250,000Dues-paying members of the National Rifle Association who live in Pennsylvania. Source: The Associated Press

Common Pleas Court Judge Rayford Means excused himself from the resentencing of former Penn professor Tracy McIntosh, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Friday. McIntosh, who pled no contest to charges relating to a 2002 sexual assault, was originally sentenced by Means to only 11 1/2 to 23 months of house arrest, partly due to McIntosh's societal value as a neurobiology researcher.

Every spring, over 200 students get locked up. Voluntarily. As part of an introduction to her Forensic Science course, Nursing professor Kathleen Brown leads her entire class behind prison bars. In small groups, students see the "slamming doors, the numerous keys - what the system is like" and speak with inmates about their experiences on the inside, Brown explained.

For those who have been involved with Penn since the beginning of the ranking system, the University's increase reflects a major transformation within the school - although changes to the ranking criteria have played a role as well.

You saw her on Hollywood Squares, you laughed at her in Sister Act and you cried with her in The Color Purple. And, if you're lucky enough to score a ticket, you may just get to see her at Irvine Auditorium next month. Whoopi Goldberg will be this fall's keynote speaker, according to a press release issued today by the Connaissance committee of the Social Planning and Events Committee.

College sophomore Anne Ryan died early yesterday morning of meningitis after being hospitalized on Saturday afternoon, University officials announced yesterday. It is still unclear how Ryan, 19, contracted meningococcal meningitis, a bacteria infection that affects part of the brain.

The University's review of hiring and admissions practices is nearing completion, though it is unclear what specific changes will result from the recommendations.

Imagine if an internal bleep censor screened out all the inappropriate words you heard everyday. You know, the ones that are shown as *@#&! in Sunday morning comic strips. That's the idea New York City Council members put into play last February when they passed a symbolic ban on the n-word.

It was a weekend of solid performances, but mixed results. The Penn women's soccer team followed a tough 1-0 loss Friday night against Michigan State with an easy 6-0 victory yesterday over Saint Joseph's.

Paul Glover says cities are like armies, and Philadelphia is camped way too far from its sources of supply - the average ingredient in a Philadelphia meal comes from 1,500 miles away.

A research paper by Penn scientists has brought science one step closer to yielding a cure to a devastating disease. In May, an international team of researchers, including five working out of Penn's School of Medicine, released a report that suggests that two forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, are actually two separate disorders that require separate treatment regimens.

As Penn and Brandywine Realty Trust are poised to develop the postal lands east of campus, the face of University City is ripe for transformation. Experts seem sold on the University's vision going forward, hopeful that it will provide a successful model for future development based on the partnership of the nonprofit and private sectors.

The odds did not favor Penn goalie Alanna Butera against Harvard on Saturday: she faced 10 shots on goal. Three found their way past her. Meanwhile, Crimson goalie Kylie Stone faced just five shots, and, predictably, only yielded a goal. Penn dropped to 0-4 with the 3-1 defeat.

While you would be hard-pressed to call the Penn women's soccer squad a group of grizzled veterans, they're hardly the new kids on the block. With a 2-0 record to start the year, the Quakers - who don't have a single senior on their roster - have relied on crafty shot- making and solid play in goal to try to improve over last year's 8-5-3 finish.

With the Quakers' new run-and-gun offense under coordinator Bill Schmitz, quarterback Robert Irvin will likely spread the ball around, and the offense must have a dependable third option at wideout.

Freshmen were already welcomed to Penn during Convocation, but second welcomings were widely available last night. Many Penn students were greeted once again yesterday as a number of Penn's student minority organizations invited the incoming class and returning students.

With only a 6-2 whooping by Seton Hall on its record so far, now's a good time for the men's soccer team to make a statement. Penn (0-1-0) will get its chance when it heads to the West Coast to knock heads with No.