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(02/16/00 10:00am)
Though moored off Pier 34 on the Delaware River, the Moshulu takes its guests on a culinary voyage around the world every night of the week. Moshulu -- the restaurant of the same name as the 96-year-old ship into which it is built -- features a menu as international as the vessel's travels, which extended from Northwest Europe to South America to the South Pacific. You can't miss the Moshulu from the outside; soon to become a landmark on the waterfront, it is the world's largest four-masted sailing ship. But once inside, you are taken aback by the sheer opulence of the ship's turn-of-the-century Victorian d_cor, which features rich mahogany and brilliant chandeliers. Moshulu features several luxurious dining areas with views of the river and the Philadelphia skyline, as well as bars on two decks and the opportunity to tour restored parts of the 394' vessel. Under Executive Chef Gerald Dougherty, Moshulu offers an eclectic seasonal menu that offers a number of tempting seafood dishes -- appropriate for a ship that rounded the southernmost tip of South America 54 times -- but offers entrZes to satisfy anyone's tastes. The appetizer list features such tempting selections as chilled shrimp and bass tartar ($13) and a smoked salmon napoleon ($10). But my date and I on a recent Friday evening started off our meals more conservatively, with a heart Manhattan clam chowder ($6) and a crisp, refreshing Bibb lettuce salad with poached pear and Stilton bleu cheese ($7). Neither disappointed. The entrZes at Moshulu are works of art unto themselves. The menu is heavy on seafood -- including Seafood Del Mundo ($28), described as "seasonal fish, mussels, scallops and shrimp, saffron clam risotto, spinach and lobster jus" -- but also includes a fine selection of meat and poultry. My date had the night's Lobster Special ($32). Based on the number of times we saw our tuxedo-clad waiters carrying the dish around the dining room, it was clear that the lobster was the night's most popular dish. At that price, the lobster should have been good -- and it was. I ordered the Katafai-Wrapped Shrimp ($26) with horseradish mashed potatoes, Napa cabbage and dijon garlic aioli. Each shrimp -- though at that size, the word "shrimp" becomes an oxymoron -- was carefully placed atop a small mound of potatoes. The dish looked too good to eat but, once I overcame my inhibitions, I found the meal utterly exquisite and satisfying. The wine list is one area where Moshulu really shines. The restaurant offers a wide selection across a spectrum of price ranges, from around $30 a bottle to more than $200. Moshulu also offers a menu of desserts ($7 each) to delight the taste buds. But don't count on having much room after the main course for the delectable cr_me brulee or rich lemon trifle. An evening at Moshulu is not just about good food and good wine, it's an experience. The millions of dollars of renovations put into the ship between its 1994 purchase and July 1996 opening were well worth it, and the prompt and knowledgeable waitstaff made sure we enjoyed our time on board. I'm just looking forward to my return voyage aboard this ship of alimentary delights.
(02/16/00 10:00am)
It's rare that one restaurant -- just through its very atmosphere -- conjures up feelings of warmth, community and friendship. And rarer, even, is an establishment that combines such a welcoming aura with cuisine and service of a truly outstanding caliber. The restaurant is Dahlak. Located at 4708 Baltimore Avenue, Dahlak specializes in the tantalizing dishes of Ethiopia and Eritrea -- African nations whose exotic, flavorful dishes are not often recognized in the realm of haute cuisine. At Dahlak, though, such notions can be checked at the door. Guests are welcomed into a surprisingly cozy yet spacious dining area by the affable host and owner, Amare Solomon, who takes great pleasure in introducing the unaccustomed to the flavors of his native land. Solomon, who also manages the Quadrangle's McClelland Hall dining facility, opened Dahlak in 1983 with his wife Neghisti, who adds her own style to each dish as the restaurant's head chef. The main dining area features a wide array of colorful adornments and photos from Eastern Africa. And whether seated at a western-style table or at one of the more traditional African mesops -- small wicker basins surrounded by leather stools -- you're guaranteed to share in the Ethiopian dining experience from the moment you sit down. At first, you may be alarmed to notice the absence of cutlery, but don't fret. All dishes are served with injera, a traditional crepe-like bread that is used to pick up small pieces of the various meats and vegetables that fill your table's communal plate. It's that style of eating -- in part -- that gives Dahlak its unique character. Gursha -- the act of placing food into the mouth of your companion -- is considered a sign of friendship, and it's a practice you may want to try just to supplement the experience of the food. The menu features a surprisingly broad spectrum of beef, chicken, lamb, shrimp and vegetable dishes -- all prepared in a stew-like fashion, though with differing spices and accompaniments. Forty-three entrees await your selection, from the sumptuous yedoro ataiklt ($7.25) -- chicken cooked with peppers, broccoli, carrots, onion, garlic and ginger -- to the smooth, rich shrimp alicha ($6.75) -- baby shrimp prepared in a spicy garlic sour cream sauce. Of the dishes we sampled, special mention must be made for the dahlak tibs ($7.00) -- a delicious blend of beef cubes, peppers, onions and special spices -- as well as kik watt ($5.50), a hearty medley of yellow split peas and the restaurant's signature berbere sauce. Add a pitcher of mango juice or a bottle of birz -- an Ethiopian drink made from honey -- to give your meal a truly distinctive touch. And for those with different tastes, try a selection from Dahlak's newly established bar. Dessert will follow, but only if you have room to continue. Dahlak features a small but reliable list of tasty finishing touches -- including baklava, carrot cake and vanilla ice cream -- all priced at $2. The adventuresome might also want to indulge in a cup of the restaurant's special coffee -- flavored with spices to give it a distinctive flair. All in all, the Dahlak experience is one not to be missed. Reasonably priced dishes, a warm and inviting atmosphere and truly outstanding food provide more than enough incentive to venture west just a few blocks. You'll be glad you did.
(02/16/00 10:00am)
Penn's chapter of Delta Tau Delta will lose its charter as a result of low membership. Delta Tau Delta's charter is going to be revoked due to its low membership, National Assistant Director Garth Eberhart said yesterday. "This is purely a membership issue," Eberhart said. "There's just not enough manpower." The fraternity currently has 21 brothers. DTD President Robert Cuthrell, a Wharton junior, said the chapter has decided to disassociate from its national organization, saying that DTD will no longer exist as "an official group associated with the IFC." He maintained that the group has no plans to "go underground." DTD's house at 130 S. 39th Street is University-owned, but the national organization holds a 20-year lease on the property. According to Cuthrell, the lease was signed just a few years ago, and DTD's national organization plans to rent out the house until the fraternity can recolonize at Penn. Cuthrell acknowledged that membership numbers are low and suggested that the size of DTD's house, located at 130 S. 39th Street, may have played a role in the decision. "We are currently living in a very large structure, so we've been having trouble getting it filled," he said. Both Cuthrell and Eberhart expressed the national organization's desire to bring DTD back to Penn eventually. "We look forward to working with the University to come back soon," Eberhart said. Eberhart also stressed that the chapter's low numbers were the only factor in the decision. "There was no discipline or behavioral issue," he said. DTD is currently the subject of a $250,000 lawsuit filed by Robert Herdelin, who until recently owned a building next to the fraternity house. Herdelin claims DTD brothers routinely threw trash and bottles onto his roof, damaging his property. The fraternity held a fall rush in 1998 and extended rush in spring 1999 in an effort to drum up some additional members. InterFraternity Council President and Alpha Chi Rho brother Andrew Mandelbaum said he knew DTD's numbers were low but that he had not yet heard the fraternity is leaving campus. "They have had some membership issues in the past," the College junior said. "But we probably wouldn't hear about [the national organization's decision] until afterwards." DTD, which left campus in 1972 after a fire at its house plunged the chapter into debt, recolonized at Penn in 1991.
