Dan Dunn

MIT is celebrating its 150th birthday this month.  For the last week, the Boston Globe and boston.com have been hyping up a special insert in today’s Globe, The 150 Ways MIT Has Made a Difference. A few notes from the insert: Colin Angle (#7) is a fraternity brother, as is Eran Egozy (#90), as is Jim […]

It’s hard for me to characterize the MBTA’s most recent insanity: Are they in denial about their security problems? Or are they so disconnected from reality that they think they can hide their security problems? Let’s explore the question. First, a review of recent events: Three MIT students study the MBTA’s security and prepare a […]

I came across this interesting article about the problems in the space station a few months ago.  Key points: You can’t count on a cable to heat itself if you put it by the dehumidifier. It’s worse if the dehumidifier is balky. It’s a bad idea to have your three-way redundant power system depend on […]

First the Universal Hub told me that the Charles was flammable and I wondered what was going on. Later I read that the fire might be the result of MIT students and the annual sodium drop. In this post-9/11, post-Aqua-Teen-Hunger-Force world, how long can it be until Mayor Menino demands vengeance?  How soon until he […]

Two years ago Dr. James Sherley became one of the hundreds of talented MIT professors who were denied tenure and sent packing.  Unlike most, he started on a hunger strike. I postulate: If someone thinks that a hunger strike is a good way to get tenure, they’re likely not a good candidate for tenure. I’ve […]

A high point of MIT geekdom.  Be sure to watch the party mode video.

Boston Globe reports on college endowment returns. MIT earned 23% on $8.4B. I don’t really wish I had $8B, but it would be nice if I earned 23% on what I do have.