Friday, October 1, 2004

by Jonathan Ference
News Editor

The Swarthmore Voter Registration Coalition (SVRC) originally sought
funding from the Social Affairs Committee because members felt that a
screening of the presidential debate on Parrish Beach would appeal to
many students. SVRC organizers were not left disappointed Thursday
night, when a day of on-and-off rain cleared to allow (by this writer’s
estimate) well over 200 students to pack the lawn in front of Parrish
West to watch presidential candidates John Kerry and George W. Bush
debate foreign policy.

SVRC, which has done extensive work registering voters both on campus
and off (in Chester and Upper Darby), arranged not just for a venue for
many students to gather to watch the debate but also for an entire
night of non-partisan activities. Students began to make their ways to
the Beach as night fell to take advantage of SVRC’s open mic. A rear
projection screen was set up to allow students to sit either in chairs
or on a tarp laid out in front of the chairs; by the time the debate
started at 9:00 p.m., every seat was full. Students took advantage of
refreshments provided by SVRC, devouring a sizable stack of pizzas
before the debate even officially started.

During the debate, many students took a pit stop from their trips to
their dorms or the library to watch a bit of the debate. It was
reported that President Bloom was in attendance, though this writer
could not confirm the sighting. Reaction to the dialogue between the
candidates was heavily in favor of Kerry, who received hearty applause
rather often. The crowd also seemed to express its displeasure with
President Bush’s policies and manner of speech, breaking out into
groans or laughter at several points.

An added bonus for students after the debates were discussion groups
formed with the assistance of Professors Ben Berger and Keith Reeves,
both of the Political Science department. Though most of the crowd
dissipated after the candidates’ closing arguments, a good number of
students seemed interested in staying for discussion.

Asked his opinion on the event, SVRC member Tim Roeper ’07 said: “I am
amazed. I think it’s fantastic…that we had this community event.”
SVRC event organizer Ethan Ucker ’07 added that he thanked everyone for
coming and was very pleased with the turnout.

SVRC plans to have similar events for screenings of future debates and
the election returns on November 2nd. During Thursday’s event students
were also urged to register to vote, using forms that SVRC had brought
to the screening.

The debate screening was sponsored by SVRC, the President’s Office,
SAC, and the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility. SAC
originally chose not to fund the event, but Student Council overrode
that decision during its meeting this past Tuesday.

———-
Check out the Gazette’s coverage of the Student Council funding
override at:
http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/daily/archive/fall_2004/20040930.html#n3

*****

by Micaela Baranello
Gazette Reporter

Have you ever wanted to live inside a video game? Have you merely
wanted to slap someone silly with a foam sword? Tonight, your time will
come. It’s time for SWIL’s annual Pterodactyl Hunt. In the words of
SWILie Michael Noda, you are invited to come “for the glory of God,
Swarthmore and free pizza.”

For the uninitiated, the Pterodactyl Hunt is one of the largest events
produced by the Swarthmore Warders of Imaginative Literature. The Hunt
has a relatively long and presumably noble history of a decade or so.
Though the Hunt’s mythos is drawn from a wide variety of fantasy books
and other sources, the results are decidedly chaotic.

The game is open to anyone who wishes to play and a cape is not
required. The players, called hunters, will gather at 7:00 p.m. in the
Kohlberg Courtyard. The hunters work jointly, with the ultimate goal to
“kill” the three pterodactyls (played by SWILies, of course) by
knocking round targets from their large cardboard wings with swords.
The dactyls, however, can kill hunters with their water guns by hitting
their trash bag shields. “Dead” hunters must return to Hunt Central to
receive a new sword. Victorious hunters receive the aforementioned free
pizza.

Of course, it’s not that simple. Other monsters abound, such as
turtles, orcs, hobgoblins, spondee (baby dactyls) and a few surprises.
All must be killed in their own way. Andrew Brown ’07, one of the
organizers, says it’s mostly about atmosphere “in the spirit of live
action role playing games,” yet “there are a lot of people there to
have fun – they like hitting each other with foam swords.” So why
should one go to the Hunt? According to pterodactyl Jawaad Hussain ’05,
it’s “the most fun you can have before 10:00 on a Friday night.” Mark
Handler ’05 says “Keep it simple – kill people.” With a foam sword, of
course.

