Wednesday, April 16, 2003

by Charlie Buffie
Gazette News Reporter

Last Wednesday night, a group of Swarthmore students organized a postcard
and letter-writing study break for the Student Global AIDS Coke Campaign.
At the event, students were informed of The Coca-Cola Company’s unfulfilled
promises of AIDS education and medical treatment for its workers in
sub-Saharan Africa, and were encouraged to express their objections and
concerns in the form of a postcard or letter to the president of The
Coca-Cola Company.

The Swarthmore effort, led by Andrew Sniderman ’06, James Madden ’06, Aaron
Strong ’05, Jean Schneider ’06, Joanne Gaskell ’03, Matt Wallaert ’05, and
Rebecca Brubaker ’06, is a small part of the nationwide Student Global AIDS
Coke Campaign (SGAC). As described by  Sniderman (paraphrasing the mission
statement of the SGAC), the goal of the Campaign is “to re-ignite
[Coca-Cola’s] ‘Treat Your Workers’ campaign in an effort to shame Coca-Cola
for their lack of progress, and remind them that we have the means and
determination to alert their consumer’s to Coke’s dishonorable and immoral
neglect of their workers.”

Dean of the College Bob Gross echoed similar sentiments in a postcard
written at Wednesday night’s event. In his message to President Daft of
Coca-Cola, Gross emphasized, “Corporate leadership can make a huge
difference, and Coca-Cola’s position as the most famous brand in the world
lends particular importance to your example.”

Thanks to the efforts and concern of the organizers and contributers of the
letter-writing campaign, Wednesday night’s study break was a success. At
the end of the night, more than 130 postcards and 43 letters were collected
and sent to Coca-Cola. Additionally, 500 other chapters of the SGAC around
the country will also send letters to the Coca-Cola Company this week.

by Sanggee Kim
Gazette News Reporter

Several weekends ago, the Dean’s Office, along with the Health Science
Advisor, Career Services, Fellowships and Prizes Advisor and the Office of
Learning Resources, hosted a mini-conference on public speaking on Friday
night and Saturday. Rick Appel ’62, a classmate of Dean Bob Gross,
presented and moderated the workshops involved.

The conference consisted of three sessions on presenting for interviews,
presenting to inform, and presenting to persuade, in addition to a general
keynote session. Although much material was prepared and made available to
students, the deans were somewhat disappointed at the poor turnout,
especially because many students had initially registered for the workshop.

The Public Speaking Workshops were initially proposed by Mr. Appel last
year to meet a growing need among students for more effective presentation
of information and of themselves. The original plan for a four-week series
of workshops failed, mostly because students were unable to commit to
attendance at all four weeks. Thus, the public workshop was presented in
one weekend this year.

The conference still had problems with poor attendance, even to the point
where no one showed up for the second session, and Bob Gross was forced to
present during the first half of the third session.

When questioned about their absence, students replied that they were either
too busy with work, got caught up in enjoying the beautiful weather, or
felt that the material was not immediately applicable to them.

Karin Carter wondered if public speaking was truly “a recognized need among
students that needs to be addressed.” Myrt Westphal, however, pointed out
the number of poor student interviews that she has had along with the fact
that outside employers have repeatedly told the school that Swarthmore
students fail to positively present themselves at interviews; therefore,
she recognizes public speaking as a “skill that needs polishing.”

For the time being, due to the success of the Presenting to Interview
session, the Dean’s Office has talked to Career Services about taking over
this portion of public speaking. In addition, the deans are researching
other viable options to present workshops on public speaking that would be
more appealing and accessible to students. In order to do that, Nancy
Burkett, the new director of Career Services, will be researching specific
instances in which a Swarthmore student may come across a need to utilize
public speaking skills.

Both the Dean’s Office and Career Services welcome any student ideas or
initiatives that will serve to promote the importance and necessity of
polished public speaking.

———–
Some interesting public speaking tips from the conference:

1. “Breathe. If you take a full breath before each sentence you speak, you
will have mastered the art of public speaking.” (from Rick Appel)
2. “Be prepared to interview the interviewer.” (from Melkizedek Okudo ’03)
3. “Don’t pretend that you know so much, or that you’re something you’re
not.” (from Frank Visciano ’04)

*****

On Sunday at nearly four in the morning, Officer Bardo received a call of
“taggers” near  S. Chester Road.  On arrival Officer Bardo found graffiti
on the bus stop cubicles at S. Chester Road near Rutgers Avenue.  An
investigation is continuing.

