Search Results
Below are your search results. You can also try a Basic Search.
(11/01/01 10:00am)
I walked into the second floor gallery of the Charles Addams Fine
Arts Hall Tuesday afternoon in search of a little inspiration. I hoped
that the creative geniuses that brood behind the brick and mortar
building could lift me out of my dreary, sheep-like, academic
experience. As I bah my way through classes and textbooks, they
make pretty things. What I found was "Expanding the Definition of
Drawing," an exhibition of the two- and three-dimensional works of
art by Penn undergraduate and graduate artists that runs through
November 20.
(04/23/01 9:00am)
"The Sweetest Fling" left a sweet aftertaste on the Penn campus as this weekend's festivities came to a close.
The two days of Mardi Gras-like activity -- which included live music, carnival games and food -- drew college students from all over the East Coast and from all facets of the campus community.
The moonwalk, face-painting and sumo wrestling in the Quadrangle were just a few of the activities that the masses of Penn students and outside visitors had to choose from.
"I particularly enjoyed the fried Oreos and ribs," College sophomore Chris Nicolaou said jokingly.
"The Quad has never seen so many people as it did on Friday," Fling Committee Co-Director and College Junior Christina Chiew said.
"I think Fling went off really smoothly, and I was really impressed with all the work everyone did," she added.
The Social Planning and Events Committee's Fling Finance Committee has not yet tallied the money they made this weekend. Profits from Fling will go to SPEC towards funding future events, though Chiew said the group generally does not make a profit.
For many freshmen, it was a novelty to wake up and witness their dorm transformed into the craziness that Penn students look forward to every year.
"I felt like spring break came to Penn and parked itself in the Quad," College freshman Lauren Gorsky said. "It was out of a movie."
"My favorite part was the Lower Quad," College freshman Evan Smith said. "Mask and Wig closed out that part of Fling really well."
Eighties pop star Tiffany drew a huge crowd to the Quad in the middle of the day on Saturday, but students were generally disappointed that she played mostly songs from her new album. However, she did close with her famous classic "I Think We're Alone Now," to which the whole crowd enthusiastically sang along.
Despite the overall anti-climactic feeling, some avid fans stuck by the pop star.
"Tiffany was the first concert I ever went to when I was 10," College freshman Diana Feinstein said. "She was just the same, only this time I was inebriated."
Some Penn students played the role of hard-core rockers, as they crowd-surfed to every musical show, including Tiffany's relatively tame performance.
In order to balance the crowd of Tiffany and Mask and Wig on Saturday, Penn Six-5000 gave its comedic musical performance at the end of the afternoon on Friday.
Other groups that "flung" it on the Lower and Upper Quad stages included student band The Ally, a capella group the Pennyloafers and dance troupe Strictly Funk. All were well-received and well-attended.
According to SPEC Fling Committee Co-Director and Wharton junior Jessica Pawvluk, the Carnival in Wynn Commons on Saturday night was quite successful.
"Pat's Cheesesteaks seemed to be the biggest draw," Pawvluk said.
Other large attractions were the henna tattoos, the dance music and the free goodies provided by corporate sponsors at the carnival.
Yet many students opted not to attend this dry evening event and instead chose to party into the wee hours of the morning.
The usual Greek parties took on a new life this weekend, as Fling activities continued on well into the night.
"I thought it was cool how all the frats had bands playing at their parties," Smith said.
Overall, students said they felt like they got everything out of their systems during the this weekend's revelry, though noting the approaching dread of finals.
"It's going to be really hard to get back to normal school now," College freshman Lucy Bezdek said. "It was a really nice break."
Smith expressed similar sentiments, suggesting that "we should have Fling on a monthly basis."
(04/23/01 9:00am)
With clear skies in sight, people came out in droves on Friday night to see the annual Spring Fling concert on Hill Field, featuring Ben Harper and the Black Eyed Peas.
Over 7,000 students and area residents turned out for the concert, typically the highlight of Fling weekend.
"The concert went above and beyond our expectations," said Social Planning and Events Committee Concerts Co-Chairman Matt Dicker, a College senior.
Dicker said he was particularly excited about the large turnout, estimating that they sold well over 7,000 tickets in all -- 2,000 of which were sold at the door.
He also said that there was "not just a large crowd, but they stayed to the end as well."
Fling Committee Co-Director and newly-elected SPEC President Kevin Meyers also noted the diversity of the audience.
The luck of good weather not only influenced the decision to hold the concert outdoors, but also contributed to the overall turnout and success of the concert.
This year's concert was the second to be held outdoors, following a five-year pattern of bad weather, which demanded indoor relocation.
Students expressed mixed reactions to the overall ambience.
