I’ve never been called a kike, certainly not at Penn. But my grandparents’ generation certainly encountered this hateful label, as do plenty of my co-religionists around the world today.

The only way to counteract this hatred is to inform myself about anti-Semitism and preserve the history of this bigotry. One of the most notorious instances of anti-Semitism in the last 150 years was the Dreyfus Affair, when the French government erroneously convicted Jewish Captain Alfred Dreyfus of treason. Conveniently for Penn students, a prime resource on this period is the Lorraine Beitler Collection, an archive of propagandist art and literature from the late 1890s, housed on the 6th floor of Van Pelt. The collection includes original newspaper clippings, shockingly anti-Semitic cartoons and other political artistry.

“Although the events of the Dreyfus Affair took place one hundred years ago, the issues continue to have contemporary imperative,” Lorraine Beitler, curator of the collection and professor emeritus of the City University of New York said. .

Not only can students explore the threats of anti-Semitism, but they can examine how the press can “shape public opinion” and relate to “the idea of blaming other people for what you are unhappy about.”

Take a look at one of the most appalling cartoons of the era, which appears in its original form among Beitler’s collected pieces:

“Dreyfus le traitre,” from the series entitled Musee des Horreurs, by Lenepveu, 1899. The cartoon appears in its original newspaper form in the Lorraine Beitler Collection at Van Pelt Library.

This famous caricature demonizes Dreyfus and highlights his inhuman, voracious appetite–he became the monstrous representation of all Jews during this epoch. However, Dreyfus persevered and lives on in Beitler’s memorializing collection.

“He had the strength to endure the punishment and the strength to keep saying he’s innocent,” Beitler said. “Never did he say anything disparaging about the justice system of the French government or about the army. He said that his life belongs to France, but the lineage of his name belongs to his children–and that’s why he struggled so hard.”

But perhaps the most chilling thing about the collection is the prevalence of similar cartoons today in the western world.

“Text on man: European commissionership,” from Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, November 8, 2003.

Serpents, towering noses and evil stares — seem eerily familiar? Yet this isn’t another artistic mastery from the height of the Dreyfus Affair. No, the cartoon pictured here is from a contemporary Palestinian newspaper, just one emblem of the brutally anti-Semitic creations that continue to blaze Arab media today.

Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., Yale Professor Paula Hyman will speak at the exhibit and share her expertise on the Dreyfus Affair, on the 6th floor of Van Pelt Library. Lorraine Beitler, the curator of the collection and professor emeritus of the City University of New York, will attend, as will Yael Ruiz, the great-granddaughter of Dreyfus.

In total the content has traveled to five continents and has been translated into six different languages. The exhibit first came to Penn for a brief stint in 2001, but in 2003 Beitler decided to donate the pieces permanently to the University.

Ultimately, Beitler hopes to help mend the bitter division between Jews and Muslims students on campuses nationwide.

“This is my dream to go further,” she said.

However, with such persistent, dehumanizing hatred, the realization of Beitler’s vision may unfortunately be impossible — for quite a longtime yet to come.

“Nappy-headed hos?” What the hell was he thinking? You don’t have to be a worshipper of political correctness to be offended — Don Imus’s now infamous quote is clearly racist and cruel.

On April 4, this ex-host of CBS radio show “Imus in the Morning” referred to the Rutgers female basketball team on the air as

Public opinion turned against Imus and his bigotry. The Philadelphia Inquirer covered hoards of Rutgers students who rallied for the shock jock’s removal from the broadcasting network.

They succeeded.

Frank Rich, a columnist for The New York Times wrote that Imus quickly “took full responsibility for his own catastrophic remarks and didn’t try to blame the ensuing media lynching on the press.” However, one apology doesn’t cut it. Imus’s comments were horribly offensive, and both CBS and MSNBC were absolutely justified in removing him from the airwaves.

