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In an effort to curb the violent flash mobs that have plagued Philadelphia recently, Mayor Michael Nutter instituted a stricter curfew for the city’s youth in some neighborhoods.
President Barack Obama will deliver his annual State of the Union address tonight at 9 p.m. If you’re not already planning on watching it, here’s a reason to tune in.
*This story appeared in the 2010 Joke Issue.
*This story appeared in the 2010 Joke Issue.
*This story appeared in the 2010 Joke Issue.
*This story appeared in the 2010 Joke Issue.
*This story appeared in the 2010 Joke Issue.
Is the meaning of life simply to reproduce? Daniel Dennett says no.
What organizers had intended to be an open discussion forum aimed at dispelling misconceptions surrounding atheism quickly turned into support for atheism itself.
Some of the best-known Quaker traditions are those that force the Penn faithful to lift their voices in song. This is a guide to three of the most popular fight songs that can be heard at football games, convocation, graduation and other campus events.
Yesterday, members of The Daily Pennsylvanian sat down for an on the record interview with Penn's new Executive Vice President Clifford Stanley. The following are excerpts from that interview. Clifford Stanley: First of all, I don't know too much about some of the internal -- I'm learning an awful lot, but I don't know a whole lot about some of the internal politics and I haven't really been here that long, as you probably know. I've been here about a month in terms of working. I've been in the city of Philadelphia one week longer than that. Penn came to me and asked me if I would be interested. I was tracking pretty well in my career, as you know, in the Marine Corps.... What I liked most was you, which is the reason I came -- the students -- because that is what my focus is.... I have a lot of learning, but still trying to get my staff organized right and trying to get people out of being in silos. Silos mean that people are not cross talking, which affects organization, which affects communication.... The first initiative is in the area of just cleaning up because I think the area is trashy.... But it's a lot more than just cleaning up. It's actually dealing with some psyche issues, the psychology of people who trash, who condone, who focus -- who walk with kind of a selfish attitude....
In just his second full recruiting season, men's soccer coach Rudy Fuller managed to lure another talented group of players to Penn.
Calling it a "storybook ending" wouldn't do it justice, even though it seems like fiction.
Way to go, NCAA. You did the right thing -- the surprising thing.
Razor-close faces for Arkansas teams Razor-close faces for Arkansas teamsThe Razorbacks distance squads were not as dominant as expected. It's not often that a distance race is decided by a margin of .05 seconds or less. Yet for Arkansas, it happened on successive days at the Penn Relays, as the perennial powerhouse Razorbacks -- who swept the distance races last year at Franklin Field -- had to settle for just one set of watches and two losses by razor-thin margins. Arkansas first tasted bitter defeat in the distance medley on Friday afternoon, when Connecticut anchor Dan Wilson held off Sharif Karie at the finish line by 3/100 of a second. "I tried to judge from the crowd [how close Karie was]," Wilson said. "I was surprised when he blew past me over the line." After winning the 4xMile by the markedly larger margin of 11 seconds, the Hogs were again nipped at the finish by a Big East school in the 4x800. Seton Hall's Ned Brooks barely held off a charging James Karanu at the line, leaving the Arkansas anchor in disbelief at a near-miss that was eerily similar to the DMR. "I heard the crowd, so that's what made me look over my shoulder, because I knew by the crowd's reaction that Arkansas was coming up on me," Brooks said. · The women from Arkansas had better luck than the men, as they won their first Penn Relays race ever in the distance medley on Saturday. Anchor runner Tracy Robertson received an added bonus as the Razorbacks started their victory lap -- a peck on the cheek from longtime Relays supporter Bill Cosby. · American fans chanted, "One-two, One-two" when both teams from the USA beat Team Jamaica in the "USA vs. the World" 4x400 relay, but Jamaican fans got a chance to exact their revenge in the finals of the high school boys 4x400. Schools from Jamaica grabbed the top four spots, prompting chants of "One, two, three, four" by supporters of the islanders. · Charles Kamathi, the winner of the men's Olympic Development 5,000 on Friday night, uses his speed for more than just races. Kamathi is a constable in Kenya, where his conditioning and quick feet can come in handy when chasing down those on the wrong side of the law. · While preparations were being made for the "USA vs. the World" 4x200 on the track, all eyes turned to the infield, where Mark Boswell of Texas was attempting a new Penn Relays record of 2.30 meters (7'6.5") in the high jump. Much to the delight of the crowd, Boswell made it over the bar on his third attempt, but the high-socked Longhorn couldn't clear the next height of 2.32 meters (7'7.25") to tie the Franklin Field record. He came closest on his second attempt, when he clipped the bar with his legs. · Moorehouse anchor Momodou Drammah had a little difficulty finishing his race in the second heat of the college men's 4x800. With a 30-meter lead over the second-place team, Drammah threw his hands up in celebration