"Ben Harper was awesome," College freshman Diana Feinstein said. "He played all of his greatest songs, with only a few exceptions. The mood was perfect for Ben Harper -- it was chill, grassy and full of fun-loving people."
College sophomore Mauricio Achata said, "The main reason I went was for the atmosphere."
While some audience members appreciated the "chill" atmosphere, other students preferred the louder hip-hop style of the Black Eyed Peas.
"I liked the show, but Ben Harper was a little too mellow," College freshman Lauren Furst said. "I wanted something with more energy."
Harper's two-and-a-half hour set included two encores. The Black Eyed Peas' opening act lasted a little over an hour.
This year, organizers set the stage on the north end of Hill Field rather than the east side -- where it was held last year -- which allowed better traffic flow for both the equipment and students moving in and out of the venue.
Dicker commended his committee for its music picks.
"At this year's show, the Black Eyed Peas were excellent and constantly warming up the crowd for Ben," Dicker said. "It was a testament to us picking a great band that people wanted to see."
"I'm sure people liked Sexual Healing," Dicker said, in jest, of Ben Harper's contribution.
He was apparently right on target.
According to Dicker, the show went off without a hitch, with the bands seemingly very appreciative of their Philly audience.
SPEC Concert members were content with the overall production.
"I went to sleep with a big smile on my face that night," Dicker said.
(04/19/01 9:00am)
The 28th annual Spring Fling is officially here, and festivities are scheduled to begin today at 11 a.m. in the Quadrangle.
"The Sweetest Fling" will take over the Quad today and tomorrow with food, games, local bands, student groups and general merriment above all.
Students need not leave the quad for their culinary needs. Allegro Pizza, Papaya King, Fat Jacks and other restaurants will set up shop in lower Quad.
Pat's Steaks will also return this year, making an appearance at the Carnival in Wynn Commons as opposed to Hamilton Village.
Following the Carnival, there will be a pancake breakfast at 1920 Commons, and Sony Pictures will be previewing "A Knight's Tale" for free at Cinemagic at midnight.
The Social Planning and Events Fling Committee has been working non-stop lining up musical groups and corporate sponsorship.
The wide array of entertainment will be provided by groups such as Onda Latina, Penn Jazz, Quaker Notes, Pennsylvania Six-5000 and The Ally.
Following its annual tradition, Mask and Wig will close the Fling celebration on Saturday afternoon with its comic and musical performance.
Also on Saturday, '80s pop star Tiffany will be performing in the middle of the day.
"I am really looking forward to seeing Tiffany on Saturday," College sophomore Matt Blank said.
Yet despite all the planning, the University will be putting forth a significant effort to monitor alcohol consumption throughout the weekend, and prevent the drunken debauchery that typically characterizes Fling.
The highlight of this weekend's activities will be tonight's concert, featuring Ben Harper and an opening act by the Black Eyed Peas.
Like the success of last year's concert -- held outside in Hill Field-- SPEC has planned to hold the concert this year in the same venue, barring bad weather.
Even if rain does fall, tonight's concert will go on. As in past years, contingency plans call for an indoor alternate location in the Palestra.
According to SPEC Fling Committee Co-Director and College junior Christina Chiew, the Palestra is "not as desirable a venue because it has really poor acoustics."
But according to the latest weather reports, this year's Fling can expect some not-so-sweet weather.
Although weather calls for rain today, the weather should be clearing by tomorrow and continue with partly cloudy skies on Sunday.
(04/04/01 9:00am)
Thundering cheers echoed off the walls of Irvine Auditorium last night after the lively speech given by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
Students came in droves to hear Albright's speech, which filled Irvine with a capacity crowd of 1,100.
Many students said they were pleasantly surprised that Albright was as charming and charismatic as she was capable and educated.
"I was really impressed," College sophomore Melanie Kefalidis said. "She was funny, articulate and she talked about some really important topics."
"She had a genuine interest in us as students," Kefalidis added. "It seemed as if she felt she could influence us in some way, that it wasn't pointless to talk to us."
Explaining that "college should not be boring, first of all because it costs too much," Albright went on to joke that "I won't say it's the best time of your lives because that might depress some of you."
But the students who attended last night's speech were certainly not depressed with what they saw and heard.
"It went really well," College sophomore and Connaissance member Miya Rahamim said. "It met all expectations. She was funny, interesting, and informative."
College junior and International Relations and Spanish major Lisa Schreter, who is interested in possibly working for the government one day, came to the event because "it pertained to what I study and... it gave me a perspective of someone on the inside.
"I didn't expect her to be as open and entertaining as she was," Schreter said. " I was also impressed with her ability as a person to respect her morals while still representing the interests of the U.S. government."
