Penn's ban on NSO fraternity parties makes about as much sense as Prohibition. Since 1996, the University has forbidden InterFraternity Council member organizations from holding events during New Student Orientation. Administrators instituted the policy because the parties often conflicted with the NSO schedule, causing freshmen to skip important class events.

Though the economy has recently forced many students to tighten their belts, Penn is still encouraging seniors to give some of their extra cash back to the University. Yesterday marked the launch of the 2009 Senior Class Gift Drive, "Unite ONine" in which proceeds go towards the Penn Fund, an endowment for undergraduate education.

'In the far distance a helicopter skimmed down between the roofs," wrote George Orwell in the opening scene of his classic novel, 1984. "It was the police patrol, snooping into people's windows." So begins Orwell's terrifying vision of a future in which the state watches each and every citizen, keeping track of their habits, even dictating thoughts.

Director of Sustainability for Philadelphia Mark Alan Hughes presented a lecture on the city government's new plan for environmentally responsible change yesterday at the Chemistry Building. Hughes elaborated the steps needed to become more sustainable through internal bureaucracy changes and current action items.

The Rethinking Student Aid panel, an independent group of the country's top financial-aid and higher-education experts, has released a proposal to simplify the federal financial-aid system. Proponents hope the plan - which was in the works for two years - will make college more accessible for low- and moderate-income students.

Sex is shaking up campus - again. The literary erotica magazine Quake, which disappeared from Penn after a two-year existence from 2005-2007, is being reincarnated this semester. "Sexuality is very interesting," said College sophomore Trisha Low, Quake editor-in-chief.

For many Penn students, Chinatown is a place to go for bubble tea, a cheap bus ticket to New York or for BYOBs with inexpensive Asian food and lax enforcement of drinking laws. For the close-to-1,000 residents of Chinatown, it's home. Today's Chinatown grew from a small Chinese-owned laundry in the late 19th century into a true community with dozens of small businesses, arts organizations and a charter elementary school.

With so much attention bestowed on Penn quarterback Robert Irvin and his backup-slash-punter Kyle Olson, most people have probably forgotten about junior Brendan McNally. McNally saw some snaps in five games last year as the second-stringer to then-senior Bryan Walker.

Michelle Obama stood before a crowd of about 2,000 in southwest Philadelphia yesterday, and asked them to engage in something her husband knows all about: community organizing. "Everybody in this crowd knows 10 or 20 people who are not paying attention" to the election, said Obama, the wife of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

A Penn Masala YouTube video warns students against a "Facebook stalker." But, according to a recent study, the person carefully studying your facebook page may be none other than a college admissions officer. According to the Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions' fifth-annual survey of college admissions officers, "one in 10 college admissions officers visited students' social-networking pages as part of the evaluation process.

For weeks, Penn women's soccer coach Darren Ambrose has been preaching that his team must play at a high level for a full 90 minutes. Senior Molly Weir appears to have taken that message to heart. With 22 seconds left in yesterday's match against University of Maryland, Baltimore Country - and Penn already ahead 3-0 - Weir ran at full speed after a pass down the right side.

You've seen the flyers and the Sigma Kappa girls in their event t-shirts, but are you going to tonight's charity event Rock Steady? Well according to the sorority, you should be. The event is a Battle of the Bands, and the proceeds will benefit Alzheimer's research.

Members of the university and local community gathered in Irvine Auditorium to celebrate Iftaar and discuss the situation in Darfur- after sunset yesterday, which signaled the end of another day of fasting for Muslims observing Ramadan. Engineering sophomore Eyas Mahmoud explained the link between Ramadan and the situation in Darfur.

Jennifer Lesser is a College junior from Minneapolis, Minn. Her e-mail address is lesser@dailypennsylvanian.com.

For the first time since the Penn field hockey team's season opener, starting off strong wasn't a problem. Although coach Val Cloud didn't put peppers in their socks, the Quakers got on the scoreboard first. They passed more effectively and generated more chances.

Why do college students like Barack Obama? Sure - he's a fresh face on the scene who talks about a new kind of politics for America. But Obama's popularity runs deeper than vague ideas about change. College students like Obama because he stands for the issues they care about.

Meg Ryan closed her eyes, tilted her head back and moaned, "Oh god, oh god." She appeared to be experiencing an orgasm - but unknown to most men, she was faking it. Sex educators Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller presented this clip from When Harry Met Sally to introduce issues regarding female sexuality in their program "I