(02/16/00 10:00am)
Hundreds of Penn fans made the trek to Princeton to cheer Penn on to a 55-46 victory. PRINCETON, N.J. -- Once Ugonna Onyekwe punctuated Penn's 55-46 victory at Jadwin Gym last night with a 360-degree dunk, Frinceton realized what Quakers fans knew all along -- the Tigers were pucked. Penn took the lead, 13-12, on guard Michael Jordan's one-footer with 9:04 remaining in the first half, and never looked back en route to the triumph over the archrival Tigers. The Quakers' defense was largely responsible for the victory, holding Princeton standout Mason Rocca and highly touted freshman Spencer Gloger scoreless through the first half of the game and shutting down the Princeton offense all night long. Last night's win gives Penn a two-game lead in the Ivy League standings. Princeton's hopes of taking the Ivy title away from defending champion Penn now rest on beating the Quakers in the teams' season finale meeting at the Palestra and hoping that Penn is upset by one of the league's six also-rans. But Quakers co-captain Michael Jordan said the race is far from over. "We're not satisfied," said Jordan, a College senior. "When we win the next seven, I'll be satisfied. We haven't done anything yet." The hundreds of Penn fans who made the trek to Princeton, however, certainly understood the significance of last night's game. Despite being mostly tucked away in the far northwest corner of Jadwin's upper balcony, the Quakers faithful cheered loudly throughout the game and stormed the court as the final buzzer sounded. Sporting "Red and Blue Crew" T-shirts and face paint, Penn fans belted out a chorus of "Airball!" chants and made sure to remind the Tigers which team beat Yale last week. "[The seats] suck. But sitting here with everyone else is amazing," Engineering senior Rob Jenkins said. "There's a lot of love and a lot of hate," said Jenkins, pointing first to the Penn student section and then to the Princeton students. With a healthy dose of Ivy League wit, the Penn fans also held up signs offering spelling tips -- "You Can't Spell Princeton Without NIT" -- and career advice, suggesting to Mason Rocca that "bricklaying" was his calling. And when the Princeton band tried to rally the crowd late in the game with a rendition of the "Hey Song," Penn fans inserted their own lyrics of "You Suck!" to take any last hope the Tigers may have had in reserve. At the end of the game, Penn fans swarmed the court, only to be met by a deluge of debris from some angry Princeton supporters. While at first the Tigers faithful threw mini-basketballs, the barrage soon escalated to include plastic water and soda containers for the second year in a row, drawing the ire of Jordan. "I didn't appreciate it at all. A couple of plastic bottles went past my head," Jordan said. "Call me whatever names you want, but after the game is over, it's just ridiculous to be throwing things onto the court." Despite the presence of extra security guards, two separate scuffles broke out between Penn and Princeton fans -- one before the game and one after. "We were walking around the stadium carrying our sign that said 'Can't Spell Princeton Without NIT,'" Engineering sophomore Bob Barsotti said. "And some angry Princeton person came down and attacked us -- actually followed us into the stands." Another confrontation was reported to have occurred outside Jadwin after the game let out, but it was quickly broken up. Still, supporters of both teams acknowledged that last night's contest failed to equal the legendary battles of the recent past. Princeton cheerleader Kacey Guy recalled the excitement of what Princeton fans like to call the "Miracle at the Palestra" -- or what Penn fans remember as the "Heartbreak at the Palestra" -- when the Tigers rebounded last February from a staggering 29-3 deficit. "Last year was great at the Palestra," she said. But Penn fans have a different conception of which of last year's contests was most impressive. "I was here last year at one of the best games of all time," Democratic National Committee chairman and longtime Penn basketball fan Ed Rendell said, recalling the Quakers' Ivy-clinching victory last March at Jadwin.
(02/15/00 10:00am)
SHOWDOWNSHOWDOWNNo love lost in clash of Ivy titans SHOWDOWNNo love lost in clash of Ivy titansThe Quakers and Tigers meet for the 201st time tonight at Jadwin Gym. While the love may have flowed freely yesterday, the spirit of old St. Valentine doesn't figure to be in the hearts of the Quakers or their fans tonight. In the most anticipated matchup of the Ivy League hoops season, the Penn men's basketball team (13-7, 6-0 Ivy League) will travel to New Jersey to take on archrival Princeton (13-8, 5-1) at 7:30 p.m. Nearly a year removed from cutting down the nets at Princeton's Jadwin Gymnasium after clinching the 1999 Ivy League championship with a 73-48 shellacking of the Tigers, the Quakers once again find themselves at Old Nassau. And once again, they are alone on top of the Ivies -- thanks to both Yale's February 5 upset of Princeton and Penn's penchant for pummeling weaker conference foes. Penn and second-place Princeton -- who have combined to win titles in all but five of the 43 seasons since formal Ivy competition began in 1957 -- are both fresh off weekend demolitions of Harvard and Dartmouth. But while the Quakers are on a roll coming into tonight's matchup, the Tigers appear to be vulnerable. The loss to Yale aside, Princeton has been besieged by injuries, as forward Mason Rocca and high-scoring freshman guard Spencer Gloger have both missed time due to various ills. Both played this weekend, and both are expected to play tonight. "[Princeton's] guys are hurting. I'm sure they'll play," said Penn senior guard Michael Jordan, who was named Ivy League Player of the Week yesterday. "In this game, especially." Despite Princeton's troubles in the standings and on the trainer's table, the Tigers will not be tamed easily. "Princeton's a special game for us, no matter what the record is," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. One thing that the Quakers hope will happen is an improvement in their perimeter defense. In the second half of their victory over Dartmouth Saturday night, Penn gave up seven three-pointers. Against a Princeton team skilled at shooting from behind the arc, such a defensive lapse could mean trouble for the Quakers. "Defensively, we got lazy. We gave up a lot of open looks," Jordan said. "I don't think that will be a problem. We know what they do, and we'll be ready for whatever they can throw at us. The games before Dartmouth, we were playing fine defensively." The Quakers will have to play defense more like they did when they faced Harvard. In defeating the Crimson last Friday, Penn held Harvard star Dan Clemente to a paltry two points. Not unlike Princeton's big men, Clemente is a capable shooter from long range. "When we play Princeton, it's always the same," Dunphy said. "We have to make sure that we guard their three-point shooters. They do a great job from the perimeter. Their job is to step out and make shots, so we're going to try and press out on those three-point shooters and hopefully not give up too much inside." Despite their lack of vigilance defending the three-pointer Saturday night, the Quakers, for the most part, have been overpowering defensively against their Ivy opponents. As such, Dunphy foresees no change in the Quakers' familiar man-to-man scheme tonight, although he said that he might "throw some other wrinkles in there." Dunphy believes that Princeton will most likely use a switching man-to-man defense that "looks zonish." "They would do a great job on defense whether they play man or match-up zone," he said. The Quakers will have to contend with a variety of dangers clad in orange and black. Geoff Owens will be given the task of guarding multi-talented sophomore center Chris Young, who torched Harvard for 30 points on 10-of-11 shooting Saturday night, including four three-pointers. Young is not the only worry for the Quakers tonight. Rocca and Gloger will both be something of X-factors given their respective returns from injuries and their potential to explode at a moment's notice. "If you were [at the Palestra] for last year's game, in the second half of that game, Mason Rocca would absolutely petrify you," Dunphy said, referring to Princeton's improbable comeback win last year. "It was probably one of the finest halves of basketball I've ever seen. He got every rebound, every loose ball, stuck shots back in, got himself to the foul line, made a perimeter shot. He's a heart-and-soul kind of guy. "Spencer Gloger made 10 threes against UAB. Chris Young went for 30 points against Harvard the other night, so again, I could go on and on. Their [entire] team concerns us, and hopefully, if indeed somebody gets on a roll, that we can limit how badly they hurt us." Another weapon that Princeton has is its hostile student section, the self-proclaimed "Jadwin Jungle." It is unlikely that the Princeton crowd has forgotten how the Quakers faithful in attendance last year rushed Jadwin's floor after Penn clinched the Ivy championship. It is more likely, however, that the Princeton supporters will double as Penn detractors and serenade the Quakers and their fans with their usual chants of "Safety School" and "S-A-Ts." "I'm sure their fans will be wild and crazy and shouting out everything they possibly can to try to get under our skin," Jordan said. "I'm sure they were pissed about last year. I know when we were cutting down the nets, somebody threw something at my head. I didn't quite see it, but they said a bottle went flying past my head. I'm sure they'll be a little upset." The passionate hatred that the two teams' fans feel for each other is but one aspect of a titillating rivalry that both schools seem to relish. The players, however, see Penn-Princeton as just another Ivy game, albeit an important one. "I think that the rivalry is more of a student thing and an alumni thing than it is a basketball player thing," Langel said. "For the basketball players, each Ivy League game is important because there's no conference tournament, so you can't slip up. For the people outside of the two teams, this seems to be a huge game, so we go out there and play hard, just the same way we play hard for every game." Langel's roommate and fellow co-captain also feels the intensity of the rivalry, just for the simple fact that he is playing and there is an opponent on the other side of the ball. "I hate my opponent, whoever it is," Jordan added. "But after the game, it's a different story. On the court, I'm a different person than I am off the court. I don't hate anybody on [Princeton's] team, but while we're playing, I hate everybody on their team."
