Tuesday, November 5, 2002

by Megan Mills
Gazette News Reporter

Last Wednesday evening, Zakir Hussain, Rennie Harris Puremovement, and
Spoken Hand Percussion Orchestra put on a stunningly energetic and
innovative show in LPAC, combining traditional drumming with such modern
elements as a DJ and hip-hop dancers. While Swatties happily enjoyed the
fusion of Flammable Contents: ZH/RH/SH, one of the performers was undergoing
a serious medical emergency.

Lenny Seidman, a tabla player for Spoken Hand, has a condition called
tachycardia, in which attacks of increased heart rate cause less blood to be
pumped through the system, leading to fainting spells, blackouts, and
possible unconsciousness and cardiac arrest. Seidman began to feel one of
these attacks occur at the very start of the group’s campus performance. He
recalls sweating profusely and feeling his heart pound during the show,
admitting that this affected his focus. Nevertheless, he persevered until
intermission, when one of the other performers noticed that something was
wrong.

An ambulance was called, medical staff in the audience were asked to offer
assistance, and within minutes the backstage area was swarming with EMTs,
ushers, and even a cardiologist. Despite being given an injection to calm
his heart, Seidman recalls feeling pushed on by the lure of the performance:
“As I heard the music start for the second set I got even more anxious about
not being there, which made my heart pound even more.”

During the intermission, everyone nearby tried to force Seidman to go to the
hospital. The drummer refused, declaring that he couldn’t miss an event one
and a half years in the making. Perfoming is “why we are alive,” he said.

He was very upset that his condition did not improve sufficiently in time
for him to be onstage for the song Z-9, which was “the most challenging
piece.” Luckily, three minutes before his cue for his next song, his face
changed from “blue back to normal” and his pulse slowed enough for him to
continue with the performance.

Still, the cardiologist spoke very sternly to Seidman and continued to urge
him to go to the hospital. Seidman, though, believes he saw a “twinkle” in
the doctor’s eye, who just happened to be a classically-trained south Indian
dancer. “I think he understood,” Seidman said.

Before he could return to the stage however, Seidman had to sign a release
form indicating that he knew his condition was life-threatening and
acknowledging that he had agreed to forego medical treatment.

“Deep down, I didn’t think it was a risk to my health,” he remembers. “I
might have been a fool… but I’d rather expire playing music. I feel like I
made a good decision for myself.”

by Evelyn Khoo
Living & Arts Editor

With election fever striking the entire country, Swarthmore has not been
immune.  And on this, the most important political day of the year, weeks of
preparation may come to fruition for the College’s party-affiliated student
groups.

Swarthmore’s College Democrats have been very active in the run-up to
Election Day.  The energetic co-presidents of the College Democrats, Adam
Gerber and Sam Berger ’05 (who insisted that the quote “Go Democrats!” be
included somewhere in this article), have arranged for vans to drive
registered voters to polling places, with the vans leaving the Rose Garden
at 4 and 6 p.m. this evening. They have also arranged for a number of
students to travel to other districts and go door-to-door, encouraging
people to vote.

The Dems have also been busy helping out in some local campaigns, including
former Philly mayor Ed Rendell’s gubernatorial bid. Gerber noted that the
group did a “literature drop” in the area, building support for Rendell.

However, the number of students registered in this district is small, as
Berger noted: “Most Swatties aren’t politically apathetic. They do care
about politics, but its mostly politics back in their home states and
districts. They’re pretty indifferent to local politics here.”

Still, the Dems plan to change this traditional pattern. Said Berger: “We’re
hoping to bring more speakers to campus. Hopefully, with speakers of some
renown discussing issues, more students will want to get involved locally.”

Gerber spoke enthusiastically about the registration drives the College
Democrats organized several times this semester. “We gave out a lot of voter
registration applications, a form that’s accepted in 49 states and allows
you to register in another district,” said Gerber. “A lot of people took
forms.”

Their efforts have not been without complications though.

“We found out that the College is split into 2 precincts: people living in
Wharton and Danawell are considered part of the Western precinct while the
rest of the campus is part of the Northern precinct, which means some
members of the College have to go to a different polling place,” said
Berger. “Thankfully, the van-drivers know where to go!”

Unlike two years ago, when some Swat Democrats experienced voting problems
that they felt were due to partisan interest in the heavily Republican
community, the two co-presidents have not run into any such barriers thus
far.  Nevertheless, they are taking precautions in the light of that
incident.

Said Gerber: “We encouraged people to enter ‘No Party’ on their
[registration] forms, so they wouldn’t run into any difficulties.”

On the other end of the political spectrum, Randy Goldstein ’05, president
of the College Republicans, has already sent in his absentee ballot and will
be watching the elections, particularly the Colorado and Arkansas races,
avidly.

Although the College Republicans are not organizing anything for the
elections on campus, since, according to Goldstein, many are not registered
in the area, members are actively working on campaigns.

Goldstein is far from intimidated by the largely liberal campus atmosphere
of Swat, saying, “I’m happy there are enough Conservatives here to provide
some diversity.”

One event that might be of interest to Swat Republicans is the upcoming
visit by David Horowitz, a well-known conservative pundit who will be coming
to campus on December 3rd.

