Friday, October 27, 2000

Friday, October 27, 2000
Volume 5, Number 31

The Daily Gazette Web Site. Now with LIVE Updates 24 Hours A Day.
http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/daily

NEWS IN BRIEF

1) ITS responds to allegations of copyright infringement
2) Sharples changes plans for Homecoming
3) “Supporting Black Athletes” talk today
4) World news roundup
5) Campus events for the week

SPORTS IN BRIEF

1) World sports roundup
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests

WEATHER FORECAST

Today: Fog, then sun. Highs around 70.
The heavens spoke to me tonight.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s.
An angel from above said, “Thou hast worked too much, and thou hast not slept. But lo! Thou shalt be rewarded…

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s.
“This Saturday night,” the angel said, “thou shalt turn his clock back one hour.”

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s.
And it was good.

TODAY’S SHARPLES MENU

Lunch: Tortellini di fiesoli, lattice cut french fries, *Cajun black beans, spinach, corn
**Wrap bar

Dinner: Chicken parmesan, pasta, eggplant parmesan, *sweet and sour tofu, zucchini italiano, broccoli
**Potato bar

NEWS REPORT

1) ITS responds to allegations of copyright infringement

Twice in the last month, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has contacted Swarthmore’s Information Technology Services (ITS) regarding alleged violations of copyright laws. As a result, ITS released a statement to the College community Wednesday, presenting the school’s position on copyright protection.

The allegations, put forth in an e-mail from the RIAA’s Anti-Piracy division, were directed at two Swat-hosted web sites which the author maintained were “offering full-length sound recordings for users to download.” At least one of the two sites was running a Hotline server which allows visitors access to files only with special software.

The email requested the school’s “assurance that this unauthorized activity will cease,” and asked the ITS to “notify the site operator of the illicit nature of this conduct.”

Under the stipulations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), the College is required to follow through on these requests or face liability as an Online Service Provider. Failure to comply can result in monetary damages equal to the plaintiff’s financial loss or up to $30,000 per document in statutory punishment.

This liability can be avoided if the school processes the copyright holder’s request to the full extent of its legal obligations. The procedure entails removing the infringing material and notifying the subscriber (the individual who posted the material) of the accusation and their rights in the matter. Then, the subscriber has the option of complying with the request or claiming “fair use” (legal usage of the material), in which case the material is to be temporarily re-posted and the accuser made aware of the claim.

Finally, the copyright holder and the accused must settle their agreement through legal methods. Though the College must facilitate the copyright holder’s investigation, Stephen Maurer, Associate Provost of Information Technology, made it clear in the ITS public statement that “the DMCA does not require the College to police the Internet activities of its faculty, staff or students.”

Furthermore, when questioned later, he noted that “outside copyright holders can only find out what is publicly accessible; we do not help them and do not have to help them.”

Nevertheless, Maurer regards controversial file-sharing applications such as Napster, as “publically announced,” and therefore any copyright infringement which occurs over these services falls under the jurisdiction of the DMCA and can be prosecuted.

Therefore, the ITS recommends that “Swarthmore College members… inspect their sites and remove materials which they see to be in violation of copyrights.”

For more information about the DMCA and the College’s position, please review the Swarthmore College Copyright Guidelines at http://www.swarthmore.edu/Library/campuspolicies/copyright.html.

– Jeremy Schifeling

2) Sharples changes plans for Homecoming

This Saturday, things will be a little different down at Sharples.

First of all, there will be no open door policy. Sharples will close it’s doors after breakfast at 9:30, and they won’t reopen until 4:30 for the start of dinner.

This is because in between, lunch will be served from 11:00 – 1:30 on the lawn by the fraternity houses as part of the Homecoming festivities.

As reported in an email by Dining Services director Linda McDougall, the lunch menu includes “Marinated chicken breast, hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, veggie baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad, mixed green salad, and lots of cookies.”

In the case of rain the same menu will be served inside Sharples.

3) “Supporting Black Athletes” talk today

This Friday at 1:00 p.m. in LPAC Cinema, as part of The Black Cultural Center’s 30th anniversary Collection Series, Mr. Jair Lynch will lecture on “Supporting Black Athletes.”

Mr. Lynch, a graduate of Stanford University in 1994, became the only African American male gymnast ever to medal in Olympic competition (1996) and the only American to medal on the seven-member men’s gymnastic team. Since the Olympics, he has won a host of accolades, including keys to the city of Washington, D.C., and a proclamation from San Francisco mayor Willie Brown.