(02/14/00 10:00am)
In the wake of a $250,000 lawsuit, allegations of rape and vandalism have surfaced against the frat. The Delta Tau Delta fraternity -- which was sued in 1998 by the owner of a neighboring building who claimed that fraternity brothers vandalized his building -- has been involved in other incidents of vandalism and an allegation of date rape, according to depositions recently taken in the suit Robert Herdelin, who until recently owned the building at 3901 Walnut Street which houses College Buffet, filed the lawsuit for $250,000 against Penn and DTD in the fall of 1998. At the time, he alleged that his property was damaged by DTD brothers, who he said threw bottles and trash on the roof. Now, following the depositions of Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski, OFSA Program Coordinator Larry Moses and DTD brother and Wharton senior Adam Keil, allegations of the rape of a Beaver College student and the vandalism of Chestnut Hall by DTD brothers have come to the forefront. Copies of the depositions were released by Herdelin. Both Reikofski and Moses refused to comment on the lawsuit, as did their lawyer. DTD President and Wharton junior Robert Cuthrell could not be reached for comment. Herdelin originally filed the lawsuit as a result of the damage to his building's roof and air-conditioning system, which he believes was caused by DTD brothers throwing trash and bottles from their windows. It is set to go to trial in June. According to Moses' deposition, which he gave two weeks ago, he responded to complaints from Herdelin about damage to his building on two separate occasions last fall. The two went to the fraternity house to determine whether or not DTD was the source of the damage. During Moses' and Herdelin's second meeting, Herdelin went up to the roof of College Buffet and retrieved a bag of trash. According to Moses' deposition, the bag contained the phone bills of DTD brother and Engineering senior Joshua Loyd, then a junior. "When confronted with this evidence, the student stupidly denied the actions," Reikofski wrote in an e-mail to administrators, he said in the deposition. "It's got his name on it, he's got to know something about it," Reikofski said he wrote in the e-mail. Herdelin also claims that DTD brothers threw water balloons from a window of their house, one of which broke the windshield of the car of one of College Buffet's owners. Another balloon allegedly missed the head of the other owner "by inches," according to Herdelin. DTD agreed to pay for the broken windshield, but Herdelin claims that the owners of College Buffet never received the check. "It's been a year and a half," he said. "Even if it goes by way of China, it's going to get there in a year and a half." After Herdelin filed the lawsuit, he said he learned of a date rape allegation by a Beaver College student involving DTD. Reikofski confirmed the allegation in his deposition. "There was a case about four years ago where a young woman attended a Delta Tau Delta party, got particularly inebriated and was questioning whether or not she had been a victim of date rape," Reikofski said in his deposition. But Reikofski added that "it turns out that nothing came from that. There wasn't even any followup from her comments or anything." In his deposition, Reikofski acknowledged that serving alcohol to an underage person is a violation of DTD's charter, University regulations and state law. He also said that the University took no action against DTD for the violation. Reikofski also talked about a more recent violation involving DTD brothers. "There was an incident that just occurred last summer, late last summer, where they were shooting water balloons at Chestnut Hall and one of them went through a window and caused some damage," Reikofski said in his deposition. According to Herdelin, the balloon cracked a statue in Chestnut Hall. "If it's going to break a statue, it's going to break someone's head," Herdelin said. "It's amazing that nobody got killed."
(02/01/00 10:00am)
From Alan Lowinger's, "The Rest of the Story," Fall '00 From Alan Lowinger's, "The Rest of the Story," Fall '00I was losing sight in one eye, and I was powerless to stop it. There was nothing at all ominous about the day. Some study-abroad friends and I had decided to head down to Jerusalem for the celebration of Israeli Independence Day. Arriving at the only area hospital dealing with eye emergencies, I timidly walked over to my assigned doctor. Completely scared out of my mind, I could think nothing more than, "Please don't tell me that this is permanent. Let me know that I will see again." The doctor was surprisingly pleasant for a 4 a.m. emergency. Using my best Hebrew, I explained that over the past four hours the sight in my left eye had deteriorated to the point that I could only detect lights and blurred images. She explained that some corrupt marketers sell rat poison or pesticide that looks and foams like "snow in a can" -- the culprit had been found. She calmed me and told me there were significant burns to my cornea and my pupil, and she would medicate my eye the best she could. After 20 minutes of hell, she placed a bulky self-adhesive patch over my ailing left eye and wished me the best. It would only be an emergency situation if there was no improvement by the next day. As I was leaving, I noticed the next patient -- a tall man accompanied by a gorgeous woman. She tried her hardest to hold him up. He was slumping over as he walked, cupping his hands over one of his eyes and sobbing uncontrollably. "It got him, too," or so I thought. The next day was extremely strenuous. It was difficult to find my way around with only one eye; try it for even a half-hour, and you'll realize how important a second eye is. Even worse, wherever I went, I felt a sea of eyes follow me. I did not want this hideous handicap to be the center of attention, and yet, it drew stares like a magnet. Some laughed at me, some gawked and some could not stand to look. A white cotton patch on my eye, and suddenly I was the town freak. The fear was overwhelming. Twenty-four hours before, my life was going perfectly: sipping a perfect beer with perfect friends and in perfect health. The thought of being handicapped for the rest of my life was all too much to bear. The double-edged sword of being handicapped reared its ugly head; not only would I have to change my lifestyle, but I would have to deal with the way society would treat me in the aftermath. A stranger approached me and asked about the eye. "I heard about the eye -- I'm really really sorry. That was a cheap shot." Quite puzzled, I asked the man how he knew about my injury. He replied, "I was there at the Rock Bar and I saw that guy do that to you. Are you OK"? At that point, I realized that this man had me confused with another. The story became clear: The day before, an American had gotten into a fight with another young man in a bar, and the American had a broken bottle deliberately shoved in his eye in the ensuing scuffle. My thoughts raced back to the scene in the hospital. That crying man must have been the one about whom this stranger was talking. Chills ran down my spine. Later that day, taking off the patch with trembling hands, a miracle occurred: I could see again. Not perfectly, but well enough. And thus I started on the road to complete recovery and re-entered the friendly world of obscurity. A tremendous sigh of relief followed. The rest of the day was characterized by my writing in an otherwise-empty journal: "I gained a perspective today that will last me a lifetime. I wore the guise of a handicap for only one day, and for him [that poor American], this is one costume he'll never take off. We both had little control over our situations, I was just a little luckier, I guess. The thin line separating [society's notion of] freak and normal is often more fragile than any of us can comprehend. Is he too short, missing a tooth or limb? Is she too tall, too obese? Let's find them, and alienate them. They don't deserve respect anyway." Night fell again and my ears were drawn to beautiful music. I noticed that the musician was missing a leg and sat on a wheelchair next to a sign that read something like, "This is my income." He played typical Independence Day songs, if only a day too late. That night, I emptied my pockets for the stranger whose plight I had known for only a brief moment.