But reflecting on other recent scandals, there is quite a double-standard muddying American media, what the Rich calls “an astounding display of hypocrisy, sanctimony and self-congratulation from nearly every side of the debate.”

In January, the Times reported that “executives at ABC and its parent, Disney, [were] mulling the future of the actor Isaiah Washington (Dr. Preston Burke),” whose anti-gay slur against fellow actor T.R. Knight (Dr. George O’Malley) appalled the nationwide cult of Grey’s Anatomy. Shonda Rhimes, an executive producer and creator of Grey’s Anatomy, said that the show’s producers “applaud and encourage Isaiah’s realization that he needs help and his subsequent choice to seek immediate treatment for his behavioral issues.’”

Washington’s “realization” is analogous to Imus’s apology but in Imus’s case, it wasn’t enough. Here we find the glaring double-standard. Both CBS and MSNBC removed Imus for his remarks, but Washington continues to thrive on the ABC show.

I admit I love Dr. Burke, and Grey’s wouldn’t be the same without him. However, just as we shouldn’t ignore racial and sexist slurs, homophobic affronts should be equally unacceptable in America. I’m thinking that this thoracic cardiac surgeon needs at least some time off from Seattle Grace Hospital.

Where’s my stapler?

Oh well, I’m just gonna hate my job for two years,” one of my friends said a few days ago.

For many graduating seniors, this Fling weekend won’t be entirely festive–it will be bittersweet (and no, I’m not talking about that gin and tonic you’re sipping as you read this). Sure, many alumni return for the weekend’s celebrations, but it’s just not the same.

“This transition may be even more radical than senior in high school to freshman in college,” said Peggy Curchack, senior associate director of career services.

These are the future consultants, paralegals, editorial assistants and research assistants of America — the students who are uncertain what they ultimately want to do with their lives. They take on temporary positions and enter the work force with the glum realization that their day-to-day routine will be nothing but dreary and tedious.

One moment, “you’re at the top of your game,” but following graduation, “you’re treated as if none of that mattered,” Curchack said. “They don’t know you — you are newcomers in that environment.”

Students have invested so much time and energy in their educations, everything learned at shouldn’t Penn go to waste upon graduation. Penn students want to cultivate their hard-earned skills — not squander them.

So many entry-level positions entail only mindless duties, with yearly salaries of little more than $30K, a barely livable sum in any decent-sized city. For the next year or two, my friend’s duties will likely include a pretty intimate relationship with a copy machine. I don’t think you need a degree from the University of Pennsylvania to collate pages and load toner. In fact, looking at the ultra-reliability of these machines, the average auto-mechanic would probably be better-suited for such a job than a Penn History major.

Yet do not despair. “The dues-paying isn’t equal across all industries and some make efforts to use young talent productively and others may be somewhat less generous in offering exciting opportunities at the beginning,” Curchack said.

Peggy’s advice for moving past the copy machine — take the “same kind of initiative you took at Penn,” and “go out of your way to be part of the organization.”

“Do your homework before accepting a job so you find an opportunity that’s the most interesting,” Curchack said. “Be as active as you can to make yourself valuable.”

So everyone who’s worrying about the new year to come, take a moment to breathe. And for now, let’s have a fun senior Fling weekend and enjoy our chances to ignore the real world just one last time.

Stud.

Over the last several years, Philadelphia has been plagued by public scandal and absurd political figures. With our plunging education and employment rate, we Philadelphians have become the laughing stock of this great nation. I’ve had enough.

As the primaries for the mayoral race near, I urge you to look closely at all the candidates. We need a solid leader who makes residents proud to call Philadelphia their home. And one Penn senior and notorious former Spinster plans to become just that. Last night, at 6:30, on the corner of 33rd and Locust, he declared his candidacy for the coveted position of Philadelphia mayor.

That student is none other than — you guessed it — Stephen Morse.

