Over the last week or two, we have seen a flurry of debate regarding the health care bill in Congress. Numerous groups have been putting in their views to shape specific parts of the legislation to their liking, and many outright oppose the bill. Democrats have been trying to pander to certain elements within their party on controversial issues like abortion, and Republicans have been organizing to ensure that the legislation does not pass. The result has been a political stalemate; Republicans have not backed down in their opposition, and Democrats have not been able to find an effective compromise with them. If we wanted to, we could assign blame to everyone in Congress for the failure of the legislation to pass to some extent, but that tends to obscure the most important issues in the health care debate. Read more...
Yearly Archives: 2010
As I am sure a few of you have noticed, campaigning for student government positions is in full swing, but beyond the creative decorations and snarky comments they provide, why should we, as students care? There are so many answers to that question. Read more...
So, as we delve deeper into the semester, I would like to take this week to remind everyone to fill out all of their financial aid documents for the next semester. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid worksheet has been given a makeover, making it more convenient and user friendly. No matter how much your parents make or what you think you know about the financial aid that you will be given, it is always a good idea to fill out a FAFSA form. You don’t get charged for filling out the application. If you are bogged down with exams, presentations and the works, kindly ask mom or dad to fill it out for you. Spending a few hours to fill out the FAFSA would be a wise investment. Also, if you participated in co-op or took a semester off for a full time job you must file a tax return. This may affect numbers on your FAFSA. Read more...
When offered the opportunity, I often tell people that Relay For Life is “a 12-hour fundraising event for the American Cancer Society.” I then tack on, “participants form teams that have tents and themes for their sites, and each team is expected to have someone walking throughout the night.” I tend to leave the basic summary of Relay For Life at that … Really, though, Relay is much more than these 33 bland words can describe. So, what is Relay For Life? Read more...
Look up the word tango in the dictionary, and the words ‘passion’ and ‘intensity’ almost always show up in the definition. With the smooth combination of slow and fast steps and the ability of the dancer to be in tune with both the music and their partner, there certainly is an exciting fervor to the Argentine tango. Having no dancing heels or ruffled dresses in the closet, comfy sweats and flats had to do for the intro lesson. Read more...
Any dilute solution of carbohydrates, such as grain and fruit juices, will ferment. The microorganisms in the mix produce carbon dioxide and alcohol (or acetic acid) as waste products. The organisms die when the alcohol reaches about 15 percent or so, thus a naturally brewed brewage can only be made so strong. The alcohol content has another important benefit (besides the obvious). It kills off any waterborne pathogens. Prior to chlorination (c. 1913), drinking water was rarely safe. One way to deal with this was to drink tea or coffee, which meant boiling the water. The other way was to drink beer or wine. Read more...
The Swiss have one of the best environmental records in the world and show great concern for the environment. Switzerland was one of the first countries to sign the Kyoto Protocol in 1998 and is one of the top recyclers in the world, with 66 percent to 96 percent of recyclable materials being recycled, depending on the region. Several years of living in Switzerland have taught me a lot about how to live green. Read more...
The business cycle and its financial analog create a similar cycle in the psychology of investors, citizens, and governments. During and immediately after many financial crises, investors’ fear and governments’ paranoia undermine the functioning of the financial markets and the economy at large. The memory soon starts to fade, and during the most sustainable and real economic times, both groups are optimistic about the potential of the markets but wary of their excesses. As growth and profits increase, though, investors and citizens forget the lessons of the last crisis, and banks and investors take on greater debts, dramatically increasing profits but also increasing risk and forming bubbles. A new book, This Time is Different, draws its name from the recurring rationalization for this behavior. Read more...
This weekend, the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center hosted Frederic Rzewski, described as an “instrumental virtuoso and [a] composer of revolutionary ambition.” The house was not full and the crowd was not young, but the pianist played to an appreciative audience. Read more...
The men’s lacrosse team was back in action this past week and continued to write its undefeated season. Read more...