(12/14/99 10:00am)
From trips to concerts to a blow-out bash, students plan to party into the 21st century. College sophomore Jaron Jurikson-Rhodes is dreaming about his New Year's Eve plans. A penthouse hotel suite with a spectacular view to watch the ball drop in New York City's Times Square. A bottle of fine white wine. And a supermodel girlfriend to boot. Those are his dreams. This is his reality: "I'm going to the Jersey Shore with a couple of friends and just hanging out," he said. Like Jurikson-Rhodes, most Penn students said they will celebrate New Year's Eve with friends and family -- although more than a few finals-stressed students admitted they couldn't think as far ahead as December 31. But quite a number of University students have already made elaborate Y2K plans. From Montreal to Mexico City, from Las Vegas to London and from South Philly to South Beach, Penn students will be uncorking their champagne bottles in a variety of locations. Wharton sophomore Robert Liebesman said that he plans to "be absolutely hammered" as he celebrates the new year in his hometown of Capetown, South Africa earlier than most. Due to time zone differences, the date will change to 2000 in Capetown seven hours before the ball drops in Times Square. For College freshman Julia Lima, New Year's Eve will be a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of Penn life as she relaxes on the beach with her boyfriend. "I am going to Aruba," she said. "It's an island. It's safe from terrorists. And it's beautiful." Wharton sophomore Jason Shafrin is looking forward to celebrating 2000 in the Middle East, as he will be in Israel during winter vacation on an educational trip sponsored by the Jewish Heritage program. Although he noted that portions of the city typically close on Friday and Saturdays due to the Jewish Sabbath, Shafrin expected that for the millenium, "Jerusalem will be nuts." But College senior Jon Schmerin said that the Big Apple will be where the action is-- especially at his semi-exclusive New Year's Eve bash. According to Schmerin, almost 300 of his friends from Penn and other universities will attend his party at the New York City Fireman's Museum -- just blocks from Times Square. "I wanted to be able to celebrate with all of my friends instead of going to a club," he said, although he is charging a cover fee to recoup his expenses. "This has been my little baby. I have been thinking about it for the past year," he said, noting how he has recently been in close contact with his DJ and alcohol distributor to ensure there is a "shitload of booze." Other Penn students said they plan to celebrate by attending special concerts by their favorite musical artists -- ranging from Metallica to Widespread Panic to Celine Dion. College freshman Daniel Cohen said that he was planning to meet a group of his friends from Penn and high school at a three-day Phish concert in Florida. "They are my favorite band and it will be great to be there with 75,000 other young people," he said, looking especially forward to a special marathon jam-session running from five minutes before midnight on December 31 until sunrise the next day. Still, College sophomore Jennifer Cody said her New Year's Eve will be spent close to home. The Philadelphia native said she and a few friends are going to see G. Love and Special Sauce that night at the Electric Factory. "If you're in Philadelphia, it's the ideal way to celebrate," she said.
(11/17/99 10:00am)
Students at the Harnwell College House event were divided into classes to show how many are ill fed. As students filed into the rooftop lounge of Harnwell College House yesterday evening for the "Hunger Banquet/Policy Forum," each guest pulled a piece of colored paper from a bag that would determine their "social class" for the evening. The event was part of Poverty Awareness Week, sponsored by Civic House to raise awareness for the 37 million Americans living below the poverty line. The banquet guests were divided among three locations and representative class distinctions: the table, which represented the 15 percent of the world's population whose annual income is $9,400 or more; the couches, which represented the roughly 30 percent whose annual income is between $755 and $9,400; and the floor, which represented the poorest 55 percent. Those assigned to the floor were given half a cup of water and a small plate of rice and beans, but no serving utensils. Those seated on the couches received a more substantive and nutritious meal, including vegetables and a bottle of water. The guests lucky enough to be seated at the table were offered a balanced meal and a choice of beverage. That structure was intended to illustrate the unequal food distribution in the world. History Professor David Ludden, one of the event's speakers, observed that the meal somewhat resembled a party and required "a little active imagination to try to crank up its symbolic significance." Ludden discussed the social and cultural differences and the forced separation of the classes, both in the context of the event and in the larger global context. He used Philadelphia as an example of a city in which the poor and the rich live side by side and are therefore forced to confront the reality of this separation. "There are various ways of rendering the dynamics of the real world more visible," Ludden said. "And one of those is to study them." Ludden teaches a course in which students analyze the dynamics of hunger and poverty. Social Work Professor Roberta Iverson began her presentation by asking members of the table, couch and floor "classes" to describe how they felt in their respective situations. Students' responses included guilt, discomfort, frustration and anger. Iverson pointed out that despite these strong emotions, no one actually did anything to change the situation. Iverson suggested that lack of action is an unfortunate reality that is characteristic of society. However, she also urged the members of each group to consider what actions they could have taken to alter their respective circumstances. "There's no doubt that every one of you, particularly in conjunction -- as a partner -- with others of you, can make a difference," Iverson said. "And it's up to you to do it." Ayala Abramovici, a graduate intern at Civic House, urged students to attend other events held both this week and throughout the year by organizations such as the Penn Society for International Development in support of the cause. Poverty Awareness Week also includes a panel discussion on the realities of homelessness today at 5 p.m. in Civic House called "Making It Real" and hands-on action projects in different areas of the community on Saturday.
(11/10/99 10:00am)
Officials are following a national trend with the new concentration in Internet-related business. When the Industrial Revolution hit big business in the late 19th century, the Wharton School was founded to teach how to lead and innovate in this new, industrial environment. More than a hundred years later, as the Internet Revolution radically alters today's business landscape, Wharton finds itself in a similar role: teaching today's students to manage in an ever-changing high-tech world. With a unanimous voice vote, the business school faculty yesterday officially approved a new concentration in Managing Electronic Commerce, beginning with the MBA Class of 2000. Plans for an undergraduate version of the program are underway, although they are unlikely to be proposed until the spring. "E-commerce is transforming the face of business," said Operations and Information Management Professor Eric Clemons, who will be the assistant director of the program. "Being a stockbroker will never be the same with online trading. Being a travel agent will never be the same with [Priceline.com]. If we don't teach our students how to manage in this new environment, we will doom them to failure." The aim of the new concentration is to teach students to design and implement online marketing and management strategies and to conduct business over the Internet. It will integrate about 35 existing MBA courses offered by the Management, Marketing, OPIM and Public Policy and Management departments. "This was a carefully thought out program," Interim Wharton Dean Patrick Harker said. "Unlike other schools, this one cuts to the whole breadth of issues relating to e-business and e-commerce." Although other business schools -- including Carnegie Mellon University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Northwestern University -- have recently developed e-commerce tracks, Wharton faculty members said their program will be unique. It will leverage the overall strength of its world-renowned professors and departments, as well as already existing Internet-related resources, such as the Wharton Forum in E-Commerce. "It's not just putting old wine in new bottles," Clemons said. "This is something that Wharton does very well although no one knew we were doing it." Students will choose four courses grouped around five suggested tracks -- including electronic media and marketing, entrepreneurial management, information and e-commerce strategy and supply chain management. The idea for an e-commerce concentration had been discussed among students and faculty for months and Harker charged a committee of faculty over the summer to draft a proposal for the e-commerce proposal. After reviewing their plans with MBA students and other faculty, the committee submitted the plan to Wharton's curriculum committee earlier this semester. "Student involvement was very important," said Marketing Department Chairperson David Schmittlein, the director of the concentration. "Faculty talked with students about their interests in the area and asked about what subjects they would like to study." Just three months later, they submitted the proposal at yesterday's meeting. Indeed, few Wharton faculty members can recall another proposal so quickly adopted. But for a move that positions Wharton in the rapidly changing, fast-paced world of information technology, it should come as no surprise. "Every time the nature of business changes, the nature of the curriculum has to change," Clemons said. "And this one is a biggie."