Morse’s crusade immediately hits a speed bump: The minimum age for candidacy is 25. But not so fast — there are a few things you may not know about Stephen Morse. His mom had him repeat kindergarten because he refused to play the Wonderball game with his classmates. Then during high school, he needed to take a year off after his sex-change operation. Morse’s early college years at Cornell ended when he returned from spring break in Panama to the US. It was a small drug bust–he only had to do two years. All this actually makes him 26-years-old.

Morse envisions a bright and optimistic future for our city, and he inspire a groundswell of support. Here are some of most integral components of his campaign platform:

• Knock down boathouse row and construct a Trump casino megaplex along the Schuykill waterfront with gambling ferryboats.
  

• Order the University of Pennsylvania to provide citywide wine preceptorials, free of charge to all Philadelphians.
  

• Use duct tape to fix all broken stoplights and promote safety in “the most-heinous intersections” of the city.
• Offer free “bicitaxi” service for all Philly residents.
  

• Charge per pound in all SEPTA fares.
  

• Erect a life-size monument of Barbaro in front of City Hall.

When I asked Morse what these goals will bring to the city, however, all I got was “an off-camera elbow to the stomach.” Interesting strategy for an up-and-coming underdog.

“prof smith’s dreamy. Lol”

I’ll admit it — I’ve sent an occasional text message or two during class. You know, the crucial “meet you for lunch in 15″ or “gym after class?”

At nearby Rutgers University, one instructor has banned cell phones from his classroom. Yet it is not students’ wandering minds and glazed-over eyes that led journalism lecturer Ben Davis to such a rash decision. Instead, as the Rutgers paper, The Daily Targum reported, Davis is “taking preventative action against the unauthorized sharing of information” because the recording capabilities on many newer cell phones “present a threat to confidentiality within the classroom.”

Professor Davis’s policy is controversial. The Targum even questions whether or not such a breach of freedom is legal in the classroom of a public university. Such an extreme policy threatens the sense of trust in teacher-student relationships and creates a generally hostile environment before class even begins.
Legal or not, however, it is ridiculous for any university instructor to demand the private property of students before beginning class. All students — university or high school age — should be permitted to carry cell phones at all times, to always be prepared for the unpredictable. Cell phones are not simply a convenience; they are potential lifesavers in the event of medical emergency or other unforeseeable crises.

Sure, a professor has the right to prohibit recording in the classroom, yet instructors should be able to trust that students will comply with their demands. And honestly, the most brilliant professors may be world renown, yet I doubt that recordings of their lectures are in as popular demand as Davis would make it seem. But banning cell phones isn’t even such an effective policy — if a student is that eager to reproduce the instructor’s secretive material, there’s always the power of the ancient paper and pencil.

Rutgers administration needs to step in on behalf of its students because this instructor is clearly overstepping his authority. And Penn professors, please don’t get any ideas — Penn students won’t easily part with their cell phones.

Think of your best friend in high school. Say he asked for $100 every few months and gave you nothing in return. And if you got jumpy and called him prematurely, he’d happily charge you another $10.

We all come may come from different schools, but none of us could escape the claws of that oh-so-friendly menace — the Educational Testing Service.

And just when you thought you were done with ETS, the villain makes a triumphant return during your junior year of college. That’s because ETS controls another predator, the Graduate Record Examinations. Almost everyone applying to a non-professional graduate school must take this exam.

Last summer, I sat down to prepare for the GRE and found myself in a world of antonyms and 30-60-90 triangles. $1300 poorer and two months later, I completed a useless Kaplan prep course and could rattle off the definitions of arcane “vocabulary.”

The GRE is particularly stressful because it is currently “Computer Adaptive,” which means it must — with few exceptions — be taken on the computer.

The test consists of 28 math questions and 30 verbal questions. The earlier questions are weighted more heavily, and all answers are final. The base score is 500. When you answer correctly, you will receive a harder question. You can predict exactly how you are doing while you are taking the test. Once in a hole, there’s little hope of getting out.

