A lot of things went on outside the bubble of Tech in the past week. Here are a few important events taking place throughout the nation and the world.
A massive earthquake hit the South American nation of Chile on Feb. 28, killing 723 people and injuring many more. The quake measured 8.8 on the Richter scale, making it one of the largest in recent history. It also triggered a tsunami in the Pacific Ocean that reached as far as Tokyo and caused alarm in several islands including Hawaii and New Zealand. Chile is known for having frequent and forceful earthquakes, because of its location at the intersection of the Nazca and South American plates. Since 1973, Chile has experienced 13 earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.0 or greater.
New York Governor David Paterson announced his decision to quit his bid for re-election amid an ethics scandal, including allegations that he inappropriately secured tickets for himself and his aides to games at New York City’s Yankee Stadium. Unlike his predecessor, Paterson has vowed to retain his position as governor and serve out the remainder of his term.
Leonid Tyagachyov, the head of Russia’s Olympic Committee has decided to resign following the worst ever performance by the nation at the Winter Games. Russia finished 11th overall, clinching three gold medals and only fifteen medals overall. Athletes complained that the money allocated for their training was often tied up in bureaucracy. President Dmitry Medvedev called for the resignation of officials in charge of preparing its athletes for the Olympics immediately following the closing ceremonies on March 1. Russia is scheduled to host the 2014 Olympics in the resort city of Sochi, Russia.