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Middle East rally turns contentious, as various groups converge in plaza

Middle East rally turns contentious, as various groups converge in plaza

Yesterday's rally in a sun-soaked Firestone plaza was meant to promote peace in the Middle East, but it ended in a bitter argument between students supporting Palestinians, Israelis and every position in between.Earlier this week, Leo Kontorovich '01, who organized the event, invited acquaintances and certain student organizations ? such as Jews for Justice and Peace ? to join him in what was supposed to be a non-political demonstration for peace in the Middle East.But the event, which attracted about 35 students, turned into a conflict over how the crisis in the Middle East should be viewed and how Princeton students should respond.During the rally, which lasted from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., students sat on the steps of Firestone plaza holding white signs that read in blue and black writing, "Israel is not the aggressor," "Israel has the right to exist" and "Arafat stop the violence." They sang songs in Hebrew, and Kontorovich read a speech that emphasized "Israel's right to defend itself, its very existence and the lives of its citizens.""It was supposed to be a spontaneous event with a goal to spread a positive message about Israel," said Sean Ir '03, one of the rally's organizers."We wanted to find a message that everyone could agree on ? support for Israel," he added.

NEWS | 10/26/2000

Gore brings Nader into the spotlight

It is less than two weeks from election day. The presidential race is in a dead heat ? the closest in a generation.

NEWS | 10/26/2000

University receives grant to establish interdisciplinary technology position

The Henry R. Luce Foundation has awarded the University a grant to create a new professorship starting in the 2002-03 academic year.The faculty member who will occupy the new position ? named the Henry R.

NEWS | 10/25/2000

A maligned political star, but no lack of energy

When U.S. Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson began his freshman year at Tufts University in the mid-1960s, he could not imagine that one day he would make history by becoming the first person to serve simultaneously in two Cabinet posts."I was a fraternity guy," said the recently embattled energy official and highest-ranking Hispanic in the Clinton Administration.

NEWS | 10/25/2000

Professors try to do the write thing

Anthony Grafton leaves his wife sleeping at 5 a.m., pads into the kitchen to feed their cats and then slips into his study where he works until it is time to wake his wife at a quarter to seven.It is a process the history professor repeats nearly every morning, in part because of the massive number of requests he receives for student letters of recommendation.Grafton estimated that he sent close to 330 letters out last year to schools and scholarship committees ? though one student may account for as many as nine recommendations.During the fall ? a season swollen with internship and award deadlines ? he may spend up to an hour every morning working on recommendations.

NEWS | 10/25/2000

Jungle Brothers to open concert

The Jungle Brothers ? a New York-based rap and hip-hop duo ? will open for Busta Rhymes in his upcoming Nov.

NEWS | 10/25/2000

Beer-seeking intruder enters rooms

Two students reported finding an unidentified male in their dorm rooms late Sunday night and early Monday morning, police said.A female resident of 1939 Hall allegedly woke up to find a white, "college-age" male weighing approximately 200 pounds with a cast on his arm standing in her room, according to Public Safety Crime Prevention Specialist Barry Weiser.Weiser said the man asked the student if she had a beer.

NEWS | 10/25/2000

Large number of Anniversary Campaign celebrants report flu-like symptoms

A large number of the people who attended last weekend's Anniversary Campaign for Princeton closing celebration developed flu-like symptoms, University Environmental Health and Safety officials said yesterday.The predominant symptoms were abdominal cramps and diarrhea, according to University Sanitarian Don Robasser.

NEWS | 10/25/2000

University to create council, advising program to enrich campus religious life

Princeton soon may add its name to a growing list of well-known universities that have created councils designed to address religious concerns faced by college students.In a detailed proposal released earlier this fall, Associate Dean of Religious Life Sue Ann Steffey Morrow suggested two new initiatives ? slated to be introduced sometime near the end of this semester ? that she said could revolutionize the religious climate on campus.Morrow's first recommendation is the creation of what she calls a "religious life council."The council would be made up of one of the deans of religious life, one member of the Center for Jewish Life and other campus religious group leaders.The council's primary objective would be to support and communicate with other departments within the University that demonstrate, according to the proposal, "a similar religious commitment."The second component of the proposal would involve the creation of a religious life fellows program, Morrow said.She has suggested choosing 12 students from varying spiritual and ethnic backgrounds to act as liaisons between the student body and the religious life council.This fellowship program would differ substantially from the University's RA and MAA programs.