The rules are ridiculously strict: five pieces of scrap paper at a time max. No test booklet to ceremoniously cross out wrong choice. And you can’t add or remove clothing during the exam (because obviously, you are storing vocabulary flashcards in the pockets of your hoodie).

Four days ago, ETS acted in its typically admirable form. The New York Times reported that after four years and $12 million of strategizing and investing, ETS completely abandoned changes to the GRE scheduled to begin in July.

While the anticipated changes would’ve made the exam even more absurd, the test can’t remain in its current version. The GRE needs to be restructured immediately and returned to a more reasonable paper-based format, in which each question has an equivalent impact on your score.

For the time being, however, if you’re about to take the test: make sure you come back in time from your bathroom break — because the computer will happily restart without you.

I wrote on Jan 31 about Relay for Life, a worldwide fundraiser for breast cancer research. Well, last Friday evening, over 1200 people gathered on Franklin Field for the 12-hour event, and I wanted to share some thoughts with you.

Relay was a test of endurance, but as the night wore on, tired faces faithfully withstood the challenge. The fluorescent green turf became a virtual encampment of tents, flashlights and coolers. Sorority sisters relived their Girl Scout years, huddling together in rows of sleeping bags and making that occasional trek to the stadium latrine. Instead of owls and bears, the 5 a.m. silence was disrupted only by the tunes of MarioKart in the southwest corner of the field.

As the sun rose and the last few hours of the relay were underway, students continued to prove that they were worthy of their donations and committed to the fight for a cure for cancer. The track was constantly populated, no matter how cold or how tired the walkers became.

This year’s Relay for Life emded 8 a.m., when all team members gathered in the center of the field for a closing ceremony. Everyone’s efforts were certainly rewarded as the organizers unveiled the total sum raised — approximately $135,000.

Congratulations the leaders who planned the event as well as all those who participated. No one can escape the threat of cancer, and we are now one small step closer to curbing that threat. Next year, hopefully we can double the number of participants and help save even more lives.

Peyton Manning, who led the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XL, addresses Irvine Auditorium last night. He said to the crowd: “I wouldn’t tell the owner of the Colts this, but I’d play for free.” (David Wang/DP)

Irvine Auditorium was filled to capacity yesterday evening. Students were almost spilling over both levels of the balcony. As the Superbowl XLI champion quarterback took the stage, the audience cheered and rose in a contagious standing ovation. Still, the NFL MVP managed to remains quite humble under his newfound omnipresent spotlight.

“I feel a little more comfortable here in Philly when people start booing me,” said Peyton Manning, quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts and keynote speaker at yesterday’s SPEC-sponsored event.

Manning was charming. But the success of his speech wasn’t because he was funny, or that he has an endearingly goofy smile. This star quarterback was a genuinely inspirational speaker, whose intelligence and honesty truly stood out.

“A long time ago, I decided to focus on the journey, not the destination,” Manning said. People often lose because “they never stop talking about how they screwed up the previous season.”

In every outlet of life, he stressed the importance of focusing on the present rather than harping on the past. At Penn, our type-A personalities may be overwhelmed by past errors and future possibilities, we should only aim to tackle our current challenges.

As a leader, “you have to have the confidence to know that you can be the difference-maker,” Manning said. Addressing “everyone in this room,” he discussed how “with great advantages come great responsibility.”

Clearly, Manning has fulfilled this “re, through his ongoing charitable efforts as the head of the Peyback Foundation. In his hometown of New Orleans and in Indiana, both Peyton and his brother Eli have improved the lives of so many disadvantaged children.

Yet humble as ever, the all-star quarterback incredulously remarked, “for some reason, they let me host Saturday Night Live.”

Peyton Manning was excellent choice as this semester’s SPEC Connaissance speaker, and his admirable qualities should become a standard criteria for future speakers at Penn. His contributions on and off the field make him a model worthy of emulation. Besides, how many people are able to throw a 53-yard touchdown pass?