at what he thought was the finish line -- 20 meters from the real finish line. To add insult to embarrassment, after Drammah realized he wasn't finished, he hurriedly sped toward the finish line but got his feet tangled and ended up falling across the finish line. There was a silver lining for Drammah, however -- he still won the heat. · South Carolina finally ended Texas' five-year stranglehold on the women's 4x400. Gamecocks anchor Mikele Barber came from behind to pass the Longhorns' Moushaumi Robinson 120 meters from the finish line, turning in a race-best split of 50.6 to give South Carolina the win. "All I was thinking was, 'We've got to beat Texas. We've got to beat Texas,'" Barber said. · Last year, St. Jago (Jamaica) lost its lead on the final exchange of the high school girls' 4x400 by dropping the baton. This year, St. Jago was in the reverse situation. St. Jago was running neck-and-neck with Berkely until Berkely fumbled the final exchange. Looking demoralized, Berkely anchor Katrina Keith could not recover and fell to last place. Meanwhile, St. Jago held off a late charge by another Jamaican school, perennial favorite Vere Tech, to grab its second win in the event in three years. · In one of the most heartwarming events of the Relays, the 100-meter dash for men 75 and older, Ray Bower of Western Pennsylvania Track Club came from behind to edge last year's winner Les Wright. Bower ran 15.54 -- 0.1 seconds faster than Wright. The oldest man in the race was the Reverend Angelo Oliver from Rhode Island. The 83-year-old finished sixth in 18.66.
According to a DP survey, most students support President Rodin, but few could evern identify Provost Barchi. Although the vast majority of Penn students approve of the job University President Judith Rodin is doing, most still don't think she makes herself accessible enough on campus, according to a recent survey conducted by The Daily Pennsylvanian. The survey of 290 Penn undergraduates showed that 87 percent of Penn students approve of the job Rodin is doing, but less than 19 percent of students have ever met her. The survey -- which has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.9 percent -- evaluated the accessibility and visibility of Penn's top administrators. More than 81 percent think that Rodin and Provost Robert Barchi could make themselves more available to students. And although Rodin's name is well known across campus, only 32 percent of Penn students could identify Barchi and just a little over 1 percent have ever met the University's chief academic officer. Still, Barchi and Rodin say they are far from huddled up in College Hall's Ivory Tower. "I spend a lot of time with students at meetings, at events and in informal conversations throughout the year," Rodin said in an e-mail statement. "It is often the best part of my day." "I frequently meet with a number of individual students and even entire classes to help sort out academic life and student-life issues," Barchi added in an e-mail. But students indicated that when Barchi and Rodin attend events, they are often formal meetings rather than broad-based discussions or staged visits to a college house rather than a spontaneous walk through campus. "I am sure they could be more accessible, but then again I haven't gone out of my way to meet them," College senior Janpaul Guzman. "But then again, I shouldn't have to go out of my way." But with more than 18,000 Penn students, Rodin said that when she is unable to meet with students, it's due to her busy schedule. "Time constraints are perhaps the most difficult part of my job," Rodin explained. "I spend a significant amount of time with students, and I always wish I could spend even more." And she added that "even at times when I am not spending time specifically with students, I am working to ensure that their interests and needs are met." Barchi also pointed out in his statement that besides his personally meeting with students, other administrators who report to him also have "solid working relations with undergraduates," such as officials in the Office of University Life and college house system. Still, more than 81 percent of the Penn students surveyed said meeting the provost or president is an important part of the Penn experience, and some students suggested that that Rodin and Barchi make themselves more available on a more informal basis. United Minorities Council Chairman Jerome Byam said, "[The administration's approach] is a top-down approach. Perhaps it should be a more bottom-up approach so that all students can feel connected -- not just student leaders." The College junior added that though "it's kind of fashionable to say that administrators don't care about student opinion, they showed they share that concern." And Penn Students Against Sweatshops member Miriam Joffe-Block, who claimed her group was repeatedly denied a meeting with Rodin last fall, criticized the president for not being easily accessible -- a charge which Rodin disputes. "At Michigan, for example, where they had similar sweatshop protests, the students' relationship with President [Lee] Bollinger was more collaborative," Joffe-Block, a College senior, said. "He seemed more responsive to their concerns from the beginning of their campaign." But Undergraduate Assembly Chairman Michael Bassik said that in his opinion, it is "the role of the UA to serve as that vital link between the student body and the administration." He said he has been pleased with the way that Barchi and Rodin have have made themselves extremely accessible to the UA.
