IN YOUR COMMUNITY Meet Professor John Guttag
Bets — sometimes they’re risky, sometimes they’re funny, and sometimes, you wonder whether you were delusional at the time you made them. One bet can change your life, for better or for worse.
NERDY WITH A CHANCE OF RANDOM Don’t be a block-head
“Why do you keep playing that game? Shouldn’t you be doing some real work?”
Events: Oct. 18 - Oct. 24
Events Oct. 18 – oct. 24 Tuesday (3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.) F/ASIP (Freshman/Alumni Summer Internship Program) Information Session — 4-163 (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) MCAT Information Session with Princeton Review — 2-105 Wednesday (4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.) 2006 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize Winner, Carl Dietrich Co-Founder of Terrafugia — See Terrafugia’s “roadable aircraft” — Student Center Plaza (7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) Liturgical Music Workshop — MIT Chapel Thursday (4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) Starr Forum: Border Security in the 21st Century — 66-110 (5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) MTA Composer Forum featuring Professor Tod Machover — Lewis Music Library Friday (5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.) Turk, Upon Retirement, to Reflect on Being a Humanist at MIT: Lecture with Professor Edward B. Turk — E14-633 (7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows Fast Five — 26-100 (8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) MIT Symphony Orchestra concert — Kresge Auditorium Saturday (7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows Paul — 26-100 (9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.) MIT Sport Taekwondo Tournament — Johnson Indoor Track Sunday (8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) Diwali Night Culture Show — Kresge Auditorium Monday (6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) RFID SIG: Fashion, Retail & the Supply Chain — 32-141 Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
Institute Double Take
The Stata Center is brilliantly illuminated on a summerlike day in fall. The rays of the late afternoon sun hit the building at an angle, creating an aesthetically pleasing effect. What is particularly appealing about this photo is the presence of the stairway and its illumination, which emphasizes the amphitheater in the lower half of the photo. The two trees and their seemingly random placement provide for a contrast in this otherwise overwhelmingly orange theme.
Institute Double Take
Sports photography is a field dominated by focus tracking, high-speed cameras, and the longest and fastest lenses on the market. Unlike wedding couples and mountains, soccer balls and tennis rackets move fast. I’ve never been a fan of shooting sports. Shooting a sports match constantly fills me with this urgent feeling, like I’m trying to chase down the perfect shot, and if both my mind and lens aren’t focused at just the right time that perfect shot will run away without me. But sailing was different.
Events Oct. 4 – Oct. 10
Events Oct. 4 – Oct. 10 Tuesday (4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.) The Federal Budget Deficit: Causes, Consequences and Potential Remedies — A Panel Discussion — 10-250 (7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) Four Weeks for America Challenge Information Session — 2-105 Wednesday (4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Energy 101 Series: Japan’s Energy Policy after Fukushima — 3-133 (6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.) “Mens et Mania” book discussion with Professor Emeritus Samuel J. Keyser — W98-602 Thursday (3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Community reception in honor of Theresa M. Stone — E62 (5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) Information session — MIT Washington DC Summer Internship Program — 56-180 Friday (7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides — 26-100 (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) MIT Heritage of the Arts of Southasia Concert — 32-123 Saturday (7:30 p.m. – 11:55 p.m.) MIT Ballroom Dance Team October Social — Morss Hall (8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) Aardvark Jazz Orchestra with Director Mark S. Harvey — 14W-111 Sunday (3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.) Annual Max Wasserman Forum on Contemporary Art/Present Past: Contemporary Art and the Uses of History — 10-250 Monday (6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.) Sidney-Pacific/MIT Presidential Fellows Lecture with Professor Esther Duflo — NW86 (Sidney-Pacific Graduate Residence) Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
CLUB CONNECTION Keeping track of the past
If you’re like me, then the closest thing to a model train you’ve played with is a Hot Wheels toy car, complete with a pre-designed shark pirate robot ninja track. I could always tell that a book I read was decades-old when the winsome rascal received a model train under the Christmas tree. But little did I know that this old-fashioned hobby was still alive in the Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC).
