MIT and my SS#...

I just got a letter in the mail that says that MIT accidentally sent out my personal info (including SS#, birthday, address...) to 150 people on an MIT mailing list. They say they are sorry... but I'm pretty upset. "Sorry" isn't going to cut it if I end up the victim of identity fraud.

Why the heck do they have that stuff in some file that can accidentally get mailed around? I'm not a student or employee anymore... Also, what mailing list did they send it to exactly? I think I have a right to know (and no, saying that the mailing list is 150 people who are "mostly" members of the MIT community does not make me feel better)

Here's the press release that I found about it. I can't believe there isnt' more news about this... There doesn't even seem to be anything in the Tech about it either.

Mr. T with a Hasidic beard

I Pity the Fool or Shalom in the Home? Discuss.

Québec solidaire

So, has anyone heard of the new political party Québec solidaire? It purports to be a left-wing alternative advocating sovereignty. The Gazette, not exactly an unbiased paper but the only major English daily in the province, published this editorial pointing out that its position on sovereignty may turn off many of the progressive voters it would hope to attract. Indeed, I wonder whether it would have been smarter to have remained ambiguous on sovereignty, which nearly worked for the right-wing ADQ. That said, they did manage to get 22% of the vote in a recent by-election, not bad for a party that's only three months old.

Thoughts, anyone?

Punts

Step 2 of every great scientific study is "grow a beard".

Finally, practical research

Deconstructing Faculty Doors

"English professor James M. Lang, in his seminal 2004 essay on faculty office doors, ..."