"As a female embarking in a business and political world that seems male dominant, it was refreshing to see the image of a strong woman who has accomplished so much," Schreter said.
"It was interesting to see how she used her background to try and make a difference with people who went through the same things that she did," added College junior and political science major Lea Tatelman.
College junior Aaliyah Richman, who was interested in learning Albright's views on the current situation in China, was "totally fulfilled" by Albright's discussion on a wide array of foreign policy issues, including relations with China, the Middle East, Russia, the Baltics, and Cuba.
"She was an excellent speaker," said Richman, who is an international relations major. "She had the audience engaged for the entire speech."
"I liked how positive she was about America, how welcoming America was to her family," said Kefalidis. "She made a really strong point that democracy can and should exist everywhere, and that she would do anything in her power to make sure that a Holocaust couldn't happen again."
(03/23/01 10:00am)
Walking into the Walnut Street fashion boutique Ma Jolie Tuesday morning, Kelly Farrelly and Lorrie Kim were looking to make a wish come true -- selling enough of their designer quilts to fund a trip to Las Vegas.
Farrelly, who works at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and Kim, a freelance journalist, answered the call for Ma Jolie's open auditions to be showcased in the store's new department, 360 Degrees.
Around 20 hopefuls showed their work to the owners of the Ma Jolie chain Tuesday morning, later undergoing interviews.
Sisters Nickie, Desie and Mariann Boston own and run the business, which consists of two stores, one located at 4340 Main Street in Manayunk and one at 3661 Walnut Street in University City.
"We want our customers to be able to purchase innovative clothing designs, decorative jewelry and fashion accessories by undiscovered designers," the Boston sisters said in a statement Tuesday. "We are committed to Department 360 and we encourage designers to show us new items monthly."
Tuesday's open call audition was the second in a series of what Nickie Boston hopes to be "a freshness that we're eager to get into the department." The first open call was held on March 15.
The nervous prospects were each given a 15-minute interview, during which they displayed their products and were asked various questions regarding their designs and production capabilities.
"I was not expecting to be as blown away as I was by what I saw," Nickie Boston said.
Through a warm and friendly demeanor, the Boston sisters helped ease the anxiety of many of the rookie designers, demonstrating the skills that have made their business survive the past several years.
"I was a little nervous because I had never done an open call," said jewelry designer Jill Tuft, who has previously sold her work only through word of mouth. "But my nerves went down because the ladies were so nice. It was relaxed and I felt comfortable."
And young designers like Kallie Mihalos' a graduate student at Rosemont College and an aspiring fashion designer, got the opportunity to "see how people would react to my designs, if they're interested and to see if I am going in the right direction."
Rifling through Mihalo's clothes, which included a handmade alligator skin bustier and a brown faux-fur coat, the Boston sisters offered encouraging words and lots of positive feedback.
Yet Mihalos will not find out until later today if she is to join the nine others who were picked from the last open call to join the ranks of Ma Jolie.
The sisters haven't specified how many new talents they wish to bring in with Tuesday's second open call. They plan on holding several more open calls in the coming months.
And Penn College senior Vincent Connors successfully made it through the first open call. An English and Fine Arts double major, Connors was chosen to be showcased in "360" for his one-of-a-kind women's evening wear.
Connors has taken fashion design classes at Drexel University and attended a summer program in Milan, Italy last year. The showcase at Ma Jolie has given him just the kind of opportunity the Boston sisters were hoping to provide.
"This is my first time ever doing anything -- I have never had anything shown before," Connors said.
(02/21/01 10:00am)
Just a week after it was dealt a serious blow by a federal appeals court, Napster yesterday offered $1 billion to settle a copyright infringement lawsuit with five of the music industry's recording giants.
The pending suit threatens to shut down the free online exchange of music provided by Napster.
In the proposed settlement, Napster would pay the five largest record labels -- Sony, Warner, BMG, EMI and Universal -- $150 million annually for the first five years, with $50 million going to independent labels.
"We all ought to sit down and settle this case as fast as we can," Napster Chief Executive Officer Hank Barry said. "We're saying this is something consumers really want. Let's do something to keep it going."
The offer comes a week after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco affirmed a lower-court ruling that said Napster aids and abets copyright infringements.
The recent legal action has spun Penn students -- and around 50 million other users -- into a frenzy of downloading and song swapping, as many are worried they will soon lose the free service. Regardless of the legal outcome, however, Napster has said it plans to unroll a fee-based service this summer.
At Penn, rumors of the end of free downloading prompted students to spend hours on their computers before Napster starts charging fees.
"I heard it was going to shut down a week ago," College freshman Brian Coleman said. "It concerns me. I'm going to have to download a bunch of songs really quickly."