*****

* U.S. commandos captured Abdul Abbas near Baghdad late Monday. As the
leader of a Palestinian Liberation Front faction, Abbas was the mastermind
behind a 1985 attack on the cruise liner Achille Lauro. Though the attack
killed one American, Abbas was able to escape capture by fleeing to Iraq
soon after the attack. In an October speech outlining his reasons for
attacking Iraq, President Bush mentioned Abbas along with other terrorists
believed to be harbored by the Iraqis.

* During a meeting held at the biblical birthplace of Abraham, U.S.
officials pledged that they did not plan to rule Iraq. Instead, 80 Iraqis
met to agree on a set of 13 points on which they could agree a post-war
Iraq should incorporate, including a democratic government and the
overthrow of Hussein’s Baath party. However, there were wide boycotts of
the meeting, as well as a large protest immediately outside which included
people shouting “No to America and no to U.S.!”

* Investigators said on Tuesday that it will take several more weeks to
determine whether or not the bodies found washed up on a northern
California shoreline indeed belong to Laci Peterson and her baby. Peterson,
who was pregnant at the time, disappeared from her house on Christmas Eve
and authorities have been searching since. The bodies were found just a few
miles from the marina where Petersen’s husband said he went fishing that
Christmas, and officials have not yet ruled out the husband as a suspect.

*****

Senior Art Thesis Exhibition Reception
for Tim Applebee, Meggie Miao, Becca Van Fleet
List Gallery, 4:00 p.m.

French Film Festival: “Le Gout des Autres”
Kohlberg 328, 7:00 p.m.

APA Film Festival: “WaveTwisters” by DJ Qbert
Kohlberg Scheuer Room, 7:00 p.m.

Queer South Asian Film Showing: “Khush,” “Puri,” “Summer in My Veins”
LPAC, 7:00 p.m.

“The Growing Nonviolent Movement in Palestine”
by Micah White and Patrick Connors
Martin, Kirby Lecture Hall, 7:00 p.m.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Showing
Trotter 203, 7:30 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

Despite a grand slam by Washington’s James Barossi in the sixth inning, the
Garnet rolled to a 22-13 win over the Shoremen yesterday. Adam Schlossman
’06 led the Tide, going 4-for-6 with seven RBI and two runs scored. Every
Swat player had at least one hit, with Matt Goldstein ’04 going 4-for-5
with three RBI. Jody Fisher ’05 and winning pitcher Carlton Davis ’04
helped his own cause by adding three RBI each. Davis pitched six innings
and gave up 11 hits and seven earned runs, striking out four and walking
three.

*****

The softball team was swept in its double-header at Washington College on
Tuesday. The Shorewomen took the first game 6-1 and the second 5-4. In the
first game, the Garnet took an early lead in the top of the second, but
Washington scored all six of their runs in the bottom of the fourth to
surge to the win. Lindsay Van Sciver ’03 took the loss for the Tide.

In the nightcap, the Garnet again had an early 3-1 lead before Washington
sophomore Laura Scimeca hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the
third. Swat fought back to tie it at 4 in the fourth, but the Shorewomen
plated what would be the game-winning run in the bottom of the fourth. Mary
Mintel ’05 led the Garnet, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Christina
Procacci ’06 went 3-for-4 and Pam Lavallee ’03 went 2-for-4. Emily Remus
’06 pitched all six innings, giving up nine hits and five runs (four
earned), while striking out two and walking two.

*****

Today:
Women’s tennis hosts Ursinus, 4:00 p.m.
Men’s lacrosse at Washington, 4:00 p.m.

Tomorrow:
Softball hosts Muhlenberg, 3:00 p.m.
Baseball hosts Ursinus, 4:00 p.m.
Women’s lacrosse hosts Centenary, 7:00 p.m.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Any reviewer who expresses rage and loathing for a novel is preposterous.
He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot
fudge sundae.”
–Kurt Vonnegut

*****
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