NEWS | 10/25/2000

An online quorum

Michael Weiksner '95 graduated with a degree in computer science and a certificate in the Wilson School.

NEWS | 10/25/2000

BP, Ford award University $20 million for research

NEW YORK ? British Petroleum and Ford Motor Company officials announced yesterday a $20-million grant to the University to fund a project called the Carbon Mitigation Initiative.The grant ? which will finance a research project at the Princeton Environmental Institute to develop solutions to the greenhouse problem ? is the largest corporate grant the University has received in its more than 250-year history.BP is pledging $15 million and Ford Motor Company has earmarked $5 million for the project, which will develop and evaluate methods for keeping carbon dioxide emissions ? the main cause of global warming ? out of the atmosphere.To that end, PEI researchers will investigate carbon sequestration ? the process by which harmful carbon dioxide is stored safely within the Earth.Research will also focus on producing new non-polluting fuel options."The scope of this challenge demands the full participation of universities, corporations and governments," said President Shapiro of carbon-emissions reduction.

NEWS | 10/25/2000

Choice of a lifetime

When Phil Isles '03 ? then a senior in high school ? began writing what would become his first full-length novel, he had no idea how the project would end.The recent publication of his choose-your-own-adventure novel, "Polyverse," however, has fulfilled a childhood dream and brought his written work into the public eye.Isles' book ? published in August and marketed by buybooksontheweb.com ? will be sold in about two weeks on both amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com, though it is not available in bookstores.Isles said he has always known he wanted to be a writer.

NEWS | 10/24/2000

Researchers crack computer code meant to protect online music files

A team of researchers from Princeton, Rice University and Xerox yesterday defended their claim that they cracked four security measures being tested to prevent illegal users from listening to copyrighted music.The group of two University professors, three graduate students, two graduate school alumni and two colleagues at Rice responded to a challenge issued Sept.

NEWS | 10/24/2000

Transformer burst cuts off power to campus, Borough

Nearly the entire campus suffered power outages yesterday afternoon as a transformer burst and caught fire.Borough Police Capt.

NEWS | 10/24/2000

Decoding A Virus

University molecular biology professor Thomas Shenk and visiting research fellow Wade Bresnahan were separating viral DNA fragments on a gel when they noticed something odd.When DNA strands are separated on a gel, they normally separate into distinct bands ? but Shenk and Bresnahan saw something else, something they had never noticed before."When we were analyzing the DNA gel, we saw a smear at the bottom.

NEWS | 10/24/2000

University bucks trend, keeps tuition hike below national average

In the United States last year, the average four-year private college's tuition increased by 5.2 percent.

NEWS | 10/24/2000

Researchers find families with stepmothers spend less on children

Three studies under the direction of University economics professor Anne Case have found that children raised in families with stepmothers generally suffer from lower levels of health care, education and money spent on food than children raised by their biological mothers.The studies examined the resources parents said they gave to their children.

NEWS | 10/24/2000

Barrage of e-mail virus warnings leaves wary students confused

During her freshman year, Giselle Woo '02's computer became infected with three viruses that were transmitted over the Internet.

NEWS | 10/23/2000

Student outcry for Chancellor Green fades

While last year's announcement of the imminent closing of the Chancellor Green cafe induced a massive student outcry, this fall, concern over the eatery mysteriously has died down.But the fate of Chancellor Green remains the same.

NEWS | 10/23/2000

University team shares grant from NASA for biosensor research

Two teams of local researchers ? from Princeton, Rutgers University and Drexel University in Philadelphia ? will receive during the next three years a combined $1.8 million from NASA for research applicable to space exploration.Princeton chemical engineering professors Ihan Aksay and Jeffrey Carbeck, Princeton graduate student Chris Martin, Jessica Jarvis '01 and two Drexel physicists compose one research team.

NEWS | 10/23/2000

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