Next season’s speaker — Tiki Barber, anyone?

It’s awkward to ride alone in a stranger’s car. For many of us, this is a routine experience — we take cabs. Roadway tet-a-tet between the driver and a Penn student rarely extends beyond destination information and a request for change. Each person continues a separate cell phone conversation in the language of his choice.

But two weeks ago, I had quite a different experience, en route to the Philadelphia Airport. As I hurriedly opened the doors of a taxicab, I quickly noticed something unusual. No, not the exorbitant cab fare or the rundown seat cushions. Not the lengthy Nigerian nameplate or the colorful scarf worn on the driver’s head. There was only one thing that really surprised me:

My driver was a woman.

At first, I sat quietly in the backseat, checking to make sure I had my plane ticket for about the fifth time. Peering out the window, I observed the usual near-collisions and listened to my driver gripe about this reckless motor etiquette.

“We do not have collision insurance,” she explained to me. Each driver must personally bear the financial and time expenses that result from an accident — the cab company doesn’t provide insurance.

Her comments broke the cell phone dam. I learned about her exhausting 12-hour shifts that will hopefully pay her way through school. An ambitious woman in a dangerous city, she has to bear day-to-day obstacles that I could never imagine. Her most shocking revelation was her interactions with male visitors to Philadelphia.

“They rely on taxi drivers to take them to where the prostitutes are,” the driver said. “Occasionally, the moment they realize that I’m a female, they are apologetic.”

My driver wished to remain anonymous, in order to protect her job. But she is one persistent woman, working her way through a male-dominated profession in a city quite far away from home. For this, I admire her.

This Irish fortress was must have been the design inspiration for Huntsman Hall.

We all know that Huntsman Hall wants to keep us mere mortals (read: non-Whartonites) out, but this winter, the imposing structure has become a veritable fortress. After a winter storm, the building’s artillery hurls ice missiles at the innocent passerby, making even a quick stroll by quite dangerous.

Here at Penn, we pride ourselves on playing host to “the world’s most advanced academic center for management education.” Towering over 38th and Walnut Streets is that formidable colossus, known as John M. Huntsman Hall. It is difficult not to gaze up with admiration at this giantess, an aesthetic and financial landmark: The Wharton School. Surely, the $139.9 million educational haven is the perfect model of West Philadelphia’s progress.

While the building’s innovative design may be unparalleled, however, significant flaws in the external structure are posing costs and dangers to the Penn community.

On Saturday, my friends and I were on our way to the gym, and the streets were a delectable mixture of icy brown slush — the expected remnants of the previous day’s storm. Yet as we crossed 38th St., we suddenly faced yellow barricades and circles of caution tape that spanned the entire width of Huntsman. Way above these warning signs, men clung to suspension cords and scraped ice from the uppermost parts of the building. High in the sky, the workers swung from window to window with an expertise that could only rival that of Tarzan himself.

“The window sills are very deep,” said Mark Kocent, principal planner at the Office of the University Architect.

So deep that they become the perfect receptacles and projectiles for dangerous shards of ice. The building’s design is clearly not suitably prepared to weather the aftermath of a significant storm.

Kocent explained that the University is currently weighing its options and meanwhile employing a temporary solution–contracting a private window-cleaning company to manually remove the ice. Long-term remedies could potentially include “snow guards” for the windowsills or “heat tracing” electrical wires to melt the snow before it accumulates.

Ultimately, “there’s some talk about doing design changes,” Kocent said.

Such design changes are essential, and Penn should resolve this issue before another blustery winter increases the wrath of Huntsman. Unfortunately, snowstorms are here to stay, and we can’t revisit the blueprints that bore such a flagrant design flaw in the building’s construction. Instead, the University should invest in a long-term solution that will surely be worth the momentary expense.

For the rest of this winter, however, the fortress will remain armed and intact.