(11/06/99 10:00am)
Try King Swami 1997-King Swami 1998. Mawk, the former, and Manhattan Transfer, the latter, will both board magic carpets bound for Franklin Field this weekend to do battle one more time. The two battled down to the wire last year. The race was decided by one game -- after writing a column praising Yale, Mawk picked, as he would say, Hawvawd in The Game. Manhattan Transfer selected Yale, and the rest is Swami history. "[Mawk] is so bitter that he didn't pick that team Yale," Manhattan Transfer said. "He was so chummy-chummy with [Yale coach] Jack Siedlecki, and what does he do in the last game? He backstabs them, and they backstab him. I got the win but Yale got the save if he had to get a boxscore on it. Oh, he dropped the ball." Mawk may have dropped the ball in 1998, but he did walk away with the better King Swami prize. "I took my win in stride, and gladly chugged the bottle of Long Island Iced Tea," Mawk said. "Given that I was too stupid to fail my last finance class and did graduate [precluding me from being a Swami this year], I'll just have to settle for bringing Manhattan Transfer down, and hope that the law school dean remembers my name when he gets to my application." Manhattan Transfer is confident that Mawk's hangover remains from his prize -- last year's top Swami got a table number from the DP Banquet and proclaims himself ready for any challenge to his crown. "Mawk threw the gauntlet," Manhattan Transfer said. "Maybe he'll win the battle, but I'll win the war. Maybe they still have some extra brooms [in the Bronx] and I'll sweep him the next five years, 10 years, 20 years, hopefully I have a long life. The Islanders will win before he has much success with me one-on-one on Homecoming Swami weekend. You can write that down." We did, and we also wrote down Mawk's prediction for this weekend's prognosticatory pugilism. "I would obviously bet the farm that I would beat Manhattan Transfer," Mawk said. "Unfortunately, I don't have a farm to bet.? Last I heard, he was in Sweden. He's from Switzerland, via Peru. What is he, coming in for the weekend?" He is indeed, as are some other noted Swami emeriti on their somewhat-more-aged carpets. Marv pays a visit to his son, the Pittsburgh Flash, who is now one of the DP's Weenies, also known as news writers. Thirty years ago, in 1969, Marv was the "top Swami." There was no King then, and there were no nicknames. There were no pictures above the Swamis' picks. Back then, the Swamis did not even all pick Penn on a weekly basis. "Friday, October 9, Penn was at Cornell," Marv said. "Out of nine people, seven picked Cornell, including all of the sports writers." Blasphemy! Marv, though, has learned the errors of his times, and has wisely selected the Quakers for this week's tussle with the Tigers. He is confident that he can top both King Swamis and make a triumphant return for himself. "That's very stiff competition," Marv said. "But there's something to be said for experience and I've been watching football a lot longer than they have." The only returning Swami not at the top of his Swami ranks makes the longest trip. But Longhorn has some experience with Homecoming and Princeton, as Keith Elias nearly attacked him at the Jadwin Airplane Hangar in 1994 after Longhorn had inscribed a worthy column trashing the current Indianapolis Colt, whose injury status last week, incidentally, was "Out, head." "I was always in the top quarter but I never won," Longhorn said. "I don't think Absolut [Longhorn's co-editor] ever won overall but she beat me my last year and I'm still ashamed about that." There was no shame for Longhorn in being a Swami, though. How could there be? "The best thing for me about being a Swami was my world notoriety," Longhorn said. "Everywhere I went, people knew who I was. I just had to put a towel around my head." Things have changed since even Longhorn's days in 1993. While we Swamis now channel our writings each week through one lone nut, Longhorn's band of Swamis wrote together and the times were full of alcoholic revelry and overall goodness. "We sort of instituted a 'drink while you write Swamis' program," Longhorn said. "Maybe that's because all our Swamis were a bunch of drunks." No matter when they were Swamis or how drunk they were while gazing into their crystal balls of Ivy, our Swamis who return to the Swami world headquarters this week all have one thing in common: good taste, if only in football teams. Mawk: "Penn, 99-Double Zero." Manhattan Transfer: "Penn, 27-10." Marv: "Penn, 24-16." Longhorn: "Penn, 22-20." That's Terrance Stokes' jersey number over Keith Elias' number -- jersey and IQ.
(11/04/99 10:00am)
From Siona Listokin's, "Think Different," Fall '99 From Siona Listokin's, "Think Different," Fall '991449 hours, 42 minutes, 35 seconds. My millennium countdown screen saver is screaming at me. I am no longer simply neglecting my history paper; now I am running out of time. My uncle reports that 1966 Dom Perignon is impossible to find in liquor stores on the Upper East Side and supplies of Taittinger are running low. Meanwhile, bidding wars on eBay have raised the price of a bottle of Vueve Clicquot to obscene levels. "A-ha!" cries Doom. The beginning of the end is always signaled by 300 percent inflation. Government working committees and disaster specialists warn us to stay inside to avoid violent riots and looting. A family friend who works in the banking industry suggested we take out what money we'll need before December 15 -- after that, ATMs with cash still inside are likely to be few and far between. Party thinks that the resulting mayhem sounds "freaking cool." What could be better than being trapped with dozens of your closest friends on New Year's Eve? That's the point in this marriage between Party and Doom. People get a real charge just thinking about the most exciting end of mankind in the history of the universe. Many seem almost disappointed that Y2K test runs have gone well. Confess, they insist, that it would be somewhat entertaining if the market crashed while the world was too doped up to notice. Highly intriguing, don't you think, if your computer developed a mind of its own at midnight and wooed you away from your date? Imagine a world where we the paranoids were actually omniscient. This is the real Y2K bug -- our strange fascination with chaos. We seem entirely unable to differentiate between hell and a hip happening. What will really happen at midnight? Inebriated crowds will breathlessly watch the ball drop us into a new millennium and then eagerly glance skyward to check for falling planes. Sirens might signal a New Year's bash or a Y2K bust; either way our generation will say we were there when it happened. The brave will go to New York and battle the cold crazies. Romantics will dress in formal evening attire and propose marriage. Some people will die and small businesses may crash. Party certainly seems to have the upper hand in this relationship. But it just wouldn't be the same without Doom. And no matter how hung-over we may be the day after, each of us will pay homage to the doom that might have been, and seek validation for our apocalyptic partying, by reading the newspaper the next morning. I must admit that I currently have no plans for December 31. I vaguely dream of throwing the biggest, baddest pajama jammy jam ever. But I am intimidated by unreasonable expectations. Are we partying because it is the end of the world? Or will the world end if we do not party? In the end, I suppose the distinction is unimportant. The enjoyment of celebrating with the universe and the excitement of pondering the end of the universe both exemplify our need to participate in communal experiences. Big communal experiences. So buy your bottles of Evian and Dom Perignon. You never know which one you will need more. But you had better prepare now. Time is running out.
(10/20/99 9:00am)
Auto TheftAuto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Auto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple AssaultAuto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured. Auto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured.TheftAuto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured.Theft· October 19 -- A female University student reported that her unsecured wallet, which contained a Visa credit card and $100 in cash, was stolen from her knapsack at the Class of 1920 Commons between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. Auto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured.Theft· October 19 -- A female University student reported that her unsecured wallet, which contained a Visa credit card and $100 in cash, was stolen from her knapsack at the Class of 1920 Commons between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.· October 18 -- A male University student reported that his green Timberlane bicycle, valued at $400, was stolen from a bike rack outside Weightman Hall at 235 S. 33rd Street between 7:45 p.m. and 10 p.m. Auto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured.Theft· October 19 -- A female University student reported that her unsecured wallet, which contained a Visa credit card and $100 in cash, was stolen from her knapsack at the Class of 1920 Commons between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.· October 18 -- A male University student reported that his green Timberlane bicycle, valued at $400, was stolen from a bike rack outside Weightman Hall at 235 S. 33rd Street between 7:45 p.m. and 10 p.m.· October 18 -- A Trammell Crow employee reported that an unknown person entered the east side of College Hall between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and stole an IBM laptop computer, valued at $2,000, from a room on the third floor. Auto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured.Theft· October 19 -- A female University student reported that her unsecured wallet, which contained a Visa credit card and $100 in cash, was stolen from her knapsack at the Class of 1920 Commons between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.· October 18 -- A male University student reported that his green Timberlane bicycle, valued at $400, was stolen from a bike rack outside Weightman Hall at 235 S. 33rd Street between 7:45 p.m. and 10 p.m.· October 18 -- A Trammell Crow employee reported that an unknown person entered the east side of College Hall between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and stole an IBM laptop computer, valued at $2,000, from a room on the third floor.· October 17 -- A female University student reported that her wallet was taken from the Xando coffee house at 124 S. 36th Street between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. The wallet was later recovered under a table but $60 in cash was missing. Auto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured.Theft· October 19 -- A female University student reported that her unsecured wallet, which contained a Visa credit card and $100 in cash, was stolen from her knapsack at the Class of 1920 Commons between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.· October 18 -- A male University student reported that his green Timberlane bicycle, valued at $400, was stolen from a bike rack outside Weightman Hall at 235 S. 33rd Street between 7:45 p.m. and 10 p.m.· October 18 -- A Trammell Crow employee reported that an unknown person entered the east side of College Hall between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and stole an IBM laptop computer, valued at $2,000, from a room on the third floor.· October 17 -- A female University student reported that her wallet was taken from the Xando coffee house at 124 S. 36th Street between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. The wallet was later recovered under a table but $60 in cash was missing.