Events: Sept. 27 - Oct. 4
Events Sept. 27 – Oct. 4 Tuesday (3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) How to Find a UROP — 2-132 (4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Writing Compelling Cover Letters — 2-105 (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) MIT Generator - Sustainability in Action — R&D Commons (Stata Center, 4th floor) Wednesday (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.) Creating an Effective CV for the Academic Job Search — 3-442 (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) An Evening with Bill Bonvillian, MIT Washington DC Office Director — NW86 (Sidney-Pacific Graduate Residence) Thursday (4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Into the Sky with Diamonds: book discussion with author Ronald P. Grelsamer — E14-109 Friday (5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) Preview Opening: 2011 Great Glass Pumpkin Patch — Kresge Oval (7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows Bridesmaids — 26-100 Saturday (10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) Great Glass Pumpkin Patch — Kresge Oval (1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.) 2011 Ig Informal Lectures by the Ig Nobel Prize Winners — 26-100 Sunday (2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Fall Ballroom Dance Classes by MIT Ballroom Dance Club — La Sala Monday (11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.) State of the Institute Forum — Kresge Auditorium Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
NERDY WITH A CHANCE OF RANDOM Good intentions, bad advice
As life progresses, those who claim to understand the world carelessly throw pieces of advice around. On the surface, these quips of knowledge seem to be legitimate. But after thinking about what is actually going on, the flaws become increasingly apparent. Don’t let the following pieces of advice ensnare you in their trap.
GREEN EGGS AND SAM Wandering the aisles
Living away from home for the first time presents new and surprising challenges. One of those challenges became obvious pretty quickly. I’m a freshman in Burton Conner, so I don’t have a dining plan. While I don’t need to worry about the exorbitant costs of dining hall meals, I am, for the first time, responsible for feeding myself. Once dorms and frats stopped handing out free food, I had no other options — I needed to go grocery shopping.
IN YOUR COMMUNITY Meet Anantha Chandrakasan
They told him that it wouldn’t work. “When we went to conferences, they did not believe that complex digital circuits could reliably operate at low voltages.” Chandrakasan’s interest in circuits was sparked in his college years. When Chandrakasan was a senior at Berkeley, he began working with Professor Robert Brodersen, who became his thesis advisor.
LAVERDE’S PRICE INDEX Introducing the LPI
Think the price changed on one of your favorite items at LaVerde’s? Think the price changed on several items? Wondering how the prices at LaVerde’s are changing over time and if these price changes are fair?
Events: Sept. 20 - Sept. 26
Events sept. 20 – Sept. 26 Tuesday (4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.) EECS Industrial Connection Program (ICP) Career Fair — 34-401 (6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.) There is Nothing so Practical as a Good Theory: The Economics Behind Honest Tea — NW86 (Sidney-Pacific Graduate Residence) Wednesday (11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Career Fair — Johnson Athletic Center Thursday (5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) MIT Communications Forum: Local News in the Digital Age — E15-070 (Bartos Theater) (5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.) MIT Outdoor Zumba Class — Kresge Oval (5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.) Tech Talk with Brad Neuberg (Inkling), Dharmesh (Hubspot), and Paul English (Kayak) (6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.) Externship Information Session — 32-141 Friday (9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) Comic Book Fair “Release Your Inner SuperHero” — 10-105 (4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.) Persepolis, free admission, shown by the LSC and MIT Community Giving — 26-100 Saturday (12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Pi Beta Phi’s Arrowspike — Kresge Lawn and BBQ (6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows Transformers: Dark of the Moon — 26-100 Sunday (8:30 p.m.) MIT Ballroom Dance Team Dance Concert — Kresge Auditorium Monday (4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) 2011 Scolnick Prize Lecture — 46-3002 (6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) Digital Media SIG Event: Will the Cloud Change Everything? — E51-149 Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
Institute Double Take
Hello, Beavers. Look at the picture — now back at the board — now back at the picture — now back at the board. Sadly, the board isn’t the picture, but if it was it would get stolen. Look down — back up — where are you? You’re in class with the professor who just gave you a glare because you’re looking at this picture instead of him. What’s in your hand — back at me. I have it: it’s a bike with two wheels to take you to that thing you love. Look again, the bike is now useless because it’s snowing. Anything is possible when your bike is not in your bike rack. But I’m on a horse!
