http://www-tech.mit.edu Headlines from The Tech, MIT's Student Newspaper en-us Copyright The Tech 1881-2008 http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N36/palin.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N36/palin.htmlBy Keith YostOn August 29th, in a historic move that surprised pundits, Senator John McCain announced his selection of Alaskan governor Sarah Palin (pronounced PAY-lin, not PAH-lin) for his vice presidential running mate. The reaction from the left was immediate and visceral; feminists claimed the choice was patronizing, liberal bloggers sardonically thanked McCain for the giving them the election and the Obama campaign lashed out, calling the governor inexperienced and a pawn of Big Oil.]]>Fri, 5 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N35/fraternities.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N35/fraternities.htmlBy Reid Van LehnWhy will over 50 percent of freshmen men pledge fraternities this year? What is it about fraternity life that leads freshmen to join organizations that are so often associated with binge-drinking, dirty houses, and failing grades, a false stereotype that has been propagated by movies such as Animal House and Old School? How can so many men, from such a diverse set of backgrounds, find common homes in fraternities?]]>Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N35/ilgs.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N35/ilgs.htmlBy David FarhiIndependent Living Groups offer a variety of unique opportunities for MIT students. The ILGs are a collection of five different houses, each with its own lifestyle, culture, and personality. Students who join ILGs find themselves a part of a small, close-knit community of friends.]]>Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N35/biden.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N35/biden.htmlBy Dan YelinAfter months of speculation and debate, Barack Obama chose policy veteran Senator Joe Biden to be his running mate. Each of the top three contenders, including Biden, Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, and Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia had strengths and weaknesses. Joe Biden is the smartest choice, and here’s why.]]>Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N34/sororities.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N34/sororities.htmlBy Yicong LiuCome as you are. Sororities at MIT are about finding a place where you feel comfortable as an individual as well as feel supported as part of the community. Each sorority on campus has a distinct personality, yet all were founded on similar values and as a support system for women at MIT. Many have found a strong community with their sorority, and that experience has made all the difference in their lives at MIT. Below are a number of tales straight from Greek women on campus:]]>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N34/nawful.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N34/nawful.htmlBy Alice NawfalEver imagine how college life would be different in a university other than MIT — say several thousand miles away in a Middle Eastern country like Lebanon? During IAP this year, I was in Lebanon and I decided to ask my friends about their college experiences. I even visited a college right after student government elections. Having lived in Lebanon for almost 17 years of my life, I was not surprised by the diversity of the students who come from all Lebanese districts, speak various accents, and belong to different political groups and religions.]]>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N33/jessop_bennie.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N33/jessop_bennie.htmlBy Noah Jessop and Mike BennieWelcome to MIT! Whether you were covered by green Jell-O at Burton Conner’s Jell-O wrestling, inspired by Yet-Ming Chang’s research, or entertained by life-sized Tetris at East Campus, we are fairly certain that you’re aware of the fact that MIT is like no other college. From the 9 a.m. Math Diagnostics Test to rush events running throughout all hours of the night (and morning!), we are sure that you have begun to experience what it means to be an MIT student. These last few days of adrenaline filled all-nighters have been designed to integrate you into MIT’s unique experience: too much amazing stuff to fit into a short period of time.]]>Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N33/shu.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N33/shu.htmlBy Gary ShuDuring my first run at graduate school, nearly half the students in my engineering research lab were women. My newly appointed and tenured adviser, a decorated researcher from Bell Labs who was eventually awarded a MacArthur “Genius” Grant, was a woman. And looking back at my time there, most of the friends I made were women and the same was true of my undergraduate experience studying electrical engineering. As a result, I feel that even as stereotypical (Asian) male engineer, I well understand the problems that women in science and engineering experience.]]>Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N32/lukmann.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N32/lukmann.htmlBy Andrew LukmannOrientation is a wonderful and exhilarating time to be on campus. Representatives from the many diverse segments of the MIT community — from living groups to student activities, athletics teams and learning communities — are part of the process of showcasing this amazing place to the incoming class. Since this is my sixth year on campus participating in orientation, I can tell you that no year’s events are ever quite the same — there are always new things to discover. In fact, there seem to be so many sessions, events, demonstrations and parties that it can sometimes seem completely overwhelming. ]]>Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N32/yost.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N32/yost.htmlBy Keith YostTwo months ago, it looked like the McCain camp was in shambles. The Arizona senator was struggling to read from a teleprompter, giving speeches in front of garish green backdrops, and standing behind podiums that made him look small and awkward. His campaign organization was muddled, full of deadweight managers who lacked the skills to play in the big leagues, but whom the senator didn’t have the heart to fire. And instead of moving to the center, as most candidates do in the general election, McCain, if anything, was moving to the right. In national polls he was only behind by four points, but with the enthusiasm gap, the fundraising numbers, and the dismal condition of the Republican brand, pundits were confident that John McCain was well on his way to a crushing defeat in November.]]>Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N32/hao.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N32/hao.htmlBy Qing HaoSomeone once said that a movie endowed with five unforgettable scenes is a classic. As the most anticipated event of 2008, the Beijing Olympic Games captivated the world with many moving and magical moments. Each second was a motion picture packed with life and passion. Thus, I had a hard time figuring out where to start after my friends asked me to write an article about this monumental event.]]>Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N30/lukmann.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N30/lukmann.htmlBy Andrew T. LukmannThe administration made a wise move last week in deciding to take proactive steps to more explicitly encourage the use of public transportation by campus commuters. The recent change included an expansion of the commuter rail pass subsidy to 50 percent for all zones and the decision to provide free transit passes for the month of September to employees who currently park on campus. By making it easier for MIT faculty and staff to utilize the Boston metropolitan area’s comprehensive transit system, the administration’s efforts can go a long way towards decreasing the impact of rising fuel costs on our community and reducing our collective carbon footprint.]]>Fri, 8 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N29/corrections.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N29/corrections.htmlWed, 9 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N29/editorial.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N29/editorial.htmlWed, 9 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N27/corrections.htmlhttp://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N27/corrections.htmlFri, 6 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400Opinion