· October 16 -- A University student reported that a secured red and black Pacific mountain bicycle, valued at $250, was stolen from a bike rack outside Harnwell College House at 3820 Locust Walk between 5:45 p.m. on October 7 and an unspecified time on October 16. Auto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured.Theft· October 19 -- A female University student reported that her unsecured wallet, which contained a Visa credit card and $100 in cash, was stolen from her knapsack at the Class of 1920 Commons between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.· October 18 -- A male University student reported that his green Timberlane bicycle, valued at $400, was stolen from a bike rack outside Weightman Hall at 235 S. 33rd Street between 7:45 p.m. and 10 p.m.· October 18 -- A Trammell Crow employee reported that an unknown person entered the east side of College Hall between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and stole an IBM laptop computer, valued at $2,000, from a room on the third floor.· October 17 -- A female University student reported that her wallet was taken from the Xando coffee house at 124 S. 36th Street between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. The wallet was later recovered under a table but $60 in cash was missing.· October 16 -- A University student reported that a secured red and black Pacific mountain bicycle, valued at $250, was stolen from a bike rack outside Harnwell College House at 3820 Locust Walk between 5:45 p.m. on October 7 and an unspecified time on October 16.· October 16 -- A University student reported that a wallet, which contained $60 in cash and several credit cards, was taken from a secured locker by the squash courts inside Gimbel Gymnasium at 3701 Walnut Street. Auto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured.Theft· October 19 -- A female University student reported that her unsecured wallet, which contained a Visa credit card and $100 in cash, was stolen from her knapsack at the Class of 1920 Commons between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.· October 18 -- A male University student reported that his green Timberlane bicycle, valued at $400, was stolen from a bike rack outside Weightman Hall at 235 S. 33rd Street between 7:45 p.m. and 10 p.m.· October 18 -- A Trammell Crow employee reported that an unknown person entered the east side of College Hall between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and stole an IBM laptop computer, valued at $2,000, from a room on the third floor.· October 17 -- A female University student reported that her wallet was taken from the Xando coffee house at 124 S. 36th Street between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. The wallet was later recovered under a table but $60 in cash was missing.· October 16 -- A University student reported that a secured red and black Pacific mountain bicycle, valued at $250, was stolen from a bike rack outside Harnwell College House at 3820 Locust Walk between 5:45 p.m. on October 7 and an unspecified time on October 16.· October 16 -- A University student reported that a wallet, which contained $60 in cash and several credit cards, was taken from a secured locker by the squash courts inside Gimbel Gymnasium at 3701 Walnut Street.All information was obtained from the University Police log book. Auto Theft· October 18 -- A female unaffiliated with the University reported that her parked 1991 maroon Chrysler Le Baron was stolen from the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.Simple Assault· October 18 -- A female University student reported that while she was walking back to her apartment on the 4300 block of Locust Street at around 8:30 a.m., an unidentified man picking through a trash can flung a bottle at her arm. She was not injured.Theft· October 19 -- A female University student reported that her unsecured wallet, which contained a Visa credit card and $100 in cash, was stolen from her knapsack at the Class of 1920 Commons between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.· October 18 -- A male University student reported that his green Timberlane bicycle, valued at $400, was stolen from a bike rack outside Weightman Hall at 235 S. 33rd Street between 7:45 p.m. and 10 p.m.· October 18 -- A Trammell Crow employee reported that an unknown person entered the east side of College Hall between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and stole an IBM laptop computer, valued at $2,000, from a room on the third floor.· October 17 -- A female University student reported that her wallet was taken from the Xando coffee house at 124 S. 36th Street between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. The wallet was later recovered under a table but $60 in cash was missing.· October 16 -- A University student reported that a secured red and black Pacific mountain bicycle, valued at $250, was stolen from a bike rack outside Harnwell College House at 3820 Locust Walk between 5:45 p.m. on October 7 and an unspecified time on October 16.· October 16 -- A University student reported that a wallet, which contained $60 in cash and several credit cards, was taken from a secured locker by the squash courts inside Gimbel Gymnasium at 3701 Walnut Street.All information was obtained from the University Police log book.-- Eric Tucker
(09/28/99 9:00am)
From Todd Wise's, "Where Lovely Mermaids Flow," Fall '99 From Todd Wise's, "Where Lovely Mermaids Flow," Fall '99Penn's administration has got it all wrong. They frown upon alcohol and are eager to tell mommy and daddy all about it. But what they fail to recognize is that there's a far more threatening drug on campus with less predictable results. Belladonna is Ecstasy's core ingredient. Indigenous to the deadly nightshade plant, Belladonna is used primarily as a sedative. Taken alone, it relaxes the muscles and dilates the eyes. But E includes other substances as well. And E pushers are not licensed pharmacists. So each tablet or "roll" is like a box of chocolates -- you never know what you're getting. And therein lies the problem. Usually, E is laced with speed or cocaine. But these narcotics are expensive. So in an effort to boost profits, E pushers use substitutes. Lacing a pill with a little rat poison is a common alternative to your garden variety narcotic additive. That is not to say, however, that cocaine and speed are good for you. But at least you know what you're getting. And thus it depresses me to find that the "cultured" types who lecture on the evils of over-the-counter medication are often the same people popping rat poison before a night of partying. Of course, E can be quite pleasurable. Most "rollers" report a two- to three-hour high. The ride down, however, is a different story. Dehydration is unavoidable. To combat the problem, raves dispense lollipops, fruits and bottled water. But even with the necessary precautions, people still die from heat stroke or oversaturation -- literally drowning themselves with fluids. One sophomore reported a surge in sexuality and boldness. "I was more self-confident than I've ever been. People looked more attractive and my teeth felt an indescribable tingle." And then came the ride down: "The next day I felt like dog shit. I was depressed and dehydrated." For an Emory student, who we'll call Melissa, one bad roll was all it took. Just 24 hours after taking a pill the size of a Tic Tac, she fell into a coma and died. In talking to some friends down South, I learned that Melissa was an active member of the Hillel and various other community service organizations. And sadly, she was a first-time user of Ecstasy. Luckily, E deaths are few and far between, but the long-term effects of popping E are only now being discovered. If you're a chronic user, you can look forward to depression, liver disease and permanent damage to muscle tissue. So while you won't be reliving a bad acid trip like your parents ("chasing rabbits" and whatnot), you'll suffer osteoarthritis with a touch of depression and liver failure on the side. Sounds cool. Like acid in the '60s or coke in the '80s, E is having its day in the sun. But be advised, this drug is not harmless. So while the administration creates another task force to disseminate trite warnings about alcohol abuse, here's a word of advice: Know your E.
(09/21/99 9:00am)
Besides last spring's victory on Princeton's basketball court, Penn students have an additional reason to claim superiority over their counterparts across the Delaware River: the ability to take a shower. Hurricane Floyd's torrential downpours caused a water treatment plant in Bridgewater, N.J., to shut down late Thursday night, forcing area residents -- including Princeton University -- to severely cut down on their water use. And last night, rumors were sweeping the campus that the water might be shut off altogether for up a week. Princeton students have been asked by university officials to temporarily cut back their water usage, which includes refraining from taking showers and washing dishes and clothing, as well as flushing the toilet less frequently. "Some communities to the north of Princeton are entirely without water," Dean of Student Life Janina Montero told students in an e-mail. "Unless we at Princeton reduce water usage significantly, Elizabethtown will be forced to cut off service to major users in this community, possibly including the university," Montero wrote. In addition, the water that is coming out of the tap may be contaminated, officials said. While Elizabeth Langan, director of administrative services at the student health center, said that no illnesses have yet been reported related to the water, the school is taking precautions against possible contamination. To prevent possible illness, students are required to boil water or use bottled water for any consumption. The Elizabethtown Water Company was forced to shut down its main treatment facility, the Raritan-Millstone Treatment Plant, after the nearby Raritan River overflowed, submerging several buildings and knocking others off their foundations, according to company spokesperson Erin Reilly. As one of the larger users of water in the affected areas, Princeton officials received a phone call from the Elizabethtown Water Company after the shutdown asking them to cut down water use on their campus, according to Reilly. University officials agreed to institute voluntary restrictions on water use to prevent having the water shut off completely, Princeton spokesperson Steven Schultz said. Princeton first alerted its students to the problem Friday morning, with World Wide Web and voicemail announcements asking students to conserve water and two e-mails stressing the importance of doing so. The requests were upgraded to commands in an e-mail sent to students on Sunday telling them that water conservation was necessary. "[Students] are definitely, definitely complaining," said senior Sas Silver, who chairs the school's undergraduate life committee. "[However], right now, I don't think that anyone is really that worried," she added. But the main problem, Silver said, is that students have no idea how long the current situation will last. The Elizabethtown Water Company has no definite date as to when full water service will be restored. "[People are] beginning to lose faith that it's going to come back reasonably soon," she said. In addition to measures taken by students, the university has set up water coolers around campus; taken steps to reduce water usage in laboratories; closed pools, ice rinks, laundry rooms and athletic shower rooms; and turned off air conditioners. The school's dining services department is also taking steps to conserve water, including modifying menus and using disposable dishes.