———-
Polls will be open today 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  If you’re registered to
vote in the area, call the League of Women Voters at 1-800-692-7281 to find
your polling place.

*****

* A US missile killed six suspected al Qaeda members traveling in Yemen on
Monday morning. One of the people killed has been tentatively identified as
Abu Ali, a former bin Laden security guard who is suspected to have been
instrumental in the attack on the USS Cole in October 2000. The car in which
the men were traveling was hit by a single Hellfire missile fired from an
unmanned Predator aircraft. Neither the CIA nor the Pentagon commented on
the matter on Monday. Walid Al-Saqqaf, managing editor of the Yemen Times,
said that it was believed that Ali had been harbored by tribesmen in Yemen,
and had been the target of a massive manhunt by Yemeni officials.

* Polls conducted in the past few days show Democrat Ed Rendell with a small
but significant lead in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race over Republican
Mike Fisher, but both candidates maintained a frenetic pace leading into
Election Day. Both candidates attended numerous church services over the
weekend, and then spent Monday holding rallies with their respective core
constituencies. Polls suggest that slightly more than 3 million of
Pennsylvania’s registered voters will turn out to vote today.

* A suicide bomber attacked a shopping mall in Kfar Saba, Israel on Monday,
killing two others as well as himself. Officials announced that at least 20
more people were injured, one seriously. A group identifying itself as the
Jerusalem Brigades claimed responsibility for the attacks in a number of
phone calls to news organizations. The Jerusalem Brigades is thought to be a
relatively new group with possible connections to both Hamas and Islamic
Jihad.

* A federal judge ordered teen sniper suspect John Lee Malvo detained in a
closed hearing in US District Court on Monday. The hearing was closed to the
public, and no further information was released due to Malvo’s age. The
judge also ordered that the records of the hearing remain sealed.

*****

Movie Viewing for Amnesty International
Kirby Lecture Hall – Martin, 5:00 p.m.

Aikido Club Practice
Wrestling Room – Lamb-Miller Field House, 7:00 p.m.

Argentine Tango Class
Upper Tarble, 9:00 p.m.

Animal Rights Coalition Meeting
Hicks 211, 9:15 p.m.

————
This Thursday, November 7th @ 7:30 p.m.
Tom Key portrays “C.S Lewis Onstage,” Upper Tarble
Sponsored by SCF, SWIL and the Cooper Foundation.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

by Holice Kil
Gazette Sportswriter

The Mothership Resurrection defeated the Erratic Jumpshots 35-26 on Sunday
to even their best-of-three, intramural basketball championship series at
one game apiece.

Tough defense from both sides kept the score low and close throughout the
first half, but strong defensive rebounding by the Mothership in the second
allowed them to push the ball against an otherwise impenetrable zone defense
for some easy baskets. Paul Wulfsberg ’03 of the Jumpshots led all scorers
with 15 points despite being sick; Philip Garboden ’02 paced the Mothership
with 12, coming back to play for his beloved squad months after graduation.

Both players’ dedication demonstrate just how devoted students can be to
their IM basketball teams.

“There were a bunch of guys who were ready to lay down the funk, and so we
got together,” recalls Ruben Juarez ’03, captain of the Mothership. The team
originated as the Mothership Connection in the 98-99 school year, with its
roster being culled from a core group of Willets 2nd South frosh.
After four years of failing to win the coveted championship T-shirt, most
members graduated with the Class of 2002.

The quest continues, however, for super seniors and original members Juarez
and Holice Kil ’04, as well as for Swat graduates who have remained in the
area. They are now joined by recent and old additions under a new banner:
Mothership Resurrection.

Tony Nguyen ’03, co-captain of the Erratic Jumpshots, tells a similar story
about his team. Though the Jumpshots have gone through several name
changes – Pagans, Christians, and a Big Gay Mule; Big Gay Asian Invasion;
the Mulers – they also are built around a freshman-year Willets hall (1st
South).

Because members of that original hall have spread out across campus, and
workloads and commitments have gradually increased this distance, IM
basketball has become a way of reconnecting with old friends.

It is also a way of remembering them.

When asked about the conspicuous absence of the word Gay or Mule from this
season’s team name, Nguyen shares, “Erratic Jumpshots is a way of honoring
Eric Johnson [’03]. we wanted to use his initials, and you remember that
patented shot of his…” Johnson passed away earlier this year.

The third and final game of the series will be at the Fieldhouse on Tuesday
night, November 5 at 7:00 p.m. A win would earn either team its first
championship. Come and cheer them on, or not – either way these teams will
come out to play.

Despite the fact that his men’s soccer team fell 3-1 to Richard Stockton in
their season finale yesterday, Monday was a memorable day for Goreleigh
Willis ’03, who scored the first goal of his Swat career in his final
contest for the Garnet and Grey.  After falling behind 3-0 against the
Ospreys, the thirteenth-ranked DIII team in the nation, Willis nailed his
first collegiate net-buster off an assist from Nick Graham ’06.  The squad
finishes its season 5-14-1, with an 0-9 record in the Centennial Conference.

*****

Today:
Field hockey hosts Haverford, 3:30 p.m.

Tomorrow:
There are no contests scheduled for tomorrow.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be
left to the politicians.”
–Charles De Gaulle

*****
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