Events: Sept. 13 - Sept. 19
Events Sept. 13 – sept. 19 Tuesday (5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) Student Loan Art Lottery Reception — E15-100 (5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) Throw it Against the IDEAS Wall, kick-off event for t=0 entrepreneurship festival — Stata Center Wednesday (12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.) Community picnic at Maseeh Hall — Amherst Street at Masseh Hall Thursday (3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) MIT Political Science Distinguished Speaker Series, Forum on Rebuilding the American Economy — E51 (8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) Jason Moran Film Screening: In My Mind — 14-111 Friday (2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Multicultural BBQ — Kresge BBQ Pits (7:00 p.m.) Fred Fest IV, featuring Air Traffic Controller and Mission Hill — East Campus Courtyard Saturday (4:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.) LSC shows Rango — 26-100 (6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.) Bhopal — Sound of Struggle : 26th Movement — 14W-111 Sunday (7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. ) LSC shows Thor and Rango — 26-100 Monday (5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.) MIT Madrid Info Session — 14E-304 (7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) Bill Evans, Banjo Concert — 14W-111 Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
Remembering September 11th
On Sunday morning, over 200 members of the MIT community gathered to remember those lost a decade ago on September 11th and honor the heroes of that day. Speakers included President Susan J. Hockfield, MIT Director of Facilities and Security John DiFava, Chancellor Eric Grimson PhD ’80, and Chaplain Robert M. Randolph. The ceremony started in Lobby 10 with an invocation and moment of silence, and moved outside to Killian for the flag lowering ceremony and benediction. It was a fitting tribute to those who died and those who selflessly gave their lives. Watch the video at <a href=http://tech.mit.edu/V131/N36/september11/video.html rel=nofollow> <i>http://tech.mit.edu/V131/N36/september11/video.html</i></a>.
A feast for your eyes
I never wanted to wear glasses. At one point, I was so desperate to avoid being called “four eyes” that I ate raw carrots nonstop for a year after hearing that their vitamins gave rabbits great vision. It made sense at the time since the wild rabbits in my neighborhood seemed capable of seeing in the dark. However, it was an unappetizing experience that didn’t help my vision and made me avoid carrots for a decade.
Events: Sept. 6 - Sept. 12
Events sept. 6 – sept. 12 Friday (4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) Starr Forum: Top Secret America, book talk by Dana Priest of the Washington Post — E14-674 (7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows X-Men: First Class — 26-100 Saturday (7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows X-Men: First Class — 26-100 Sunday (4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) MIT’s Heritage of the Arts of Southasia presents presents Malladis/Gundechas, North/South vocal duet — Kresge Auditorium (8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.) Folk Dancing Beginner’s Night — La Sala de Puerto Rico Monday (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.) Nuclear and Particle Theory Seminar — 6C-442 Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
Events: Sept. 6 - Sept. 12
Events sept. 6 – sept. 12 Tuesday (2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) Sloan Business Club Networking BBQ — Kresge Oval (7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows X-Men: First Class — 26-100 (7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.) Film Screening - The Perfect Vagina — 6-120 Wednesday (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Back-to-School Vendor Fair — outside W20 (1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.) Public Service Center Community Service Fair — Lobby 10 & 10-105 Thursday (5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) From Settlers to Quarriors: Breaking up the Monopoly with Modern Board, sponsored by the CMS Colloquium Series — 4-231 Friday (4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) Starr Forum: Top Secret America, book talk by Dana Priest of the Washington Post — E14-674 (7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows X-Men: First Class — 26-100 Saturday (7:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) LSC shows X-Men: First Class — 26-100 Sunday (4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) MIT’s Heritage of the Arts of Southasia presents presents Malladis/Gundechas, North/South vocal duet — Kresge Auditorium (8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.) Folk Dancing Beginner’s Night — La Sala de Puerto Rico Monday (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.) Nuclear and Particle Theory Seminar — 6C-442 Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.