Coleman, who has already downloaded approximately 900 songs, said he plans to spend at least an hour a day on the site before its access is limited.
College senior Josh Jashinski is also disheartened by the possibility that Napster may soon disappear.
"I am a little depressed at the news because I have used Napster to burn many CDs," Jashinski said.
"I am going to use it as much as I can before it shuts down," added his friend, Wharton senior Nadav Besner.
"Because of Napster, I got to hear a lot of music I wouldn't have heard otherwise, so now it just limits the kind of music I am going to hear," Besner said.
But Penn officials said that increased traffic on Napster hasn't affected the speed of Penn's online services. Over the past year, schools across the country have banned students from using the music service, due to the strain it placed on their computer networks.
Deputy Vice President of Information Systems and Computing Robin Beck has not been concerned with any overload in the network system. "We haven't seen a blip in bandwidth due to that kind of use."
Yet not all students are as devastated by the chance that Napster may be going away despite the new prospects of settlement.
Engineering sophomore Brian Flounders has amassed over 3,500 songs on his computer.
"I never really used Napster because there were always other options that were faster," Flounders said.
"Napster made file-sharing mainstream," he added. "It opened up the technology to allow easier access, which other companies will catch on to."
"[Internet Relay Chat] has been around forever and it will never be shut down," said Flounders, citing one of many other options available for downloading MP3s off of the Internet.
College sophomore Lauren Wiener said she supports the concept of Napster, likening it to advertisements on television that warn viewers not to copy movies or other copyrighted programs.
"I think what it is doing is good for the little people, but bad for the big people in the music industry," Wiener said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
(02/09/01 10:00am)
Gabrielle Weber, a theatre major, is used to rigorous auditions.
But the College senior's audition for MTV's "Wanna Be a VJ" was a different type of intensity.
Standing in front of a large crowd of teeny-boppers in December at the MTV studios in Manhattan, Weber was asked the first thing she would do as a guy.
"I'd scratch my balls," Weber responded. "They always do that and I guess I would want to know why."
Weber, a slight young woman with large, almond eyes, has always wanted to be famous, and she might just get her chance.
An aspiring actress, Weber tried out for the contest on a whim, saying that "it was not a serious audition. I went as a joke."
Yet this joke turned into something big, as Weber made the callback to appear as one of the final contestants on the show -- a contest aired on national television.
In fact, if she wins five days in a row, beating out three other contestants in a battle of musical wits and charisma, Weber will attain the prize as the newest rookie on Team MTV. The winner of the "Wanna Be a VJ" contest -- determined by call-in viewers -- gets a year-long position as a host at the network.
"I think it would be fun to get to travel all over the place, to host weird shows and to meet cool people and talented artists," Weber said.
Weber said that she doesn't know how many final contestants there are or when the contest will be aired, explaining MTV will call her with that information later.
Growing up in southeastern Virginia and traveling every weekend to Manhattan with her artist mother, Weber has always thirsted for life in the spotlight as either an actress or a photographer.
"I want to be one of those well-known people that are known for being talented," Weber said. "In both photography and in acting, fame is the ultimate sign of success. I want to be successful, and fame is a sign of that."
Yet Weber has no intentions of using the opportunity as what she calls a "stepping stone to a serious acting career." She went on to say that it would "almost hurt me... because it would discredit me."
Weber, a self-described woman with "lots of weird characteristics" who likes "lots of different things" -- including a wide variety of music from trance to hip-hop to top 40 -- would "try to target college people who need a music channel" if she were to win.
"There's a big age gap between those who watch MTV and those who watch VH1," Weber said.
As a pre-teen who looked up to Kennedy -- the curly-haired and extroverted former MTV veejay -- Weber stopped watching the channel when "it started to suck because they stopped playing music and showing Real World and Road Rules 24 hours a day."
"College students want to hear more music," Weber added. "Not just Britney Spears."
Yet when asked about Spears' popularity amongst fraternity boys nation-wide, Weber joked that they like her "only when she's naked, but I don't think they want to admit to that."
So what made this Penn student stand out from the throng of wannabes?
"I think judging by the way I acted in the audition they picked me for the male audience because we had to do a commercial and the guy interviewing me was really hot and I was flirting with him. But I wouldn't want to act like that on the show because I wouldn't want to alienate the female audience," Weber said.
But even if she doesn't win, Weber values the experience.
"I felt really relieved because [as an actress] you could audition professionally for ten years, but now at least I know what it's like to get that phone call and know the feeling that they want to use you," she added.
(01/29/01 10:00am)
Sloth didn't make it.
