th place), a half point Swimming Champi- Karen L. Chu ’08 and Lucia T. Tian our 10th place finish really shows impressive second half. Fuzellier under traditional rival Springfield, onships March 19-20, ’08 in the trio competition, where the level of athletes that our pro- took 15th in the same event with a but far ahead of rivals Amherst, the finishing in seventh they placed ninth with a score of gram is fielding.” time of 52.25. Finishing off the sec- Coast Guard, and Tufts. place out of 11 teams with 40.5 64.500. Chu and Tian also paired Leading off the event, the 200 ond day, the team of Josiah B. Ros- “A lot of coaches came up and points. Canisius College won the for the duet competition, where they freestyle relay of Jonathan S. marin ’06, Kalvin D. Kao ’08, Sny- said how impressed they are with meet with 92 points, while MIT scored points for MIT by finishing Varsanik ’05, Craig M. Edwards der, and Edwards took 10th in the our team,” remarked Gerken, further placed above Mary Washington, the 12th with a score of 60.000. ’07, Matthieu Fuzellier G, and 800 Free Relay with a time of noting that it was the whole team University of Rhode Island, Penn- The team competition, arguably Grady A. Snyder ’06 took 10th 6:56.16, touching out rival Spring- that deserves credit for their hard sylvania State University, and Har- the most exciting event of the week- place with a time of 1:24.74. Then, field College. work in making it to the national vard University. end, saw MIT’s team of Blasiak, the team of Edwards, Captain JP The third day began with a fifth competition. Leading the way for MIT was Chu, Jianwen W. Gu G, Adele A. Leah C. Blasiak G, who finished Schwab ’08, and Tian finish in ninth fifth in the novice technical figure place with a score of 66.417. MIT Hosts Boston Open Badminton Tournament category with a score of 57.459 and Though the team’s competitive The 2005 Boston Open badminton tournament took place took seventh place in the solo com- season is finished, they will be host- from March 25-27 in Rockwell Cage, featuring top-ranked petition with a score of 69.833. ing an exhibition in April. players from Canada, Russia, and the USA. (left) Men’s doubles champion Pascal Gagnon jumps for a smash. (below) Women’s doubles champion Lili Zhou fields the Reasons March Madness shuttlecock. Photography by Jonathan Wang Can Make the Apathetic Love College Basketball By Travis Johnson how strong they are. STAFF WRITER 6) The TV coverage by CBS Every year, I come into March caters to people like me who know thinking I don’t care about college nothing when the tournament starts. basketball. They make it easy to jump right in I’ve only and find a team or player to care Column watched about. Some of the announcers are handful of games played by my obnoxious, but at least it isn’t Dick hometown Wisconsin Badgers, and Vitale himself. I know next to nothing about every- 5) The games are somehow one else in the country. always very close. Whether you But every year, I leave March a credit scholarship caps, a deeper total basketball addict, my nose a talent pool, or desperation of teams few inches from the screen for every when they fall behind, you’ve got second of the Final Four. to love day after day of barn-burn- What does March Madness have ers. that makes it so thrilling every year? 4) Upsets. Everyone loves the I count ten things: underdog, and because of the one- 10) The field is huge and and-done format, we get plenty of includes conference tournament Hoosiers moments where the winners that wouldn’t make a nor- favored teams is booted out of the mal tournament format. Result: tournament by the little guy. UW-Milwaukee and West Virginia 3) Every game is game 7, do or Software University give us five entertaining die, win or go home. And for upsets over teams with bigger seniors who aren’t going pro, which Developers names. are most of them, losing means the 9) Neutral sites mean fans from end of your career. Result: intense both teams, seas of blue and red, play, tears of joy, and cries of pain. (Immediate Openings) cheerleaders from both teams, and 2) The brackets. There is so excitement no matter who is win- much luck involved that any bozo ning. can predict the tournament better 8) By the time the Final Four than ESPN columnists. The whole A $10 Billion Leader Doesn’t Wait for Fall Recruiting. comes around, the teams have country fills them out, giving people played enough games with enough who normally have no interest in At Oracle, we’ve got a host of openings across our Software Development coverage that we feel like we’ve sports a reason to watch. groups. Here’s your chance to start your post-college life with a global leader gotten to know them. I can name the 1) The excitement and energy of coaches and a few players on all the basketball comes through on TV whose database, tools and application products reside in over 145 countries. teams in the Final Four, most of better than any other sport. Down Positions are filling fast, so be sure to apply today. which I’ve learned in these past two the stretch, when every pass and weekends. shot are contested and every two- Software Developers 7) The players are kids our age. pointer seems like a miracle, there is That means we can connect with nothing in the world as entertaining Redwood Shores (San Francisco Bay Area) • Boston them, or in my case just sit in awe at as college basketball. Develop E-business for the web or work in our Internet platform division which has a wide variety of complex challenges for the sharpest minds. To start, we’ll need your C/Java expertise and significant systems experience. And if your thirst UPCOMING HOME EVENTS for knowledge means working for the best to develop the latest Internet software — we need to talk. Thursday, March 31 Varsity Baseball vs. Suffolk University Briggs Field, 3 p.m. Apply today by e-mailing your resume to: [email protected] Varsity Women’s Lacrosse vs. Colby Sawyer College Jack Barry Field, 6 p.m. To learn more about these and other opportunities, please visit www.oracle.com/college

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