Thursday, April 11, 2002

by Jeremy Schifeling
Section Editor

The Housing Committee released the blocking assignments for 2002-03
yesterday. In all, 126 block applications were processed and 62 blocks were
awarded to 228 students. The first figure represents a 21% increase over
the 104 block applications received last year.

Of the blocking applications presented to the Committee, 42 received their
first choice and nine ended up being rejected due to ineligible students.

As is usual, Wharton and the Lodges were popular blocking choices, receiving
12 and 15 applications, respectively. The three Mertz sophomore blocks
(each consisting of two one-room doubles) were also in high demand, netting
a whopping 20 applications.

The experiment with coed housing also seems to have produced some results as
two of the four Worth coed halls and four of the five Lodges went to coed
groups. Last year, only two of the lodges and one of the Worth halls was
taken by a coed group.

Finally, 17 blocks were not applied for by any group, including blocks in
Hallowell, Parrish, ML, Roberts, and Willets. Additionally, none of the
four Pittenger blocks were chosen by any group.

————-

from the Swarthmore Police Department

* On 4/4/2002 at 11:05 a.m., Sergeant Wesley was performing a security check
of theSwarthmore Swim Club when he observed a plywood-covered window had
been pried open. Further investigation revealed a large sliding door
unsecured. A check of the office area disclosed the office had been
ransacked. Information from Swim Club officials indicated the property was
secure two weeks earlier. An initial survey failed to reveal anything
missing. Provisions for additional security are being made.

* On 4/7/2002 at 11:22 p.m., Officer Kline was in a marked police vehicle
traveling north on S. Chester Road near Yale when he observed a southbound
vehicle operating with high beam headlights. The vehicle failed to lower the
headlights. Officer Kline turned around to warn the operator and observed
the vehicle travel over the white shoulder line twice. The vehicle was
signaled to stop. As the officer was asking for the operator’s license and
owner’s information an odor of intoxicants was detected. The driver failed
several field sobriety tests and was arrested for driving under the
influence. Subsequent investigation revealed the operator had a license
suspension for a previous DUI violation.

* On 4/8/2002 at approximately 5:30 p.m., a bicyclist was in the vicinity of
Strath Haven Avenue and Mt. Holyoke when an occupant of a passing vehicle
threw a half-full plastic bottle at her. The bicyclist obtained the
registration number of the vehicle and provided police with a description of
the driver. Officer Hinckley is investigating.

*****

* The hopes for a peace agreement are growing even slimmer as Palestinian
and Israeli violence continues in the Middle East. Yesterday, a suicide
bombing attack on an Israeli bus during rush hour killed eight and wounded
at least 12. Meanwhile, Palestinian officials are placing the death toll of
the recent Israeli attacks at 500. Secretary of State Colin Powell is
scheduled to arrive in Jerusalem today and will meet with Israeli leaders
on Friday. He also placed high priority on meeting with Palestinian
president Yasser Arafat, saying that would be a key component in
progressing with cease-fire negotiations. While the U.N. continues to call
on Arafat to end the suicide attacks and on Israeli prime minister Ariel
Sharon to withdraw from Palestinian cities, the bombings continue and
Sharon has only agreed to withdraw after the Israeli offensive is complete.

* In the Senate yesterday, President Bush backed a bill proposed by
Senators Sam Brownback (R) and Mary Landrieu (D) that would outlaw human
cloning in all forms, including techniques that would help regenerate
tissues for injured or ill patients. Several Senators have said, however,
that they plan to present an opposing bill that would ban reproductive
cloning to create babies but would allow a certain kind of cloning, called
“therapeutic cloning,” for medical purposes. Bush has said that he
has a
moral obligation to veto any bill that allows any form of human cloning,
saying, “As we seek to improve human life, we must always preserve human
dignity, and therefore we must prevent human cloning by stopping it before
it starts.” In response, Pennsylvania Republican Senator Arlen Specter
said, “Ideology has no place when it comes to medical science.”

* Edward Lutes, a veteran New Jersey police officer opened fire in the Toms
River area late on Tuesday night, killing five civilians and wounding his
police chief before taking his own life in the front seat of his car,
parked in an elderly woman’s driveway. Officials say Lutes was armed with
his service pistol and an assault rifle, and that he had had some
disagreements with his neighbors in the past. Police could not comment on a
possible motive or whether the elderly woman had a connection to Lutes.

*****

“It’s a Small World – Making Moiin Mississippi: A Documentary about Home
away from Home”
by Mareike Schomerus, TV Journalist
Kohlberg 226, 4:00 p.m.

Juniors Workshop – Career Services
Trotter 301, 7:00 p.m.

Hong Kong Movie Night: “Return of the Dragon”
SCCS Lounge, 7:30 p.m.

Fete Francais
Scheuer Room – Kohlberg, 7:30 p.m.

—————–

“Les Cuisses Françaises”
(French Legs)
Thursday, April 11 (one night only)
7.30 pm
Scheuer Room

Sponsored by French Section (MLL Department), the President’s Office, the
Provost, Theatre Studies, and SAC.