Recently, Jair was featured in USA Weekend alongside such notables as Jerry Rice, Bryant Gumbel and Jay Leno. On the cover of Leading Authorities 1997 Guide to America’s Best Speakers and Entertainment, he recently completed a Caribbean Island Gymnastics Tour, traveling with coaches and equipment to teach children through a series of clinics.

A discussion with Mr. Lynch and members of the Athletic Department focused on the experience of students of color athletes will be held in Kohlberg 228 at 2:30 p.m. All are welcomed.

4) World news roundup

Jerusalem police planned to restrict Palestinians from weekly Muslim prayers at Jerusalem’s main holy site on Friday. Only men over 35 would be allowed to attend the noon prayers at Al-Aqsa mosque. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces dumped reinforcements into east Jerusalem on Friday as threats of new violence loomed after a Palestinian suicide bomber struck a military outpost in the Gaza Strip.

Less than two weeks from Election Day, Republicans pushed a tax-cut package and a spending bill through the House of Representatives Thursday, along with a warning that if President Clinton delivers on his promise to veto the proposals it will hurt Democrats’ prospects in the elections. …Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is recovering in a New York hospital Friday after suffering a heart attack two days earlier. A spokesperson for the hospital said Kissinger, 77, is doing well, but will nonetheless remain at the hospital for a few more days. 

Police in Sri Lanka detained 300 people for questioning after a Sinhalese mob attacked a rehabilitation center for former Tamil rebel child soldiers, killing 25 of them. Survivors accused the police of participating in the attack by angry villagers and doing little to halt the mob violence.

5) Campus events

Friday

Roundtable Discussion on the Hispanic Experience at Swarthmore
InterCultural Center, 12:30 p.m.

Collection: “Supporting Black Athletes” by Mr. Jair Lynch
LPAC Cinema, 1:00 p.m.

Dash for Cash
Parrish, 1:00 p.m.

“Molecular Analysis of Somite and Vertebral” by Dr. Rocky Tuan, Thomas Jefferson University
Kirby Lecture Hall, 2:00 p.m.

Externship Orientation
Bond Memorial Hall, 3:00 p.m.

Shabbat Services and Dinner
Bond Memorial Hall, 5:30 p.m.

Movie: Fargo
Dupont 161, 7:30 & 10:30 p.m.

International Club Movie Night
Kohlberg 116, 7:30 p.m.

A Cappella Concert: Sticks and Stones and Mixed Company Featuring the Columbia University Metrotones
Mephistos Lounge, 7:30 p.m.

SQU Movie Night
InterCultural Center, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday

Jumble Sale
Friends Meeting House, 9:00 a.m.

Alumni Student Career Networking Dinner
Upper Tarble, 6:00 p.m.

Movie: 1941
Dupont 161, 7:30 & 10:30 p.m.

Senior Recital – Kristin Chadderton, piano.
Lang Concert Hall, 8:00 p.m.

6 Cents Annual Halloween Show
Olde Club, 8:00 p.m.

Rose Tattoo Cafe
Paces, 8:00 – 10:30 p.m.

Sunday

Celebration of Mass
Bond Memorial Hall, 11:00 a.m.

Protestant Worship
Bond 2nd floor Worship Room, 4:00 p.m.

SPORTS UPDATE

1) World sports roundup

New York can go back to just being the center of the universe, because the threat of apocalypse is over. The New York Yankees are once again the World Series Champions, as they defeated the New York Mets 4-2 in Thursday’s Game 5. The Yankees are winners of four of the last five World Series’, a record 26 overall, and they are the first team to win three straight since the ’72-’74 Oakland Athletics. The Mets were the victims of the second of those A’s championships in 1973. …After a six-week layoff, Tiger Woods came storming back to the PGA tour Thursday, shooting a first-round 63 for a share of the lead in the National Car Rental Classic at Disney World.

2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests

Today:

There are no contests scheduled for today.Field hockey hosts Washington – Centennial Conference Semifinals, 2:30 p.m.

Saturday:

Men’s Cross Country Centennial Conference Championships at Western Maryland, 11:00 a.m.
Women’s Cross Country Centennial Conference Championships at Western Maryland, 12:00 p.m.

Homecoming contests (all at Swarthmore)
Women’s soccer vs. Haverford, 12:00 p.m.
Football vs. Franklin & Marshall, 1:00 p.m.
Men’s soccer vs. Muhlenberg, 2:00 p.m.

Sunday:

There are no contests scheduled for Sunday.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Talk doesn’t cook rice.” – Chinese proverb