The Carnival showcased the best the USA will have in its track aresenal. As Michael Johnson walked up Franklin Field's north straightaway this past Saturday afternoon, donning gray-and-black warm-up duds, a few sections of the 45,203 fans in attendance raised their voices, as if to let the Olympic gold-medalist know that they recognized him. When Johnson returned the favor with a grin and a turn of the head, it became obvious to those in attendance just what USA Track and Field, ESPN and a host of sponsors had in mind when they cooked up the idea of the "USA vs. The World" events that highlighted Saturday's Penn Relays schedule. The organizers of this assemblage of sprint relays and the men's 4x1,500 meters wanted to give America's top athletes a chance to shine in front of an enthusiastic crowd -- the biggest they will see in the States in even this, an Olympic year -- under a gentle, late-April sun and against some of the best that the rest of the globe has to offer. And the American athletes did everything they could to oblige. Although not an official part of the USA vs. The World promotion, the women's 4x200 Olympic Development relay played host to something that one rarely sees at the Penn Relays -- a new world record. The USAB Nike Blue quartet of Latasha Jenkins, LaTasha Colander-Richardson, Nanceen Perry and Marion Jones finished first in a time of 1:27.46, shattering the previous world record of 1:28.15 set by an East German team in 1980. The achievement was notable both for the long-standing nature of the record and also for the fact that it fell in April, early in the season for most world-class athletes. "As soon as we found out who all was running, each of us spoke to one another and were whispering to each other, 'OK, do it now,'" Jones said. "We can get this record. We know what we're all capable of running, and let's just put it together." Another world record was supposed to be in danger on Saturday. In the Olympic Development 4x1,500, a Kenyan Puma team that boasted a slew of sub-3:40 1,500 runners looked like a lock to eclipse the record time of 14:38.8. Unfortunately for the fans at Penn, however, three key members of the squad set to be anchored by Bernard Lagat were unable to acquire immigration visas in time for the Carnival. The race was still a joy to watch. In the third leg of the relay, a squad made up of Arkansas alumni was in the lead, and when Phil Price handed the baton cleanly to ultra-charismatic Seneca Lassiter, it looked like the Razorbacks were in control. An outstanding 3:40.8 anchor split by Matt Holthaus of the Reebok Enclave team made things very interesting. As he and Lassiter headed into the final curve, the Arkansan enjoyed a relatively comfortable lead. Always the showboat, Lassiter extended his hand to the cheering crowd in a Babe-Ruth-like gesture of victory. Things almost took an embarrassing turn from there, as Holthaus closed hard and nearly made Lassiter the goat. The Arkansas team won by a thin margin of .24 seconds, 14:52.13 to 14:52.37. "He's definitely the hometown favorite, and he's got such great speed, we knew that this would be a great race in front of an appreciative crowd," Price said of Lassiter. In the sprint relays, the contest was -- at least according to the heavily Caribbean-leaning grandstands -- essentially USA vs. Jamaica. Chants for and against each country dominated Franklin Field during the marquee races between the world's fastest humans. At the end of the races, the dominant chant was "One-two," meant to emphasize the fact that American teams usually took first and second in every featured event. In the 4x100 men's relay, USA Red edged just past USA Blue to take the victory in a time of 38.22. The Jamaicans took third in 38.96. On the women's side the story was the same. America went one, two, with the islanders in third position. The script read the same in the 4x400, with USA taking top honors in both and with Jamaica crossing the line in the three spot.