Lake Placid, N.Y.: the undisputed Winter Sports Capital of the world. For five days in late March, the best ski racers in the United States descended upon the site of the 1932 and 1980 Olympic games, just a short drive up the Northway from Rensselaer. Whiteface, located in nearby Wilmington, N.Y., played host to the U.S. Alpine Championships from March 19–23, hosting three disciplines: Super-Giant Slalom, Slalom, and Giant Slalom. Read more...
The women’s lacrosse team rebounded from a difficult home opener last Tuesday with a win over No. 12 in the nation Nazareth College this past Saturday at Renwyck Field. The Engineers bounced back to earn the 12-11 decision over the Golden Flyers to improve their record to 2-2. Nazareth, with the loss, drops to 3-2 on the season. Junior Afton Marshall led the charge against the Golden Flyers, tallying a game-high four goals—including the game-winner with less than two minutes remaining on the clock. Read more...
During the Spring Town Meeting, President Jackson announced that Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Barack Obama Peter Orszag will be delivering this year’s Commencement address at the May 29th ceremony. Read more...
At the President’s Spring Town Meeting, President Shirley Ann Jackson announced some key financial updates that will be occurring during the coming year at Rensselaer. The Board of Trustees recently approved the Institute Budget at its meeting on February 27 that will “enable us to focus our energy and resources on the core activities that are central to our mission and purpose, with continued investment in faculty hiring and in selected student life initiatives,” according to Jackson. Read more...
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With the implementation of the Clustered Learning Advocacy and Support for Students initiative, spots for four assistant deans for the residence commons and a class dean have opened up. Currently, three of the four live-in assistant dean positions are filled, and the school is in the process of searching for someone to fill the fourth spot. The appointment of the first class dean was announced to the campus community on February 24, and class dean for the Rensselaer Class of 2013 Amy Pettengill’s first day on the job was Monday. Read more...
On Sunday, the first upperclassmen lottery since the beginning of the Clustered Learning Advocacy and Support for Students initiative concluded. Since this is the first year sophomores will be required to live on campus, fewer rooms were left for juniors and seniors, and many students awaited the results with anxiety. However, the preliminary numbers provided by the Office of Residence Life indicate that the lottery went smoothly. “I understand that no one who wanted to live on campus was turned away,” said Acting Assistant Vice President for Student Life Tom Tarantelli. Read more...
Last Thursday, anyone who walked by Russell Sage Dining Hall and noticed a Hydrive Hummer outside of the building knew that the Sodexo Vendor Food Show was underway. This annual event, which features products from Gillette Creamery, f’REAL shakes, and Sobe, was free to all students who have a meal plan. Excited for a free dinner, I was amazed at the sheer amount of food the dining hall had to offer—making use of both floors of the dining hall. The main dining area of Sage featured Sodexo creations, along with a few familiar faces from the McNeil Room of the Union. Read more...
After nearly 300 minutes of play over the weekend—including the longest women’s hockey game in NCAA history—the Engineers came out on top in the best-of-three series against the No. 10 in the nation Quinnipiac University Bobcats in the ECAC quarterfinals. After dropping the first game in a two-overtime session by a score of 2-1, the Engineers bounced back with a 1-0 shutout, followed by a 2-1 win of their own after five extra frames. RPI, seeded fifth in the tournament, will head to Ithaca, N.Y., this upcoming weekend to take on the No. 8 in the nation Cornell University Big Red in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Read more...
In response to last week’s discontent expressed by Information Technology sophomores regarding the program’s changes, a meeting to address concerns of IT students was called by Assistant Dean of Information Technology and Chair of the Tetherless World Research Constellation Jim Hendler. All students within the department were invited; approximately 15 students attended, along with IT Project Manager Linda Kramarchyk and Assistant Vice President for Information Services Jeff Miner ’78. The meeting was an open discussion for Hendler to explain the change and for students to ask questions. Read more...