Say the words "Big Red" to yourself - what comes to mind? A fire truck? Your Asian study partner's face after one drink? A cinnamon-flavored gum? Those giant cylinders outside the high rises, perhaps? What doesn't come to mind is a college's mascot. And yet, this is exactly what our friends from Ithaca, N.

Forget the Big Apple - Penn students might want to give the City of Brotherly Love a chance after graduation, especially if they are seeking a job.

With the Philadelphia Police Department, getting a copy of your own police report can take nearly three months.

CHICAGO - Penn alumnus Mark DeRosa became the first major-league free agent to switch teams this offseason, agreeing Tuesday to a $13 million, three-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. A nine-year veteran who played for the Quakers from 1994-96, winning an Ivy title in 1995, he is expected to be the Cubs' everyday second baseman next season.

To use a punting analogy, Daniel Gold got a bad snap. Ready to start his third semester abroad from the University of Melbourne...

Avery Lawrence is a College junior from Charlottesville, Va. His e-mail address is lawrence@dailypennsylvanian.com.

A year after students clashed with police and two were arrested at a popular sorority event, organizers are taking steps to avoid a repeat incident.

If you're afraid drunken Facebook photos and scandalous YouTube footage will scare employers away, here's a site that says it will come to your rescue. ReputationDefender.com, co-founded in the spring by 2004 Penn alumnus Ross Chanin, is an online service that searches the Internet for references to its clients.

Last week's midterm election marks a new day for Democrats; if they take advantage, they could retain power for years.

Hoping for revenge against the Tigers for a 3-1 defeat at the Palestra earlier in the season, the Penn volleyball team looked to get one back on Princeton's home court last night. In an electrifying and competitive match, the Quakers lost to the Tigers in three highly contested games (28-30, 25-30, 29-31).

The women's basketball team compiled a dismal 5-22 overall record last season, yet somehow eluded last place in the Ivy League with a 3-11 mark, beating out both Yale and Columbia. But coach Pat Knapp has already put on the blinders. "Our mentality is that we have moved forward.

Let there be no doubt about which of Penn's next two opponents is stronger. Yesterday Drexel whaled on Florida Gulf Coast, 73-37, in both teams' season opener.

The Quakers had one of the worst seasons in the history of Penn women's basketball last season, winning only five games. What little success they had, however, can largely be attributed to one player: Joey Rhoads. She sat on the bench for only 53 minutes of the 27-game season.

The Division of Public Safety has issued a crime alert in response to a robbery several weeks ago. Officials say a robbery occurred at about 11:20 p.m. Oct. 31 outside of Brownie's Bar on South 38th Street. The victim was then forced to withdraw $400 from his ATM account, officials say.

Everyone between the ages of 13 and 55 should get routine HIV tests, Student Health Service Director Evelyn Wiener said yesterday, and Penn has an obligation to help out. Penn offers free HIV testing, Wiener said, and she encouraged community members to take advantage.

An exhibit by disadvantaged community members has drawn interest - and some bids for the art.

The new cultural requirement for College students is a good start, but it must force us to confront social issues.