With only minutes to go in the final round of the ninth annual Wing Bowl -- held early Friday morning -- Sloth stood up from his seat, spewing a small river of chicken wings and Gatorade.
"Welcome to Philadelphia!" yelled one of the announcers from WIP 610 radio, the station that puts on this display of American hedonism at its finest -- or its most gruesome.
Around 20,000 people filled the First Union Center at 6 a.m. to witness 22 men compete for the title of Wing Bowl Champion, all consuming as many chicken wings as possible in 30 minutes.
In the end it was El Wingador -- now a two time champion -- who took home the title for inhaling an outstanding 137 chicken wings in the two fifteen-minute halves of the contest.
"I came to see tasteless redneck fun," said Jessica Moss, a lab technician who recently moved to Philadelphia from Kentucky.
"Where else but in America and in Philadelphia can you see 20,000 people turn out to see fat men eat chicken wings?" Moss asked.
Despite the bevy of obese men who occupied the main stage at Friday morning's event, there was a large and gaudy display of good old American pageantry that accompanied the contest.
Miss Wing Bowl came into the arena dressed only in a white bra and chaps -- with nothing underneath but a matching white thong -- spanking her bottom to the wild cheers of the testosterone-pumped crowd.
"They should give her away as a door prize," attendee Jake Kinsey said jokingly.
"My favorite part is the women," said Michael Rothstein, an insurance company employee.
However, when asked why he wasn't participating with such infamous men as Tollman Joe -- last year's winner, who had a tooth surgically removed by a dentist to allow for the easier consumption of chicken wings -- Rothstein said his wife would not let him join all the little reindeer and stripper games.
Rothstein and thousands of other avid fans cheered on the promenade of 22 men who vied for the title of Wing Bowl champion -- and a free trip for two to Aruba.
Every participant had his theme and entourage when entering the stadium. Some of the heavier men, like Pine Hill Pit -- weighing in at over 600 pounds -- had to be pushed up the stairs.
Gaseous Maximus entered the stadium sitting upon his throne -- a golden toilet. "Fear the wind!" he growled to the crowd.
"Let loose Gaseous, let loose!" yelled an enthusiastic fan from the stands.
The First Union Center was filled to capacity for the annual event, and security guards had to turn away many loyal fans from the free event.
"I came to see Mize crunch beer cans on his head," attendee John Bedford said, in reference to the crowd favorite who breaks beer cans on his cranium in rapid succession. With every wince on his face and bulge on his forehead, the crowd cheered in respect and adulation.
"Philadelphia fans are nuts, no doubt about that," said Kinsey, who took a day off of work to come down to Wing Bowl.
The last event of the morning was the wrestling match in a ring of chicken wings and BBQ sauce. The crowd seemed displeased with the activity -- showing their sentiments with a showering of beer cans falling down from the stands -- hitting some of the women and a referee.
"It was fun overall except for the wrestling at the end, which sucked," said 15-year-old John Walsh.
(01/18/01 10:00am)
It's countdown time to "The Sweetest Fling."
With three months left, the Spring Fling Committee got the ball rolling on Fling 2001 with its ceremonial theme selection.
And once again, the formal name of Penn's annual spring celebration will resemble a chart-topping pop song.
The members of the Social Planning and Events Committee chose "The Sweetest Fling" as the 2001 Spring Fling theme, playing off U2's recent hit, "The Sweetest Thing."
Last year, the Fling committee capitalized on Britney Spears' first hit, dubbing Fling 2000 as "Fling Me Baby One More Time."
Beating out contenders like "Got Fling?" and "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Fling," this year's theme gained the approval of the largest Spring Fling committee in SPEC's history.
The theme was chosen, in part, for the title's flexibility.
"The benefit of the theme is that it won't be limited to a particular genre," said Wharton senior Michelle Von Vital, vice chair of SPEC.
"This large group will help promote the creative process of planning," said Wharton junior Kevin Meyers, Spring Fling committee co-chair. "The more open-minded efforts of the committee will allow for more diversity in events of this year's fling."
Traditionally intended to be the last hurrah before finals, Spring Fling annually draws thousands of Penn students to a weekend jammed with activities. This year, the celebration falls on April 20 and 21.
According to members of the Fling committee, the bands for Fling's annual concert have not yet been booked. The committee would not speculate on possible acts. Past entertainers have included A Tribe Called Quest, Run DMC and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. The Roots and Ben Folds Five shared the stage at last year's concert.
The Spring Fling committee will hold a contest for the logo design that will adorn t-shirts and other paraphernalia. The winner will not only will take home $100 but also a free pair of tickets to the weekend's big concert.
"Last year's fling was great," Von Vital said. "We have to meet those same high standards."
