Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
The Daily Gazette
Swarthmore College
Tuesday, February 23, 1999
Volume 3, Number 80
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) New voice mail voice explained
2) World news roundup
3) Campus events
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) World sports roundup
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Partly cloudy. High around 30.
So winter’s finally here.
Tonight: Cloudy. Lows in the teens.
It almost makes you look forward to going to Sharples…
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy. High in the mid 30s.
Just for the near-endless supply of hot chocolate and those cute little
marshmallows.
NEWS REPORT
1) New voice mail lady explained
You walk into your room and dread seeing that little red light blink–not
because you know it’s from some annoying person who wants something from
you, but because you can’t stand to hear that irritating new wail, “voice
mail, voice mail.” Well, sadly, we’re stuck with it.
According to Greg Hartley, Telecommunications Administrator, the reason for
the new voice is a software upgrade to Swarthmore’s telephone equipment,
which was necessary to meet Y2K requirements, because the previous software
release was not guaranteed to work after 12/31/99.
So why is the new voice only present in the initial report of voice mail
while the rest of the system continues to operate using the same old voice?
Hartley says that changes in the messages are made on a regular basis, and
only that one feature needed to be altered this time around. Although there
have been software upgrades in the past, the voice was always belonged to
the same person, but this time, the company used a different person to
record the greetings, announcements and other spoken messages on the latest
software release.
Hartley reports that while this has happened before, the response this time
has been overwhelming, “Last year, when we upgraded our voice mail
software, the person’s voice stayed the same, but her tone was different. A
few people complained, but nothing like the feedback I am getting about
this recent upgrade,” he said.
Since this is the new voice that the company uses to record its messages,
does that mean that future changes to the system will feature this
irritating tone? It remains to be seen, but for now, be glad that “voice
mail” is all you’re hearing from that voice.
*****
2) World news roundup
AROUND THE WORLD IN 200 WORDS…
The deadline for peace talks in Kosovo is 3:00 p.m. Tuesday (1400 GMT), but
neither side will concede enough to reach an agreement. The Serbs seem to
be willing to accept a deal, but refuse to allow NATO troops into the area
to uphold an agreement. If no deal is reached, NATO might strike at
Yugoslav targets, but only if they are seen as blocking the peace
efforts…. Fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea broke out again yesterday
when Ethiopian air force and artillery attacked three sites simultaneously.
The Ethiopians claim that they are only trying to regain territory lost to
the Eritreans during previous fighting. So far no attempts at brokering a
cease fire have been succesfull. In 1993 Ethiopia allowed Eritrea to become
independent and until recently the two countries were considered allies….
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji is in Moscow to discuss new trade agreements
between the two countries which would help the depressed Russian
economy…. A federal judge found Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and
Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin in contempt for failing to produce
documents relating to a 1996 lawsuit filed by five American Indians claimig
that the US government mismanaged the American Indian trust funds.
*****
3) Campus events
“The Role of CDC25 Phosphatase, String in Cell Proliferation and Pattern
Formation During Drosophilia Eye Development”
National Institute of Health, Laboratory of Molecular Development
Dupont 190, 4:15 p.m.
Panel Discussion on W.E.B. DuBois for Black History Month
Kirby Lecture Hall, 4:15 p.m.
Roundtable on Affirmative Action
Intercultural Center, 5:00 p.m.
Talk by Rinchen Dharlo of the Tibet Fund
Beardsley 316, 7:00 p.m.
Research Assistant Program at Northwestern University Information
Session
by Dr. Charles Bennett
Kohlberg 202, 7:00 p.m.
“Engineering the Campus: How the Design Decisions that Impact Our Daily
Lives at Swarthmore Are Made”
by Dan Salameda, Civil Engineer for Swarthmore
Kohlberg Scheuer Room, 7:30 p.m.
Rosh Chodesh: Women’s Celebration of the New Moon
Lodge Five, 8:00 p.m.
Ballroom Practice
Upper Tarble, 9:30 p.m.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) World sports roundup
Dennis Rodman held a press conference Monday to report his intention of
signing to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. He said that despite the fact
that there are things that need to be worked out in the contract, he
expects to be in a Lakers uniform as soon as Thursday’s game against the
Clippers. …Meanwhile, his team to be lost an overtime thriller in Denver,
as the Nuggets pounded the Lakers for a 117-113 win. Shaquille O’Neal
fouled out late in regulation, and Elden Campbell joined him at the onset
of the extra period. Former Laker Nick Van Exel dished out 13 assists for
Denver and rookie Raef LaFrentz scored 20 points, including 6 in OT. …No.
4 UConn clinced at least a share of the Big East championship with a 72-65
win over Providence Monday night.
*****
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
TODAY
No contests are scheduled for today.
TOMORROW
No contests are scheduled for tomorrow.
*****
Interested in reporting or writing for the Gazette?
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gazette-management@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
Got a news or sports tip for us?
E-mail gazette-news@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
Editorial Board
Jeff Heckelman
Melanie Hirsch
Claire Phillips-Thoryn
Staff Writers
Jack Borrebach
Ben Geller
Joseph Genereux
Megan Haberle
Alma Ortiz
Jessica Salvatore
Weathercaster
Melanie Hirsch
Online Editor
Lorrin Nelson
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This concludes today’s report.