(09/20/99 9:00am)
To the Editor: Wishing to help return this favor, I volunteered to move in early to help out with orientation for this year's transfers. By moving in early, I had to quit my job early, so I didn't make as much money as I might have this summer. But I was willing to do this. What I was unwilling to do, was be billed for early move-in, since I was volunteering to help out. I was outraged to find out that Housing was charging all of the volunteers for this. Since everyone was moving in three days early, the charge was around $60 depending on the housing assignment. As a result of this unexpected charge I was unable to move in early for transfer orientation, as were several other would-be volunteers. For the returning transfers that still came, they found orientation was a bit shorthanded and might have ran a little more smoothly if more volunteers had come. This is the first time that Housing has ever charged transfer volunteers for early move-in. Is it really that important to exploit students who are trying to do volunteer work for the University? Rob Eggleston Wharton '01 Where's the shame? To the Editor: A person discards a cigarette butt on the steps as they enter Steinberg-Dietrich Hall. Is it their right to do so?A person rides a bicycle on Locust Walk during the hours when -- for good reason -- riding is banned. Is it their right to do so? Do the rest of us have a responsibility to object or at least to reflect disapproval of this anti-social conduct? Isn't being passive about attacks on our community lowering our own level of civility? Last semester, a post-retirement age gentleman entered my classroom daily for the sole purpose of picking up empty bottles, nearly empty food containers and newspapers that littered the room. I asked him what he thought of the members of our community who left this mess. He was direct in his response. I believe his succinct conclusion reflects what many visitors think of our community. I was, and continue to be, embarrassed by the lack of civility this type of behavior reflects. I am disappointed that so few in our community express disapproval. Now is the time for each of us to face the responsibility of being part of Penn's community. Leigh Bauer Professor of Legal Studies
(09/09/99 9:00am)
If you hadn't known better, you might have missed it. A few errant water bottles littered the line of scrimmage. Coaches were standing on the field of play. And the handful of Penn fans in the Franklin Field stands were clearly outnumbered by the Millersville faithful. At 11:07 a.m. last Saturday, the Penn offense trotted out to run a few 7-on-7 drills prior to the start of a three-period scrimmage against the Division II Marauders. With goal line drills going on at the west end of the field and a few aimless joggers still making their way around the track, Hoffman took his place on the field. Hiking the ball to himself -- center Carmelo Rubano didn't come onto the field until midway through the drill -- Hoffman dropped back a couple steps and fired a pass to Mike Verille on the right sideline. Forty minutes later, the real -- or at least as real as a three-period scrimmage gets -- scrimmage kicked off, and there was Hoffman, taking the snaps with the first-unit offense. If there was any question as to who is the Quakers' No. 1 quarterback, it was answered when the sophomore transfer stepped onto the field. And not that there should have been a question. During spring practice, the big issue regarding Al Bagnoli's squad was simple -- who would replace Matt Rader as Penn's field general? Last season, Rader passed for over 2,000 yards while leading Penn to the Ivy title. His heir apparents appeared to be Ed Mebs -- a sophomore who registered an incomplete pass moments before the goal posts were torn down against Harvard -- and Reed Werner, a junior who punted 23 times but attempted just four passes in '98. Enter Hoffman. Just two years prior, the pigskin gods had brought forth Rader, a transfer who started seven games at Duke in 1996, upon a squad which had not had a steady starter at quarterback since Mark De Rosa left to pursue a pro baseball career. Then in July, the Quakers were blessed with luck once again when Hoffman announced his transfer to Penn. Last season, Hoffman passed for 2,199 yards and registered a 116.3 pass efficiency rating while starting all 12 games at Northwestern. Against Illinois, he completed 20-of-29 passes. In a blowout loss to Penn State, he still managed to throw for 229 yards. And that was in front of 96,382 fans. Penn played in front of 101,254 total fans all last season. At 6'6", he stands four inches taller than his center, co-captain Rubano. He was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Minnesota as a senior at Breck High in '96. He was a SuperPrep and a Prep Star All-American. That is not the kind of resume one expects to find on an Ivy League quarterback. To the causal observer, the QB question shouldn't even have been an issue. But Mebs and Werner had strong springs and the word from the team as to who would start was very much guarded. "I'm not in a position to say that [Hoffman] has that position," sophomore tailback Kris Ryan said at last Friday's media day. Senior wideout Brandon Carson nearly gave something away in describing the team's balanced offense. "We have a bunch of good running backs, and we have a good quarterback and good receivers?" A good quarterback? "I don't know if I'm supposed to say or not," Carson said. "I guess you're probably just going to have to wait." The unassuming Mebs, who stands six inches shorter and 45 pounds lighter than Hoffman, also revealed little. Mebs -- who like Hoffman has three years of eligibility remaining -- said all the right things, though he appeared a little deflated in spirit. "It's too early to say right now [who will start]," Mebs said. "[The transfer] wasn't the best thing for me personally but for the team it was a good move." Hoffman seemed unfazed by the apparent mystery, unconcerned with the apparent competition. "I'm not too worried about who's going to be named starter and when and that type of thing," he said. But if there was any sort of imposed gag rule, Bagnoli didn't seem to know about it. "Right now, it's Gavin one, and Reed and Ed are battling for two," he said. "Is that not beating around the bush, is that OK?" And so it was that Hoffman came to play the first two quarters in the scrimmage. It might not have been a Heisman-worthy performance. And sure, untouched (thanks to his alternate-color jersey) he still managed to throw a first-and-10 pass dead-on into a group of Millersville defenders. But Hoffman showed poise, arm strength and agility while completing 13-of-21 passes for 163 yards. And on third-and-one, he connected on a 36-yard touchdown strike to Carson. Most importantly, though, it was just an exhibition, a preseason scrimmage, and it was Gavin Hoffman in the flesh, lining up behind Rubano at Franklin Field, and not at Ryan Field, where his former teammates were getting abused by Miami of Ohio, 28-3. Yesterday, it became official. Bagnoli announced that Hoffman is the No. 1 quarterback, with Werner at No. 2. Sophomore Tom DiMenna and freshman Mike Mitchell will compete for the third spot on the depth chart. Mebs has been switched to wide receiver. But not that there was really any doubt in the minds of the fans. Hoffman has the size, the ability and the experience to fill in more than capably for the departed Rader. And like Rader, he is a tall, athletic, former Division I-A starter who fell into the laps of the Penn coaching staff in the midst of a quarterback search. "Both have very strong arms, both have very good football minds. Both make very, very quick and accurate decisions. So they're very similar," Bagnoli said. "The difference is, at the comparative stage, Gavin's much more experienced than Matt was." So maybe that experience will translate positively for the Quakers. Because the last time a former I-A starter arrived on the Penn scene, he left with a ring on his finger and his name in the record books.