Two teams, two vastly different assessments of America's grandest track and field spectacle. The Penn men's track team was vastly excited with a string of superb performances at this weekend's Penn Relays. The Penn women, meanwhile, were somewhat less wildly successful on the muc-lauded stage at Franklin Field. "We don't want to get too excited about it, but it was pretty damn encouraging," said senior captain Scott Clayton, who ran the 5,000 meters. Like many of the Quakers' other meets this season, the Relays were not scored on a team level. But the Penn men were proud of how they stacked up against the best competition in the land. Four men who were particularly happy with their efforts were those who participated in Saturday afternoon's 4x800 race. Sandwiched between Olympic development meets that featured the likes of world-record holders Marion Jones and Michael Johnson, Penn's 4x800 squad put forth a more-than-respectable performance before a crowd of 45,203, the third-largest Saturday crowd in Relays history. Junior captain Andrew Girardin, senior Craig Douglas and freshmen Greg English and Sam Burley completed the race with a time of 7:26, good enough for sixth place out of 13 teams. This was especially gratifying to Girardin, since Penn Relays Director Dave Johnson contemplated preventing the Quakers from even entering the 4x800. Johnson wondered how the Red and Blue would hold up on a national stage, coming off of a subpar race the previous week. "The Athletic Department didn't think we belonged there, so this was our way of showing that Penn's no joke," Girardin said. Aside from the actual 'relays', many other Quakers achieved individual success. Senior captain Sean MacMillan ran a brilliant 3,000-meter steeplechase on Thursday night. The distance runner posted a dazzling time of 8:40.29 in finishing fifth in a field of 25 and qualifying for the Olympic Trials. In the Relays field events, the Red and Blue were also solid. Sophomore Tuan Wreh placed fifth in the triple jump, not just in his grouping, but among all contenders who participated at the Relays. Wreh, who jumped Saturday morning, reached a distance of 52'1 3/4", establishing an outdoor personal record by an inch and falling short of his overall best by only a quarter of an inch. "I was happy with it," Wreh said. "I was satisfied for that day." And then, there was the machine known to most as Matt Pagliasotti. It seems like no meet this season would be complete without the senior thrower shattering his own Penn record in the hammer throw, which he seems to have an affinity for updating on a weekly basis. Pagliasotti finished fifth with his latest school record -- 205'8". On the women's side, there was less enthusiasm. The young team was overmatched in many events, and their nervous energy caused more difficulty. "The focus has been there; it's a lack of confidence," Penn head coach Betty Costanza said of her team's central problem this whole year. "We did not turn in performances I would liked to have seen." That said, though, several individuals did take a step forward. Sophomore Liz Wittels placed third in the pole vault with a clearance of 11'1/2", and freshman Julie Siebert-Johnson finished eighth in Thursday's javelin championship (136'2"). Costanza says both have been solid and continue to progress. "On any given day, they're going to be in the hunt at the [Heptagonal Championships]," she said. Senior captain Richelle Clements also said that she is proud of many of her teammates. Clements herself had to battle a difficult schedule that threw exams her way during the Relays. "I was really pleased to stay mentally tough and put in a good time," she said of her effort in running the 4x200. Now, with no meet for either the men or women this week, the immediate challenge is Heps, but the two teams couldn't be approaching the league championship from more different perspectives. "We're not in contention for the championship, and we're not even going to finish in the top five," Costanza said. The coach just wants to see a maximum effort. "Even if we finish toward the bottom, that's OK, as long as we reach our full potential," she said. The men, however, have raised their spirits following their success at Penn Relays.
