With only two months remaining until critical elections take place across the country, current Penn students will not be the only ones considering whether to vote here in Philadelphia or in their home states. Recent Penn graduates who registered to vote in Pennsylvania while living in the city will also have to decide whether to cast a vote here - even though it may be illegal.

Alicia Puglionesi is a College sophomore from Havertown, Pa.

NEW ORLEANS - There's only one finished room in David Fountain's formerly flooded house in the Upper Ninth Ward, just a few blocks from the Habitat for Humanity construction site. But, oh, what a room. He's got a big color TV, Internet-connected computer, DVD player, VCR, camcorder, printer, CD player, some serious speakers and even a few old-fashioned turntables to spin records on.

Six years after the fight truly began, this city can finally bask in the glow of a victory for the people: Philadelphia has banned smoking from restaurants. On Thursday, Mayor Street announced - at the last possible moment, of course - that he had signed a ban that took City Council months to pass.

With a 2-1 victory over Penn (2-4, 1-1 Ivy) on Saturday, the Cornell field hockey team started out 4-0 for the first time in its history. Cornell took a 2-0 lead in the first half, while the Quakers were only able to convert once. Junior Melissa Black scored on a penalty corner as time wound down in the first half.

Wharton's current internal transfer policy admits students in descending order by GPA. This means students who take a light, easy courseload freshmen year have a better chance than those who challenge themselves.

EASTON, Pa. - How Robert Irvin would perform in his collegiate debut was almost as big a question as whether he would be the one lining up under center on Saturday. He answered both questions - not just by winning the starting job (several weeks ago, according to coach Al Bagnoli), but by earning the right to keep it.

After earning its first win this season in Fullerton, Calif., the Penn women's volleyball team celebrated California style: with a trip to the beach feasting on In-n-Out burgers. At the Holiday Inn Buena Park Fullerton Classic last weekend, the Quakers fell to San Diego State on Friday afternoon, 0-3, and to Cal State Fullerton, 3-1, on Saturday morning.

Penn sprint football quarterback Mike Loguidice led his team in a valiant attempt to win, but mistakes and a poor night of blocking dampened all hopes for capturing the Allegiance Bowl title. In the end, the Quakers fell to Cornell, 20-12. In the loss, Loguidice performed well, completing 15-of-25 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns.

Walk past Pottruck at 11 p.m. on just about any weeknight and you'll see scores of students burning calories on treadmills and stationary bicycles. But ten years ago, the Pottruck Health and Fitness Center didn't even exist, let alone have such accommodating hours.

I have two secrets. Secrets so horrible that less than five people know the awful truths. No, I don't sleep with a night light or sing in the shower. My secrets are much, much worse than either of those - at least within the hallowed halls of Huntsman.

There's going to be some stiff competition for student government this week. This semester has seen a dramatic increase in the number of freshmen candidates vying for both class-board and Undergraduate Assembly positions. With 41 candidates for the freshman class board and 29 candidates for the UA, there has been a 32-percent overall increase in the number of candidates.

If preseason success is any indication of a team's chances in weeks to come, then both the Penn men and women's cross country teams are heading toward very productive seasons. The men's team earned a first-place finish at Saturday's Lock Haven Invitational.

I suppose it's old news by now that Penn has fallen to No. 7 (from No. 4) in the U.S. News & World Report rankings this fall. What a disappointment! What did we do to deserve this? Increasing class sizes? Disappointing statistics for the Class of '10? And, most importantly, was Amy Gutmann reprimanded? Apparently not.

WILMINGTON, Del. - Prosecutors tried on Friday to paint Irina Malinovskaya as a woman so blinded by her obsession with ex-boyfriend Robert Bondar that she would go to any lengths - including murder - to get him back.

The Penn men's tennis team came up short at the Virginia Invitational, despite a successful first day. Senior Mikhail Bekker and sophomores Jonathan Boym and Justin Fox all won tough three-set matches on Friday to advance to the quarterfinals, but junior Jason Pinsky lost his first match.

A potentially deadly bacterium is spreading throughout the country, and spinach is the culprit. The recent discovery of E. coli in bagged spinach has prompted restaurants and supermarkets around campus to pull the vegetable from their stores. Warning signs have been put up in Houston Market and spinach - cooked or raw - has been removed from all campus dining locations, according to employees at 1920 Commons.