(09/09/99 9:00am)
The graduate student group mostly abided by its new alcohol policy. Just days after three graduate student organizations issued a statement announcing support for the University's new alcohol policy -- promising to serve alcohol only in closed-off areas and to enforce strict ID monitoring -- one of the groups sponsored an event where the new stringent guidelines were upheld with only minor glitches. The statement, issued jointly this week by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, the Black Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and the Graduate Student Activities Council, pledged that beer from kegs and hard alcohol would be withheld from those groups' on-campus social events and that on-campus functions would be held in enclosed areas, whether inside or outside. The statement also stipulated that steps would be taken to ensure more efficient proofing of over-21 graduate students. Yesterday's GAPSA-sponsored event, a welcoming party attended by several hundred graduate students, was organized in two parts: the first, an indoor reception in the lobby of the Annenberg Center; the other, an outdoor party in Annenberg Plaza. At both events, attendees were served bottled beer and wine, rather than beer from kegs or hard liquor. A Daily Pennsylvanian reporter at the indoor reception observed many attendees making their way into the event freely and obtaining alcohol while offering only a graduate PennCard as proof of age, rather than the requisite PennCard and over-21 ID. Upon learning of the leniency, GAPSA officials acted quickly in reminding the hired bartenders to check for both forms of identification. "We are very committed to using the 21 ID-PennCard policy," GAPSA President and third-year Graduate School of Education student Deborah James said. Later, as the forum for celebration shifted from the indoor lobby to the outdoor plaza, security tightened. Spectaguards and other officials were posted at entrances to ensure that only graduate students were permitted entrance to Annenberg Plaza, and all those without the required identification were asked to leave. It was unclear at the outdoor bar if ID was required once again, as some bartenders asked just for graduate PennCards and others asked for nothing at all. The event occurred at the same time as hundreds of undergraduates walked by the area on their way to the Freshman Performing Arts Night at the Zellerbach Theatre. The undergraduates were diverted by security guards to the Annenberg Center's 37th Street entrance around the block. According to GAPSA Vice Chairperson/Treasurer and second-year School of Social Work graduate student Kendra Nicholson, the organization had taken numerous steps in conjunction with Cavanaugh's Restaurant, which catered the event, to ensure that alcohol was properly monitored and undergraduates were kept away. "We are being careful about roping things off and checking for IDs," Nicholson said. "We're well-secured with Penn security and Spectaguards and I think things are going well." Despite the fact they were serving alcohol while a major undergraduate event was taking place nearby, the event organizers said they were confident that they had maintained a role model image for the younger undergraduates. "We're a mature, over-21 group who is legally allowed to drink and who is doing so responsibly," James said. "I think we're providing a good role model for all undergraduates -- those who choose to drink and those who don't." And at least one undergraduate whose route to Performing Arts Night was diverted didn't seem to mind the inconvenience. "Good for them," College freshman Julia Blank said. "They should party just like everybody else."
(09/03/99 9:00am)
The Daily Pennsylvanian · The 2-liter plastic soda bottle was designed by Nathaniel Wyeth, Class of 1963. · School of Engineering and Applied Science grads have helped develop items like the radio camera, the infrared remote control for television, the liquid crystal display used in digital watches and the lunar land rover. · Murphy Brown star Candice Bergen was Penn's Homecoming Queen in 1964. · College Hall is rumored to have been the inspiration for the mansion in The Addams Family, created by University alumnus Charles Addams. · After being mortally wounded by assassins, Presidents Abraham Lincoln and James Garfield were treated by doctors who graduated from the Penn Medical School. And although Penn sports teams have clearly dominated the Ivies in the past few years, consider these previous accomplishments: · Penn played in the first commercially televised football game. · The Penn Relays are the world's largest track meet. · The Palestra has hosted more basketball games, more visiting teams and more NCAA tournament games than any other athletic facility in the country. · Franklin Field is the oldest two-tiered college stadium still in use today, and is home to the country's first stadium scoreboard. · The first African-American to win an Olympic gold medal was John Taylor, a Penn graduate. · Penn's football team was the first to use numbers on its jerseys. · The two most prestigious collegiate athletic awards -- the Heisman and Outland trophies -- are named after former Penn athletes John Heisman and John Outland. · Penn alumnus Charles Diven, Class of 1936, is credited with inventing the basketball jump shot. Some Penn firsts: ·First university in the nation ·First U.S. medical school ·First business school in the country ·First computer -- ENIAC ·First student union ·First teaching hospital ·First psychology clinic Some other famous Penn alumni: · Benjamin West, painter, 1775 · William Henry Harrison, U.S. President, 1791 · Ezra Pound, poet, 1903 · Sadie Mosses Alexander, Philadelphia attorney, 1918 · Raymond Alexander, Philadelphia attorney, 1920 · William Paley, former CBS owner, 1922 · Rabbi Israel Goldstein, founder Brandeis University, 1914 · Maury Povich, talk show host, 1962 · L.F. Stone, journalist, 1927 · William Brennan, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice, 1928 · Walter Annenberg, newspaper magnate and former U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, 1931 · Harold Prince, Broadway producer, 1948 · Alan Rachins, L.A. Law actor, 1964 · Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights leader, 1949-1950 · Martin Cruz Smith, author of Gorky Park, 1964 · Saul Steinberg, financier, 1959 · Arlen Specter, U.S. senator form Pennsylvania, 1951 · Donald Trump, real estate mogul, 1968 · John Roberts, Woodstock Festival co-founder and producer, 1966 · Ken Olin, thirtysomething actor, 1976 · Lawrence Tisch, CBS network chief executive officer, 1943 · Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, 1965 Penn Nobel Prize Winners: · Otto Meyerhoff, Medicine, 1923 · Robert Hofstadter, Physics, 1961 · Ragnar Granit, Medicine, 1967 · Halden Hartline, Medicine, 1967 · Simon Kuznets, Economics, 1971 · Christian Anfimsen, Chemistry, 1972 · Gerald Edelman, Medicine, 1972 · Robert Schreiffer, Physics, 1972 · Baruch Blumberg, Medicine, 1976 · Lawrence Klein, Economics, 1980 · Michael Brown, Medicine, 1985
(08/05/99 9:00am)
All hell broke loose during the final night of Woodstock -- I experienced it first hand. After the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert on the main stage emptied my friend and I eventually returned to the new artists stage. New York state troopers clad in riot gear greeted us. When we tried to leave, the exits were blocked. So we walked back towards the main stage and stared motionless at the scene before us. Bonfires engulfed several areas of the trash-filled field. People were tearing down trailers and hurling wood into the fires. Soon, a small but vocal bands of concertgoers made the logical shift from pyromania to looting. Nothing was spared; tents, tapestries, ATM machines. At one point, if only for a brief instant, I became scared when a mob of people started to charge in our general direction. Instantaneous fight-or-flight response took over. Flight won. My friend soon followed and later looked at me quizzically, "Why did you run?" I had no answer. "Order falling into disorder," I said. "The drums represent the primitive form of human communication, yet ironically during this chaos, the drummers continue," responded Lou. Reality soon set in. Some people began hurling bottles at the riot police. Sensing the explosiveness of the situation, we left. As we rode the shuttle bus home to the employee housing, a feeling of sadness sunk in. I couldn't shake the image of two guys literally running through one of the bonfires. How could people act so damn stupidly? What did they think they were accomplishing? This was not a generational statement. The rioting lacked a purpose or a cause. It was pure unadulterated destruction for the sake of destruction. This rant may seem self-righteous. As one of my friends later pointed out, why should something like this truly sadden me, as opposed to real social issues like poverty and homelessness? And shallow, considering that our bosses threw a Moon-Tower like party back at our place, and I had a blast. Nothing like a few cold ones to cure that pesky disillusionment. And I freely admit that I exploited the commercialism of Woodstock 1999. I worked for a pizza and hot dog vendor, earned a decent salary and did not have to pay for food, transportation and tickets. While our free accommodations consisted of 40 people cramped into an abandoned home that lacked toilet paper, hot water, or furniture of any kind ("think of it as a kibbutz," cracked our boss), the ridiculous situation retained a certain charm. I felt like a Whartonite as I bartered pizzas for turkey wraps and Dove bars. And we did get to see many shows: Dave Matthews, Rusted Root, Metallica, even Jewel. Yet the weekend left an indelible mark on my consciousness for two reasons other than the music, the absurdity of our housing, or the fires themselves. First, during the last night, for the first time I experienced the nature of the mob mentality. Penn basketball games and social psychology textbooks don't do justice to what took place at Woodstock. And I must say, as much as the events saddened me and frightened me for a short time, the overriding emotion I experienced was that of fascination. Secondly, I learned how people can become conditioned to accept different standards of behavior. Social norms, such as language, personal hygiene, public decency and drug use all took on far different roles at Woodstock then normal. It literally took me a few days to readjust to normal society. After multiple encounters with the dreaded port-o-potties, I never felt so happy to use the bathroom in my fraternity house upon my return. For most of the weekend, Woodstock served an important function by providing a wonderful venue for mental and physical escapism. It was like an alternative universe with its own set of rules. The good natured spontaneity was on display for most of the weekend: frisbee fights, random conversation, mud slides, dancing, partying. And of course, the drummers. Sunday night, however, the dark side of this type of environment reigned as chaos took over. The sight of the riot police and later news reports of investigations of rape at the festival shattered the bubble that we had been living in. I left Woodstock with a wealth of stories, both good and bad. I saw sides of human nature that alternately fascinated, confused, amazed and saddened me. And in the end, I am proud of my experience and would do it again in a second.
