Although Japanese geishas have not traded their traditional dancing for the flying kicks of martial arts, the title of Veronica Chambers' newest book, Kickboxing Geishas, describes the changing roles of Japanese women in modern society. Chambers, a freelance writer, visited the Penn Bookstore last evening, where she spoke to a small, intimate audience.

Until last week, Alexander Adkins was just another curious Psychology major looking for some direction. A College sophomore, Adkins says he's interested in law but wasn't sure how to combine that with his major - or what exactly he should do to pursue a career in either field, for that matter.

The Undergraduate Assembly released its Mid-Year Report, detailing major accomplishments from last semester and outlining projects currently in the works, in a school-wide e-mail sent Monday night. Highlighted UA activity featured in the report ranged from introducing the student body to Ruckus - the free online music downloading service that is reportedly used by 6,000 students - and increasing the number of shuttles to the airport during vacation seasons to promoting advocacy for the rights of AlliedBaron security guards.

Soon, the Spanish flavor of downtown Philadelphia may be heading west. A new restaurant headed by Jose Garces - executive chef of Center City's Amada and El Vez - will be coming to the Hub at 40th and Chestnut streets. The restaurant, with 8,400 square feet on the Hub's first and second floors, will be the largest of Garces's three restaurants, though all other details of the project - including its planned opening date, name, theme and menu - will not be determined until the summer.

Women earn well over half of all bachelor's degrees every year, and one researcher is attempting to find out why. Yesterday afternoon, before an audience of 40 people in the McNeil building, Claudia Buchmann discussed her recent paper - published in the American Sociological Review - in which she analyzes the resources and incentives that have put women in a favorable educational position.

It's a Thursday night, and Engineering sophomore Peter Na is planning to hang out with his friends. But Na isn't putting on a Lacoste shirt and heading to MarBar or Smoke's - he's starting up a voice-chat program and entering the world of Azeroth. This scenario was plausible until last August, when Na would log over 40 hours a week playing World of Warcraft, a massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG), created by Blizzard Entertainment and set in a fantasy world.

With Penn students in the thick of job hunting, many wonder how to explain one bad semester's GPA or incriminating Facebook.com photos. Career Services counselor Peggy Curchack held an informational workshop - with the fitting title, "When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade" - yesterday to discuss issues students wish they could avoid during job interviews.

At Penn, the disciplinary process isn't always straightforward with multiple steps, varying degrees of sanctions and numerous opportunities for appeals.

Jacob Bevilacqua is looking forward to Spring Fling because he expects to "get a lot of action." But for this Nursing sophomore, that action has nothing to do with his social life. Bevilacqua is a lieutenant in the Medical Emergency Response Team - a group of student-volunteer emergency medical technicians, started last year - and Fling, Bevilacqua said, is the organization's busiest time of year.

Competitive eating is not for those with light appetites. But the appetites were not light last night for the four students, who decided to challenge their stomachs - and each other - in the First Annual "Penn Wing Off" held at Hill College House. The contest, which began at 9 p.

When a business book published by Wharton hits the shelves next year, one of the authors may be Donald Trump. And another author may be your little brother. Partly devised by two Wharton staff members, the book is titled We Are Smarter Than Me and will be a collaborative effort written using a wiki style - meaning anyone can edit or contribute to it.

As Fortune 500 companies continue to diversify their offices with different types of top-tier students, candidates with disabilities may prove to be the next target audience. Last week, PepsiCo - the parent company of Pepsi, Frito-Lay and Tropicana - visited the University specifically to recruit students with disabilities, both physical and mental, for employment positions.

After an eight-month fight for his life, Barbaro's race is over. The Kentucky Derby-winning thoroughbred was euthanized yesterday morning after the onset of complications relating to his most recent procedure. Over the weekend, Barbaro's right hind foot was placed in an "external skeletal fixation device in order to provide the foot a chance to heal," Dean Richardson, Chief of Surgery at the Penn School of Veterinary Medicine's New Bolton Center, said in a press release.

For some Penn students, the crowning moment of Prince Charles's visit to Philadelphia this weekend was a on e-hour visit to the International House just a block from campus. Taking an opportunity to interact with local students during their tour of Philadelphia, Charles and his wife - Camilla Parker Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall - stopped by the International House Saturday afternoon to attend a student roundtable discussion focused on urban regeneration.

College junior Raha Mozaffari awoke to news she never expected on Saturday morning. Away visiting friends, she received word that a fire had broken out at her residence at 210 S. 41st St. at about 6:15 on Saturday morning.

The well-being of the world rested in the hands of 2,000 high-school students last Friday. The students - who came from all over the U.S. - were participating in the 23rd annual Ivy League Model United Nations Conference, organized by the Penn International Affairs Association.

Penn's main purpose may be to educate its students, but it seems like the Philadelphia Police Department could learn some lessons from the University as well.