In order to improve upon what planners say is an already great event, the members of the committee are planning some changes that will maximize space around campus to make fling "better, bigger, and grander," Myers said.
Most of the activities will take place in the Quad and on Hill Field, as is tradition.
But this year the carnival will be moved from Hamilton Village to Wynn Commons and College Green.
"The extreme winds that run through Hamilton Village limit what we can do for the carnival," College junior and Fling Co-Director Christina Chiew said in a press release. "Perelman Quad will allow us to have more varied activities than in the past. Wynn Commons will also eliminate the worry of muddy fields and low lighting."
"With the momentum that SPEC had had so far this year, with activities such as No Place Like Penn, Politically Incorrect host Bill Maher, and upcoming events for this spring, the momentum will definitely lead into Fling," Meyers said.
(01/17/01 10:00am)
Author Barry Hoffman thought that the gothic tone of Penn would provide the perfect setting for a murder mystery -- and acted on his hunch.
Hoffman's latest work of fiction, Born Bad, depicts a series of apparent suicides on Penn's campus. But Hoffman is now up in arms because the Penn Bookstore doesn't carry his book, despite its national publication.
Hoffman appeared outside Penn's bookstore yesterday morning -- armed with peanuts and free copies of his novel -- to protest what he calls Penn's "censorship" of the book. Hoffman claims the bookstore promised him a slot to speak about his novel about a year ago, and then rescinded the offer.
Director of External Relations of Business Services Amy Hoffman denied that Hoffman was ever promised a chance to speak at the bookstore or at the Kelly Writers House.
"The University is absolutely committed to protecting freedom of speech," Amy Hoffman said. "Any presentation is welcome."
Amy Hoffman added that because the author was without a publicity manager, it might be harder for him to schedule appearances at large bookstores like Penn's.
And Vice President for Business Services Leroy Nunery said that Barry Hoffman's allegations of censorship were completely unfounded.
"Look at what's on the shelves. That's your answer," he said of the allegations, pointing to the variety of controversial novels on sale at the bookstore. "There's nothing to gain by rejecting it."
Yet the author persisted in his efforts, setting up a table in front of the bookstore at lunchtime yesterday to publicize his novel and peak interest in the topic.
But despite his work, few passers-by stopped to take a peek at his paperback or to speak with him about his novel. In the end, the novelist didn't manage to engage more than 10 people with his story of censorship.
Hoffman alleged that the Penn Bookstore won't carry his novel due to the "sensitive nature of the book," which involves the questionable suicides of three freshman girls living in the Quadrangle.
After spending the early afternoon in front of the bookstore, Hoffman delivered a letter to University President Judith Rodin claiming that Penn denied him the chance to speak about the book. The letter was given to her receptionist because Rodin was unavailable.
"All I want is for students to be aware of the book," Hoffman said. "I just want to be invited anywhere on campus to discuss issues regarding my novel."
Hoffman explained that Penn "is trying to protect its image" as a "safe environment," and is consequently attempting to sweep the controversial issues of date rape -- also mentioned in the book -- and suicide under the rug.
The author also claimed that the book helps to illustrate the counseling network offered to Penn students contemplating suicide or other drastic measures. William Skorupski, a first year Graduate School of Education student who lost a close friend to suicide, spoke about the need to publicize counseling services.
"Most students might not be aware of the many support systems available," Skorupski said.
As a former public school teacher in inner-city Philadelphia, Hoffman said he first became interested in Penn while attending night courses on campus.
The author emphasized that the killings in the book were not a product of a malfunctioning support system, but rather the result of the "bad seed" present in the book's villain.
Brendon Skwire, a Penn researcher, said the alleged censorship of Hoffman is "typical of Penn."
"Over the last two years that I have worked here I have seen lots of banning," he said. "If anything, it will make people want to buy the book."
(12/04/00 10:00am)
Catching a whiff of greasy stir-fry from a food cart, Michael Berger approaches the stand, tastes the delicacy and -- writes it all down.
All in a day's work for this Wharton and College junior, who has taken on the role of food critic in his book, "Dining a la Cart."
Those who have passed by a tin contraption with a foreign name -- curious as to whether to take the risk of getting either a cheap gourmet meal or a trip to the hospital with food poisoning -- can understand Berger's mission to evaluate Penn's food trucks. After all, a combination Chinese-Mexican food truck can seem questionable.
But Berger offered himself up as a willing guinea pig.
This past summer Berger and his friend, frustrated by the hit-or-miss process of finding a good place to eat lunch, completed a comprehensive review of all of the food trucks around campus.
The book provides a letter grading system with accompanying descriptions.