*****

by Andrew Quinton
Gazette Reporter

Swatties are known for their propensity to pack their schedules (and
then add some more activities) while leaving no time for relaxation.
Working under the iron fist of Managing Editor Greg Leiserson, we at
the Gazette are no strangers to stress. So the recent rise of the
curiously-named massage-giving club piqued our interest. Wanting to
learn more about the club, I accosted co-founder Jacob Winkler after
his afternoon aikido class.

Daily Gazette: OK, so what exactly is the proper name of the Swarthmore
massage club? Is it really SMUT?
Jacob Winkler: It’s SM(UT). If we get chartered and get some funding,
we might change it to something more…civil.

DG: Why did you decide to start a massage club?
JW: Me and John (co-founder Egan ’06) both like giving massages and
want to improve our technique. Neither of us have the time or the money
to take a class, though, so we hope that by getting people together and
watching what they do, we can all learn new techniques.

DG: So what is your past experience with massage?
JW: I’ve just always been interested in making people feel better. I
haven’t had any formal training and it doesn’t run in my family like it
does for John. You can use massage in all sorts of situations. When I
had a girlfriend, I gave them to her, and I give them to family members
to help them relax.

DG: What sort of benefits does massage bring to a person?
JW: All sorts of things…the stress we experience throughout our lives
builds up into tense muscles. Massage helps us to release this tension
and is a great way to get rid of daily stress. It improves blood
circulation, helps us to have better posture, and gives emotional
relief. It really has far-reaching implications on the overall health
of your body.

DG: It kind of sounds like aikido in terms of the benefits it gives.
JW: Yes, definitely.

DG: So does massage have an origin in far eastern culture?
JW: Not really. Massage has been present in all cultures. Although in
our culture, physical touch is not emphasized as much as it is in other
parts of the world.

DG: What are your long-term plans for the club?
JW: Get a core group of people who are interested in giving massages on
a regular basis. This will help us have confidence in each other and
really improve. Once we get good enough, we hope to offer massages to
students, probably for a fee.

DG: What should interested people do to get involved?
JW: Come to Bond on Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. Be ready to give and
receive massages, so wear comfortable clothing and bring a towel.

*****

by Victoria Swisher
Living and Arts Editor

It’s the “Kick-Off” concert and festival event this weekend, providing
a variety of entertainment that should be able to lure anyone out of
the tiny borough of Swarthmore. Begin festivities this weekend on
Saturday at 3:00 p.m., where you can see live music on Ben Franklin
Parkway from Something Corporate, local bands, and other guest
performers. Still not satisfied? Don’t worry, you can visit a variety
of galleries, including the Rodin Museum, the Institute of Contemporary
Art, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, for free with your student ID
this weekend (for a full list of galleries, go to
.www.campusphilly.org).

Want to avoid the boisterous crowd in Philly (and have a car)? Try a
more subdued atmosphere by going to the Geraldine R. Dodge 2004 Poetry
Festival, in Hillsborough, NJ. For a list of performers and for more
information, visit http://www.grdodge.org/poetry/main.htm.

If wandering far from campus is too much of an effort, you can be
entertained by the “Old Tyme Circus” right in the borough of Swarthmore
on Sunday. For information about tickets and show times, go to
http://www.swarthmorepa.org/calendar/calendar_event.asp?eventID=120&myDate=10/3/2004.

Have a good weekend!

*****

* Iraq proved to be a pivotal issue during the first presidential
debate on Thursday, which was held on the campus of the University of
Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. Democratic nominee John Kerry declared
President George W. Bush had made a “colossal error in judgment” in
invading Iraq, while Bush belittled Kerry for being a weak leader.
Other issues that arose during the debate, which was intended to focus
around questions of foreign policy, were the possible nuclear threat in
North Korea, as well as what actions the United States should take to
end the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

* A pair of car bombs tore through a street celebration in Iraq on
Thursday, killing more than 41 people and injuring more than a hundred.
Many of those killed were children who were receiving candy from
American soldiers during the celebration. This event was planned to
mark the opening of a new sewer plant.

