Monday, March 3, 2003

by Josh Hausman
Gazette Weatherman

Summary: Any hopes of spring will be dashed today as very cold air arrives
on stiff northwest winds. However, this onslaught of cold air will be brief
and somewhat milder air will return for the rest of the week. Today’s high
temperature is not likely to be above freezing, but thereafter highs should
range from around 40 to the upper 40s. Lows tonight will fall to around 20,
but thereafter should be only around freezing. Most of the week should be
sunny, with a chance of rain on Wednesday.

by Jeremy Schifeling
Co-Managing Editor

To the lament of the many, many Swatties whom he had befriended over the
past two years, Zakir Khandkar left Swarthmore last month to concentrate on
his upcoming medical exam and to spend more time with his two-year old
daughter.

Khandkar, an affable Dining Services employee often seen behind the “Garnet
Gourmet” bar in Sharples and always ready with a smile and kind comment,
has been studying to pass the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination. The test
would allow Khandkar, who was an orthopedic surgeon in his native country
of Bangladesh, to practice medicine in this country.

And although he was not able to score high enough on his first try this
winter due to problems understanding the timing of the exam, “he is
continuing to study very hard and hopes to pass the exam on the next
attempt,” according to Linda McDougall, Director of Dining Service.

Additionally, Khandkar and his wife recently discovered that their two-year
old daughter, Yasmin, has hearing difficulties, which will require therapy
and a possible cochlear implant in the future. Nazma Alam, Khandkar’s
mother-in-law and a Sharples checker, says that he is now spending a great
deal of time taking care of Yasmin and consulting with hearing experts.

Despite all of these challenges, McDougall says that Khandkar is mulling
over a return to the College in January of 2004.

In the meantime, she speaks for herself and the rest of the campus when she
says that this gentle doctor will be “surely missed.”

————
You can send messages to Zakir through Ms. Alam, or by writing to him at
his home address:
420 N. Orange St.
Media, PA 19063

*****

S   u    n   d   a   y     Menu

appetizer: Stuffed Mushrooms (vegetarian)
entrée: Malaysian Chicken Rendang
entrée: Chicken w/garlicky tahini
soup:  Potato soup

Available   Monday through Wednesday

appetizer: Chinese-style Meatball skewers w/peanut sauce
entrée: Vietnamese lemon grass pork chops w/rice
entrée: Orange honey Garlic chicken
soup: lemon and potato soup

D   e   s   s   e   r   t   s

sunday:  pineapple orange sunshine cake; Austrian opera cake (w/rum,
chocolate, coffee butter-cream)
monday: frozen peanut butter pie; Granadinas (Andalusian almond cookies)
tuesday: upside down pear chocolate cake; orange chiffon cake
wednesday: apple cake w/maple-walnut cream cheese frosting

*****

* Three Arab nations called for the resignation of Saddam Hussein on
Sunday. The demand was first voiced by the United Arab Emirates, who then
found support from the other Persian Gulf nations of Bahrain and Kuwait.
Meanwhile, Hussein denounced the Emirates as an Israeli tool.

* The U.S. is now holding man believed to be a top Al Qaeda operative.
Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, believed to be a chief lieutenant under bin Laden,
was captured in Pakistan on Sunday. The capture represents an important
victory for the Bush administration as they struggle to maintain their
stance against Iraq despite not having found bin Laden.

* Former President Bill Clinton has been tapped for jury duty. Prospective
Juror 142 was discovered to be the ex-president when, filling out a
questionnaire that helps the defense and proseuction lawyers to pick
jurors, he answered “president” in response to a question about previous
jobs. The case deals with an attempted murder in a gang-related incident.
Presiding judge Buchwald, though nominated by Clinton, indicated that she
would not allow him to serve on the jury because of concerns regarding
sensationalism.

*****

Career Services: U of Connecticut Law School presentation
Kohlberg 334, 12:00 p.m.

SWAP lunch
Sharples Room 6, 12:15 p.m.

“Peace-Making in the 21st Century: The Case of Sri Lanka”
Lecture by G.H. Peiris
Scheuer Room, 4:30 p.m.

“Correcting the Imbalances in the U.S. Economics Growth”
Lecture by William Cline
Kirby Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m.

SAC meeting
Trotter 301, 9:00 p.m.

SWIL Movie Night: “12 Monkeys”
Kirby Lecture Hall, 10:00 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

by Jenna Adelberg
Gazette Sportswriter

The Swarthmore men’s and women’s tennis teams dominated Carnegie Mellon
University Saturday with 6-1 and 9-0 wins, respectively.

The men began the back-to-back dual contests by sweeping their doubles
matches, with three wins from the teams of Jayson Yost ’03 and Brian Park
’06, Frank Visciano ’04 and Zac Rodd ’06, and Justin Singer ’03 and Mike
Noreika ’04. Visciano went on to have a straight set victory at the first
singles position, as did Singer, Rodd, Park, and Ben Rae ’04 at positions
3, 4, 5, and 6. The victory over the Titans gives the Garnet a 3-3 record
for this young season. The men will next face opponents in Japan over
spring break.

The Garnet women started the match just as the men did, and continued
strong throughout. Doubles teams Anjani Reddy ’04 and Emily Townsend ’06,
Kristina Pao ’04 and Caroline Celano ’04, and Katherine Voll ’03 and Megan
Speare ’05 took a commanding lead quickly with victories at all three
doubles positions. Singles was very much a similar picture as Swarthmore
did not lose a single set in wins from Reddy, Pao, Celano, Elli Suzuki ’06,
Townsend, and Sonia Vallabh ’06. No. 11 ranked Swarthmore advanced to 2-0
on the season and will next match up against Washington and Lee, ranked No.
2 in the region.

*****

The men’s and women’s indoor track teams competed this weekend at the
Centennial Conference Championships, held at Ursinus College. The women
finished seventh out of nine teams, while the men finished ninth out of
nine teams.

Elizabeth Gardner ’05 set a school record (2:19.88) in the 800 meter run to
capture the silver medal, while Njideka Akunyili ’04 finished fifth in the
race. The 4×800 relay team of Sarah Hobbs ’06, Emily Wistar ’06, Akunyili,
and Claire Hoverman ’03 finished fourth, and Akunyili, Gardner, Hoverman,
and Hobbs placed fifth in the 4×400 relay. Jessica Zagory ’05 took fourth
place in the high jump.

For the men, James Golden ’05 took home the silver medal in the 5000 meter
run (15:27.02). Robert Melick ’03 placed fifth in the shot put, while Zach
Zaitlin ’06 placed eighth in the triple jump and Matt Williams ’04 took
eighth in the 55 hurdles. The relay team of Paul Thibodeau ’06, Williams,
Garrett Ash ’05, and Adam Hunt ’06 finished fifth in the 4×800.

*****

The Garnet led early against the Steven Tech Ducks, with goals by
sophomores Jeff Donlea and Tim Chryssikos, but the Ducks broke a 4-4 tie in
the second half with seven unanswered goals to roll to a 11-4 victory.

Than Court ’03 recorded a goal, and John Murphy ’03 had two assists. Ryan
Croken ’05 stopped 17 shots in goal for the Garnet, who are in action again
next Saturday when they host Goucher.

*****

There are no contests scheduled for today or tomorrow.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“What really matters is whether the alphabet is used for the declaration of
war or for the description of a sunrise.”
–Mr. Rogers

*****
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