Berger said that his favorite trucks around campus are Hemo's, the home of the "friendly Egyptian man" and his famous honey mustard chicken sandwich; Taco Pal; Hong Kong Chinese Food -- where he never has to worry about biting into a chicken bone -- and Aladdin's.
In fact, Berger stands by his reviews so strongly that he even recommended Aladdin's to cater his brother's graduation party.
Trying 40 different carts in 40 days, with foods ranging from delectable to indigestible, Berger's friend's frail stomach could not endure the challenge. In the end, it was Berger -- who calls himself "always difficult to please" -- that survived the test, eventually publishing his Zagat-like review.
"I wrote it for myself," Berger said. "I didn't try to be too nice."
Actually, he said he caught a lot of flack from a fellow Wharton student -- whose mother owns the Real LeAnh's Chinese Food food truck -- when he wrote, "in my entire reviewing experience, the Real LeAnh was the first truck I ordered from that I threw away my food after only one bite."
According to Berger, part of the appeal of eating at one of these carts -- besides the price, convenience, appearance, and waiting time -- is the personality of the owner of the truck.
Berger recalled a favorite truck, run by Jow of Jow's Spicy Thai Food, near Franklin Field.
"If he thinks you can't handle a certain food, he won't let you eat it," wrote Berger.
In his book, Berger described ordering the "crying tiger" -- the spiciest meal available at the cart. Jow insisted that Berger drink water instead of his usual soda, warning "your intestines will hate you in the morning."
With the wide variety of food available around campus, Berger feels it's important to support these businesses, despite what his book calls "the administration's best efforts to replace them with trendy, expensive mainstream dining establishments" like the Moravian Cafes food court and Houston Market.
Admittedly, there are a few food trucks that may not measure up to the new restaurants, such as the food range of "poor" to "terrible" at Dmitrio's, located by the David Rittenhouse Laboratories.
Yet Berger writes that the top food carts can provide exceptional food.
In particular, he noted the "faithful following among sorority girls and trendy, health-conscious fraternity guys" at La Petite Creperie -- the "Le-Bec-Fin" of food trucks on campus.
(10/23/00 9:00am)
What better way is there to procrastinate for a midterm than to watch College senior Todd Minerly, the self-proclaimed "Mr. Long Island Iced Tea," shake his assets in a g-string and tutu in front of a packed crowd downtown at Club Evolution?
Or how about cheering on shirtless College senior Duff Blair as he chugs five beers while reciting cheesy poetry -- all for the benefit of a good cause?
These two men, as well as eight other selected Penn seniors, participated in the "Big Man On Campus" contest on Thursday night.
Sporting minimal clothing over their well-toned bodies, these men put on what College sophomore Catherine Brandt described as an "out of control" performance in front of a throng of screaming females in tube tops and black pants.
The event was sponsored by Alpha Chi Omega, who used it to raise over $3,500 for "Women Against Abuse," the sorority's philanthropic project.
ACO President Ali O'Donnell, a College junior, explained that those chosen were "10 guys who were a good representation of Penn guys across the board. They have the characteristics that make each of them a OBig Man on Campus.'"
Local sponsors like Allegro's Pizza, Ma Jolie and Sporting Club at The Bellevue donated goods and money to help the pageant "get off without a hitch," O'Donnell said.
A limousine was provided for the men to be transported in luxury before arriving at Evolution, where they strutted their stuff in a series of competitions -- including a spoof on swimwear, formal attire, interview -- and talent portions of a "normal" beauty contest.
But as soon as the first contestant came on-stage with the butt cut out of his board-shorts, the audience knew they were in for a wild night.
College senior Dan Leberman, who identified himself on a sash as "Mr. Califragilistic," reigned victorious over a competitive group of Penn males, including Jerome Byam and Dave Pichichero, who were known as "Mr. Melts in Your Mouth" and "Mr. Saki Bomber," respectively. Byam sang to a striptease in a Penn speedo, and Pichichero did an imitation of Michael Jackson's moondance and crotch-grabbing that made several audience members want to toss him up a surgical mask on-stage instead of their bras.
"This is what happens when you get a bunch of drunk guys together," Leberman joked.
The participants in this contest -- the creme de la whipped cream of Penn -- were all very modest about their own attributes, commenting on the qualities of their peers rather than on themselves.
For example, when asked about his chances of winning backstage prior to the contest, Dave Kaiyalethe said, "I saw Jerome [Byam] in the locker room with his shirt off, and I knew that there was no way that anyone could beat him."
Byam, in turn, said of Kaiyalethe: "He is not only intelligent, and not only charming, but he is good-looking and makes the rest of us look like shit."
Other participants of the evening included Charlie O'Connell, Josh Kuntz, Seth Sherman and Jason Feinberg.