The Award Plaque tradition continues, but not to the Penn women's crew's satisfaction. In the eight years that the Quakers have raced against Princeton and Dartmouth for the trophy, the varsity eight results have read -- Tigers, the Big Green and the Quakers. However, Saturday's race was one of the closest in the regatta's history, with only an eight-second margin between first and third place. "There was no open water between the boats at any given time. It was just a great race," Penn assistant coach Susan Hermann-Seybolt said. Penn's second varsity, first novice eight and second novice eight all finished third in their races as well. The varsity four placed fourth out of four boats. "I would have liked for them [the freshmen] to have been a few seconds closer, but they raced significantly better than the weekend before," Hermann-Seybolt said. The racing conditions on Princeton's Lake Carnegie provided a new challenge for the Red and Blue, which they hope to use to their advantage on May 14, at the EAWRC Sprints on Lake Waramaug in Prescott, Conn. "This race was the first race we had done into a direct headwind, and we know now that we need to work on some things in case the conditions at Sprints are similar," sophomore Cathlyn Sullivan said. Race experience against two solid crews seems to be the most valuable thing that the Quakers will take away from the regatta. "It's hard to lose, but we had a very solid race and we were very close to both Princeton and Dartmouth," junior Rachel Pringle said. On top of having to survive the final exam period during the upcoming week-and-a-half, the team will also have to focus intently on preparing for Sprints, which could be considered the culmination of the Quakers' season. "I want them to turn in their best races of the season, where everything that they've been working on comes together," Hermann-Seybolt said. The preparation will be more of a mental process, since the team's physical strength has pretty much been well-established now nearing the end of the spring season. "Our goals right now are to prepare mentally for Sprints. We've been doing a lot of physical training this entire season, but now for these next two weeks, we just need to get ourselves together both individually and as boats," Sullivan said. The competition looks to be closer than it has been in recent years, with the overall increase in speed of the field. "There will be a lot of fast crews. The whole field has really stepped it up this year, and our boat is significantly faster than it has been in past seasons. It will be exciting to figure out how we match up to the field," Pringle said. The Quakers need to race well at Sprints, as their finish there determines if they will receive a bid to the NCAA Championships held later this month on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J. In addition, with a strong performance, the Red and Blue will cap off what has been a strong spring season. "It's a good season to have under our belts in a building program. There was a lot of commitment, a lot of hard work and a lot of learning," Pringle said.
It is that time of year again. The sun has emerged from the clouds, the birds from their nests and Penn students from their dormitory solitude to begin preparing for final examinations. With exams looming in the not-too-distant future, students in the throes of reading days are adapting their lifestyles to the rigors of intensive studying. With modifications made to eating, sleeping and studying habits, they are buckling down during this stressful time. The first crucial decision for studying lies in the choice of venue. And students have chosen to hit the books just about anywhere but their dorm rooms. With TV all too distracting, the presence of roommates bothersome and the ability to constantly check e-mail tempting, dorm rooms can be breeding grounds for procrastination. "I get too distracted in my room," said College freshman Stephanie Hertz, echoing the feelings of many students. In addition to the traditional favorites -- the Van Pelt Library's Rosengarten Reserve Room and the Furness Fine Arts Library -- students with an overflowing supply of books and papers are flocking to Xando, the Penn Bookstore and the Silfen Study Center in Williams Hall. Freshmen need not stray from their beloved Quadrangle for the ideal location. They've been heading to McClelland Hall and the Ware College House study lounge to read, highlight and scribble notes. Also crucial to the success of a study location is the level of noise. Some feel that a touch of noise is crucial to effectiveness, while others swear by silence. "The bookstore is my favorite place to study," College freshman Rebecca Farr said. "There is enough noise, but it is white noise, so you can still concentrate." Others prefer the kind of study atmosphere where a book page turning causes all heads to turn. "Furness is my favorite place," Wharton freshman Dan Feldstein said. "It is totally quiet and distraction-free." Everyone takes a unique approach to the studying process. Some can be found in the library 24 hours a day, compulsively reading and re-reading, while others are confident in reviewing the material just once before the big day. And as study hours increase, students are catching less and less of that crucial shut-eye. Reading days can get the best of students, throwing them into vicious cycles of sleeping late and staying up until the wee hours of the morning. "I never sleep during finals," College junior Ryan Matthews said. In addition to bizarre sleeping patterns, students often hit the junk food along with the books. Long hours spent studying do not afford breaks for balanced meals. And with time at a premium, convenience foods like chips and soda are tempting. "I eat a lot of junk food. Just snacking a lot more in general," Matthews noted, adding that his foods of choice are pizza and ice cream. Though stressful now, when the last exam has been taken, students will pack up a year's worth of belongings and bid farewell to roommates, friends and, perhaps best of all -- final examinations -- for the summer.