Despite concerns that the economic downturn would impede the number of free 10-day excursions Taglit-Birthright Israel could offer students this year, program directors say Penn-based trips will continue as usual. For the past decade, groups like Penn Hillel and Jewish Heritage Project have run the trips, which are sponsored by Birthright.

"What is the difference between a rock concert and a poetry reading?" Mark Halliday asked the crowd at his poetry reading last night at Kelly Writers House. "At a rock concert, you beg the performers to do more." Last night, Kelly Writers House hosted a poetry reading by former Penn professor and acclaimed poet Mark Halliday.

Theft Feb. 3 - A female student, 22, reported at about 8 p.m. that an unknown suspect removed the tire from her bicycle, which was secured outside Harnwell College House. Feb. 3 - A male student, 18, reported at about 7:15 p.m. that someone removed his unsecured bicycle from outside Gregory College House, located at 3909 Spruce St.

When telling the President wasn't enough, the sponsors of a petition on the economy sent a message to the future leaders of the country instead. Yesterday, The Cato Institute, a Washington-based think tank, placed ads in 15 student newspapers across the United States, including The Daily Pennsylvanian.

This time last year, Sarah Waxman was prepping for her senior season as goalie for the Penn women's lacrosse team - one that would culminate with a trip to the national championship game. Now, she finds herself 2,000 miles from Franklin Field, in Oaxaca, Mexico, teaching English and history to Mexican high-schoolers.

A degree from the University of Pennsylvania may be a meal ticket after all. Last night in the Fisher Fine Arts Library, Joel Berg, author of All You Can Eat, addressed the nature and history of "food insecurity" in America to a large and enthusiastic audience.

Janice Dow is a College sophomore from Los Angeles. Her e-mail is dow@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Can't think of what to get that special lady-friend of yours this Valentine's Day? Try a Planned Parenthood gift certificate! Last November, Planned Parenthood of Indiana began offering gift certificates in $25 increments to their customers. The certificates can be used for all the services the 35 Planned Parenthood of Indiana clinics provide, including checkups, contraceptives - and abortions.

Despite the Undergraduate Assembly's rejection of preceptorial funding for this year's annual wine-tasting class, the Preceptorials Committee has no sour grapes on its palate. During last year's UA budget meeting, the group opposed the costly wine preceptorial, decreasing funding allocated to the group from $13,000 the previous year to $11,500.

"If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?" So asks one performer in Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues - the popular play that is part of a global movement to stop violence against women and girls, now in its tenth year running at Penn. The name of that global movement is "V-Day," where "V" stands for "Victory," "Valentine" and "Vagina.

See Jack Eggleston run - the sophomore forward had logged more minutes than any Quakers player entering Saturday's contest against Cornell. See him jump - his one-handed, Palestra-rocking jam against Saint Joseph's a couple weeks back may well be the team's season highlight thus far.

Going into Saturday's matchup at Cornell, the Penn women's basketball team had scored more than 63 points in a game just once all season. That "high" came at a "low": in an 81-70 loss to Temple that marked the beginning of a month-long, eight-game losing streak.

There is no doubt that the College Houses are 11 distinct houses with different personalities. But there is no reason we should accept that some are characterized by a strong sense of community while others are condemned to be impersonal. Ever since being admitted, I've been told that students looking for strong and close living experiences should choose low rises or the Quadrangle, instead of the high rises.

Zack Crimmins isn't known for his shooting touch. Indeed, although he towers over most of his Ivy brethren - the Columbia center is one of three 7-footers in the league - he hardly dwarfs their box score accomplishments, netting just 45 points in his first 27 collegiate games.

Students pursuing dual degrees at Penn typically find it difficult to study abroad for a semester and still graduate within four years. But accomplishing this feat is now more reasonable with the rise in short-term study abroad programs - usually two to eight weeks in length - offered by Penn's four undergraduate schools.

If success has a price, Tyler Bernardini doesn't seem to be receiving his credit card bills. The expectations - stemming from an impressive freshman campaign - have built, but the sophomore guard is content to just give one response. "I'm just trying to play basketball.