When asked about his choice of names, O'Connell, who called himself Mr. T. said, "Because I pity the fool."
(10/11/00 9:00am)
Besides high pay and benefit packages, there are other -- perhaps less serious -- perks to working for a company like Microsoft.
Like what?
"I've got a beer fridge in my office, definitely a plus," boasted Joe Croney, a program manager at the world's largest software company, before a crowd of about 40 interested Penn students last night.
Croney and other Microsoft employees came to Penn this week to help recruit hotly pursued students in the lucrative field of information technology.
The event was sponsored by the Dining Philosophers, Penn's very own computer science club.
The headliner of the event, Colleen Wheeler, is a self-described "Software Diva" -- it even says so on her business card. It's a title, in fact, that she negotiated as part of her own recruitment.
Besides giving an overview to the options available for young prospects, Wheeler also gave away many cool gadgets -- even if the loud, flashing bouncy balls she gave out made for an obnoxious interruption every two minutes or so.
But as students madly dashed for T-shirts and pizza, Wheeler gave a very informative presentation of what Engineering sophomore Vinny Liu described as a "cool, chill" company.
Jesse Janosov, a Penn alumnus, currently works in the games department at Microsoft, and he too was on hand last night to answer questions about working conditions at the Seattle-based corporate giant.
"Some days I still feel like I am in college," said Janosov, referring to the flexible work hours and laid-back mentality of his job.
Getting paid to help create video games is something that Janosov has wanted to do ever since he was a small child.
In such a competitive market, it is essential that companies such as Microsoft continue to recruit the "best and the brightest," according to Wheeler.
She considered Penn to be a "top tier" school, ranked in the top 20 colleges that are sought after for fresh meat.
Afterwards, Liu said he enjoyed the presentation for its casual ambience. Besides the fact that it is "good to get free stuff," he thought that the presenters really demonstrated "what it is really like" to work in a "pretty relaxed" environment in which workers can wear jeans to work, get free espresso and beer at their disposal, and still make more money by the time they are 30 than the majority of the population can.
Engineering junior Tom Ferguson, though still impressed by the evening's activities, was disappointed that a company as large as Microsoft did not hire undergraduates in its research department.
"In some cases undergraduates could benefit from the exposure... that could give students the experience of a real world computer science job," he said.
(09/20/00 9:00am)
Over a goblet of red wine at the White Dog Cafe on Monday night, Muffin Friedman told a crowd of 15 people how she met her first husband while chained to a chair inside a courtroom.
Then there was Aishah Shahidah Simmons, who remembered being in an "activism boot camp from birth on" in which her father, Michael Simmons, taught her that Christopher Colombus did not discover America and that Tarzan was a racist show.
Such were the tales heard at Monday night's program, "Is There an Activism Gene?", in which four local protesters -- each of whom recently received awards from the activist organization Bread & Roses -- were invited to discuss how values of activism can be transmitted through generations.
The activists came together over dinner at the Sansom Street restaurant to tell how they each succeeded in creating an environment that fostered social change.
For instance, Michael Simmons, the national coordinator of the American Friends Service Committee, travels around the world promoting human rights issues. In the late 1960s, he was incarcerated for 2 1/2 years for refusing to join the military.
His daughter, Aishah, who also spoke at the event, is an independent documentary filmmaker who protests against social injustices -- her most recent film, No, is about rape -- as an advocate of the black lesbian community. Even though she said she may have resented having to attend assorted rallies as a young girl, Aishah said she soon grew into her legacy, following in her father's footsteps as an activist.
"In retrospect, it made me stronger," Simmons said.
Like Aishah, Jean Friedman-Rudovsky, a junior at Wesleyan University, was raised with leftist core values. Yet she found her unconventional upbringing to be a great advantage as she was always taught to "look underneath what's going on."
"They gave me the optimism and the principles that [my] life is not going to be better depending on how much money I make," said Friedman-Rudovsky, who was jailed for her involvement in the World Bank protests last spring in Washington, D.C.
Turning to the generation to which all Penn undergraduates belong, Friedman-Rudovsky urged college-aged young adults not to "succumb to the stereotype that youths are apathetic."
"You can do something as simple as sign a petition or attend a protest. Act on those beliefs and those values and have the knowledge that things will change," she said.
Sue Ellen Klien, the organizer of the event, said she was very pleased with the outcome of the night's discussion.
"Whenever people tell their personal stories and share them with others," Klien said, "there is something very meaningful about that."
Likewise, Kenny Brownstein, one of Klien's friends, said she found the talk very informative and could relate to the topic at hand. His children, he said, are actually the activists in the family, but he has "benefited because [he] has learned so much about things that [he] would never have heard about" had his offspring not been so involved in activism.
