Companies bank big bucks off of 2012 apocalypse scenario
chronicle THE COLUMBIA
The Official News Source of Columbia College Chicago
November 9, 2009
Volume 45 Number 10
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A question of philosophy Astrophysicist explores the physical, mathematical world by Ciara Shook Assistant Campus Editor THE QUESTION “Is God a mathematician?”
Lohne said. “The majority of the students that are here are dreamers and I like to encourage them that their dreams can change the world.” Lohne said some of the students are planning on writing to Obama in hopes of drawing his attention back to the cause. He also said students need to know their voices are appreciated and they can be heard. “You could see the looks on the students’ faces as the union workers thanked them,” Lohne said. “It was sort of electric. I don’t think that is something that can be taught in a classroom.” Spencer Rysman, a junior graphic design major, created posters and was dressed as a maid for the protest. He said he hoped more Columbia students would have gotten involved. “We were hoping to get as many people as possible,” Rysman said. “The more attention that we get, the bigger impact we can make.” Rysman also said students have a responsibility to get involved and to live up to Columbia’s motto: create change.
piqued the interest of students, faculty and the public who packed the Ferguson Auditorium in the Alexandroff Campus Center, 600 S. Michigan Ave., on Nov. 4 to explore the answer. Mario Livio was welcomed to Columbia by an audience who sat shoulder-to-shoulder, some seated on the floor, at his presentation, in which he presented empirical facts about Earth’s connection to the mathematical world and the world of physics. Livio posed the question of whether mathematics was discovered or invented by man. Livio, a senior astrophysicist and head of the Office of Public Outreach for the Space Telescope Science Institute, has published works on subjects of astrophysics, cosmology and the emergence of intelligent life. Azar Khosravani, associate chair of the Science and Mathematics Department, was instrumental in bringing Livio to campus. “He’s known in his field and he has many books in mathematics,” Khosravani said. Though Livio packed many concepts of math and the world into an hour-long speech, his down-to-earth personality led to a lively and receptive audience. “[Livio is] relating ideas that I’ve thought of before, even though he never made a complete argument,” said Erick Frausto, junior audio arts and acoustics major, “but I can see where he was heading: things can be broken down mathematically.” Livio began his presentation by posing Albert Einstein’s question: how is it possible that mathematics, a product of human thought that is independent of human experience, fits so excellently the objects of physical reality? “The question is more important than the answer,” Livio said. Based on the title of the lecture, some members of the audience expected a speech about mathematics and religion, but were pleasantly surprised to learn about the physics of the world. “He never went so far as to say there’s a spiritual link between it,” Frausto said, “but I think everything could be broken down
» SEE PROTEST, PG. 10
» SEE LIVIO, PG. 10
Oriana Riley THE CHRONICLE
A student starts a protest chant as part of Raymond Lohne’s course, History of the American Working Class. Every year, students from the class protest along with the union workers in front of the Congress Hotel as part of the midterm test.
Columbia joins Congress Hotel protesters on the picket line by Benita Zepeda Campus Editor FOR MORE than six years, workers at the
Congress Hotel, 520 S. Michigan Ave., have been on strike seeking higher wages. On Nov. 3 at 5 p.m., students in Raymond Lohne’s History of the American Working Class course showed Columbia’s support by joining protesters on the picket line in front of the hotel. Students in two sections of the class were cast in different roles to portray when they joined the protesters. Some of the students dressed as maids, while the others portrayed members of “The View,” a popular television show where four women discuss various issues. The hotel is located on Columbia’s urban campus and many students walk past protesters each day. Students in the two classes said they felt it was important to do something different to draw attention to the cause. Lohne said this was the second time his
class has participated in the strike and they are calling the event The Maid Parade. Last year’s event was called Drilling the Maids, where students dressed as maids and a drill sergeant called out cadence to encourage the workers. “I have been teaching here for about seven years and for all those years, that strike has been going on,” Lohne said. “I got the idea that maybe my students should be involved in making some history instead of just studying it.” The purpose of the roles was for the second part of the project, which was to film their participation in the protest. The film will be uploaded to a Web site, such as YouTube, when it is completed. The major focal point of the Columbia protesters were two students dressed up as President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, surrounded by Secret Service detail. When Obama was campaigning, he joined the protesters outside of the hotel, showing support for their cause. He said that he would be back on the picket line as president. “Columbia students have something that very few students in America have,”
INDEX CAMPUS
Celebration of survivor’s strength » SEE PG. 3
» SEE PG. 15
METRO
H&F
A&C
CAMPUS
Designing his future
Fare increase fury A&C » SEE PG. 31
2 11 15
COMMENTARY
28
METRO
31