It will be a mix of events that celebrate the French language: théâtre
excerpts from Molière’s comedies, Francophone poetry recitations, French
music, a mini-French cheese lecture, and lots of authentic French cuisine
(French cheeses/pâté, quiches, pastries, croissants, tartes, baguettes).

Although the entire night will be in French, there will be English
translations (on paper), so it is completely open to the public.

Students performing theatre: Jason Burton ’02, Fabienne François ’02,
Anne
Hoang ’02, Andrew Kramer ’02, Gabrielle MonDésire ’03, Marcella Tortora
’02.

Students reciting poetry: Emmanuelle Gounot ’04, Rodliz Gilpin-Jackson ’02,
David Owen ’05, Stéphanie Losq ’05

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

This past weekend, the men’s ultimate frisbee team put together an amazing
run at Penn State’s annual Spring Fling tournament, taking third place
despite the presence a number of higher-ranked squads. Seeded seventh in
the competition, Swat proceeded to win five straight games against
increasingly tough opponents – including big wins against #1 NC State and #4
Wesleyan. While the team lost its final match, 15-4 to Cornell, the
eventual tournament champions, Swat’s impressive performance will likely
earn it a boost in the national rankings. Currently pegged at #50, the
squad will almost certainly be placed in the top 30 in the land when the new
rankings come out. With a 5-1 weekend record, Swat’s season tally improves
to 33-12. The team will next be in action this weekend when they travel to
New Haven for the Yale Cup.

*****

The women’s rugby team had a decent showing at this past weekend’s West
Chester tournament. In their first game, against Shippensburg, the
Warmothers fell 3-0, despite a contested penalty kick and some questionable
time-keeping. In their next match, the ruggers held a powerful James
Madison squad to a 0-0 draw, getting strong performances from Taina Guarda,
Sarah Nusser, Katie Harper. And in their final game of the tourney, Swat
finally notched a win with a 7-0 victory over Ohio State University II. In
that contest, Harper provided the winning score, and Nusser completed the
conversion. The Mothers next take to the pitch this Saturday, when they
host Franklin & Marshall.

*****

* Jermaine O’Neal scored 29 points and pulled down 15 rebounds for his 38th
double-double of the year to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 98-82 victory over
Toronto last night, snapping the Raptors’ nine-game winning streak. The
Pacers, who had just lost to the Raptors last Sunday night, and whose hopes
for a playoff spot seemed to be slipping away, have narrowed the deficit
with last night’s win to within one game of the Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks,
who are tied for the seventh and eighth playoff spots in the NBA’s Central
Division. The Bucks, who led the Central Division two months ago, dropped
into the tie with Toronto after losing their fourth game in a row and their
10th straight on the road to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 106-81. The Bucks will
travel to Indiana to play the Pacers on Friday night.

* High-priced new acquisition Jason Giambi hit his first two home runs as a
Yankee in his first two at-bats during last night’s game against the Toronto
Blue Jays, but the Blue Jays had the final word. Felipe Lopez homered off
Ted Lilly to break a 7-7 tie in the seventh inning and Carlos Delgado
followed with a solo shot off Steven Karsay in the eighth to give Toronto a
9-7 victory, bringing an end to the Yankees’ seven-game win streak.
Elsewhere in baseball, the Phillies claimed their second straight victory
over last year’s league champion Atlanta Braves, winning the game 7-5 in the
11th inning by virtue of a two-run homer by Pat Burrell. The Cincinnati Reds’
team
doctor has confirmed that all-star center fielder Ken Griffy Jr.’s
right knee injury will sideline him for the next three to six weeks. The
Reds placed Griffy on the 15-day disabled list on Monday after he tore his
patella tendon and partially dislocated his kneecap in a rundown during
Sunday’s game with the Montreal Expos.

* The Philadelphia Flyers failed to clinch the Atlantic Division title last
night as they were shut out 1-0 by the New Jersey Devils. Devils’ goalie
Martin Brodeur, who has not allowed more than three goals in a game since
January 17, stopped 22 shots in last night’s victory, and John Madden scored
the lone goal of the contest with 10:42 remaining in the third period. The
Flyers will probably finish as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference
behind the Boston Bruins. With last night’s win, the Devils edged out the
New York Islanders for sixth place in the conference, which contains eight
playoff spots. The regular NHL season is now in its final days, with most
teams having two or three games left to play and the first playoff contest
scheduled for April 17.

* The Masters begins today at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia and
defending champion Tiger Woods is the odds-on favorite to claim the
legendary green jacket. However, Woods and his fellow duffers will be
facing a more challenging course than ever before, with Augusta having
undergone massive renovations since last year’s tournament. Not only have
300 yards been added to the course, but additional trees and hazards have
been placed throughout the links to make it more difficult for powerful
golfers who have dominated the field in recent years.

*****

Today:
Women’s tennis hosts Bryn Mawr, 3:30 p.m.
Women’s lacrosse hosts Bryn Mawr, 4:00 p.m.

Tomorrow:
Golf at Holy Family, 1:00 p.m.
Baseball at Muhlenberg, 3:45 p.m.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Punctuality is the virtue of the bored.”
–Evelyn Waugh

*****
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