* The popular arthritis and pain medication Vioxx was voluntarily
withdrawn from the market by its maker, Merck Pharmaceuticals, on
Thursday. The drug is currently taken by 2 million people worldwide but
a new study has warned that it could lead to increased risk of heart
attack and stroke. Vioxx brought in about $2.5 billion for Merck last
year.

*****

Friday:

Physics and Astronomy Colloquium: “Global Warming: State of the Science”
Science Center 128, 4:00 p.m.

George Bass Lecture: “Two Bronze Age Shipwrecks”
LPAC Cinema, 4:30 p.m.

Ruach Friday Night Services
Bond Memorial Hall, 5:30 p.m.

SWIL Pterodactyl Hunt
Kohlberg Courtyard, 7:00 p.m.

Film: Kill Bill 2
LPAC Cinema, 7:30 & 10:00 p.m.

Sixteen Feet Toe Jam
Lang Concert Hall, 8:00 p.m.

Anime Showing: “Last Exile” episodes 9-12
Kohlberg 228, 8:00 p.m.

Sex Toys for Girls and Boys open workshop
Intercultural Center, 8:00 p.m.

“Fix Up, Look Sharp” Semi Formal
Wharton D Basement, 10:00 p.m.

Olde Club Show: Liam and Me and apollo sunshine
Olde Club, 10:00 p.m.

Saturday:

Jewish Food Festival
Parrish Lawn, 12:00 p.m.

Men’s Soccer Tailgate Party
Sharples Lawn, 5:00 p.m.

Film: Kill Bill 2
LPAC Cinema, 7:30 & 10:00 p.m.

Aquaboys are Back in Town
Paces, 10:00 p.m.

Looking Back
Wharton D Basement, 10:00 p.m.

Sunday:

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

Eagles Game Study Break
Mary Lyon First Floor Lounge, 1:00 p.m.

Capoeria Lessons
Upper Tarble, 2:00 p.m.

Career Services Open Hours
McCabe, 8:00 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

The women’s soccer team lost to the Mules of Muhlenberg College at
Clothier Field last night in a Centennial Conference match. The loss
drops the squad to 3-6 overall, 1-2 in conference play. Muhlenberg got
on the board when Elena Rabinowitz scored in the 22nd minute, added one
more goal before halftime and never looked back. The Mules out shot the
Garnet 21-6. Garnet Goalkeeper Kristen Traband ’08 made 5 saves in the
losing effort. Next up for the team is a match at Washington this
Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

*****

It’s been a tough week for Swarthmore teams facing the Bullets of
Gettsyburg College. The volleyball team is the latest victim after
losing 3-0 at Tarble Pavilion last night. The Garnet now stands at
6-10, with a 1-4 record in Centennial Conference play. Erica George ’07
led the squad with 5 kills, with Karen Berk ’08 and Katie Gold ’08
registering four kills each. George also lead the squad with 14 digs.
The team looks to return to the win column on Saturday at home vs.
Dickinson at 1:00 p.m.

*****

Today:
There are no contests scheduled for today.

Tomorrow:
Men’s Rugby hosts Lehigh
Women’s Frisbee at Maryland
Men’s Tennis at ITA Regional, 9:00 a.m.
Men’s Cross Country at Dickinson Long/Short Meet, 10:30 a.m.
Women’s Cross Country at Dickinson Long/Short Meet, 10:30 a.m.
Field Hockey hosts Dickinson, 12:00 p.m.
Volleyball hosts Dickinson, 1:00 p.m.
Women’s Soccer at Washington, 1:00 p.m.
Men’s Soccer hosts Franklin and Marshall, 7:00 p.m.

Sunday:
Men’s Tennis at ITA Regional, 9:00 a.m.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“It only takes twenty years for a radical to become a conservative
without changing a single idea.”
–Robert Anton Wilson

***** 

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