'We would like to return to work with our writers. If we cannot, we would like to express our ambivalence, but without our writers we are unable to express something as nuanced as ambivalence." With characteristic wit, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert announced their intentions to resume their respective Comedy Central shows last week without their striking writers.

The biggest concern was rust. Heading into their match on Saturday, the No. 9 Quakers had not played a match in over five weeks, thanks to inclement weather and a long winter break. Yet No. 10 Navy had not competed in even longer - dating back to November - and it was unable to right the ship against Penn.

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When most astronauts go into space, they bring something special from home. Garrett Reisman, a 1991 Wharton and Engineering alumnus, is bringing an M&T; emblem and a piece of ENIAC, the very first computer, which was developed at Penn. Reisman will travel to the International Space Station for two months this March.

In contrast to the homicide and four major robberies that occurred over last year's winter break, University City experienced relatively few major crimes this vacation. Over the past month, three assaults and three robberies were reported in the Penn patrol zone.

Alicia Puglionesi is a College junior from Havertown, Pa. Her e-mail address is puglionesi@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Facing its biggest hurdle of the season so far, Penn fencing thrusted and parried its way to seven victories Sunday at the Philadelphia Invitational. The men thrashed both their competitors, Duke and North Carolina, en route to 20-7 and 17-10 victories, respectively.

After the men's basketball team struggled to find a groove through the first half of the season, winter break brought much of the same. Penn split its four games, 2-2. Here, The Daily Pennsylvanian recaps all of the hoops action from the last three weeks.

Meet Leo Charney: A Yale graduate with a masters in Film from New York University who is the public voice of Provost Ron Daniels. DP: Where are you from? Leo Charney: New York City. DP: Do you miss New York City now that you live in Philadelphia? LC: I'm happy not to live [in New York City.

Kurt Mitman, the Economics graduate student who took a leave of absence from Penn last January when his academic-release privileges from a Bucks County prison were revoked, has resumed classes after having been paroled in September.

Former University Chaplain William Gipson is making the leap from the chapel to College Hall. As the new Associate Vice Provost for Equity and Access, a position created this semester within the Office of the Provost, Gipson is taking the lead in maintaining Penn's reputation for prioritizing diversity in higher education.

Ten straight losses. Nine by double digits. And to cap it all off, a stumble out of the gate in the Ancient Eight. Any way you slice it, Penn women's basketball has seen brighter days. "It hurts, but we need to move on," said coach Pat Knapp after his team's 69-57 loss at Princeton on Saturday.

Last Friday the family of College sophomore Anne Ryan, who died from meningitis at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania on Sept. 9, filed a lawsuit against HUP alleging misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

The word is out, and so are the papers. Free copies of The New York Times will be available to students every weekday, starting today and continuing through April 19.

A Nov. 19 jury verdict finding the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania guilty of medical malpractice and responsible for damages totaling $1.74 million will come under question on Feb. 5. Following the death of her husband in 2003, Donna Traina, represented by attorney Timothy Lawn, filed a lawsuit against HUP, Mercy Suburban Hospital in Norristown and several doctors and medical personnel from both hospitals.

Last night at the Palestra, Penn's offense generated open looks at the basket time and time again. But the Quakers' shots just wouldn't drop, especially when they needed them most.

Poverty is rising in Philadelphia - faster than in the nation as a whole. As of 2005, 24.2 percent of the city - about 340,000 people - was living in poverty, according to data released this month by the U.S. Census Bureau. That number represents an increase from a poverty rate of 18.