Reporter's Notebook: A Little Trivia Anyone?

U.S. Supreme Court Justices are different from you and me. They wear black robes to the office. They work only nine months out of the year at full pay. And they don't cruise into 7-11 stores in the wee hours of the morning to pick up a case of Bud and bag of Doritos.

But they have at least one thing in common with the rest of us: they get a kick out of Trivial Pursuit.

Associate Court Justices William J. Brennan and Harry A. Blackmun made this earthshattering disclosure in an unannounced question-and-answer session held yesterday at the Law School. According to these two arbiters of the law, their future boss, William H. Rehnquist, plays a mean game of trivia.

Apparently, the future chief justice knows about a lot more than the law. He also knows all you never needed to know about Entertainment, Science and Nature, History, Geography, and Art and Literature, the trivial subjects covered in the popular board game.

If there is one gap in the Arizonian's learning, though, it is in the intricacies of poultry production. Blackmun said one of his rare trivial triumphs occurred when Rehnquist could not name the top five poultry producing states. That was a bit of arcania only Blackmun could answer correctly because of a case he presided over as a judge on the Eighth Circuit Court.

Say Fromage

They may never be as loved by gay Parisians as that legendary master of comedy Jerry Lewis, but a group of about forty Harvard undergrads will soon grace the pages of Le Figaro, a French weekly magazine.

The Fig--which is to France what Time and Newsweek are to America--photographed the students for its next issue. The pictures will accompany a feature on the College which will try to "bring to France the idea of Harvard," said reporter Veronique Grousset.

The students, mostly Band members, wore Harvard paraphernalia and sang "10,000 Men of Harvard" for photographer Jean-Pierre Laffont, who said that the issue will be available sometime next week at Out-of-Town News.

C'est magnifique.

Let Them Eat Dinner

After Thursday night's 350th dinner was cancelled because of a blockade by divestment activists, the University was left with full meals for 600 on their hands. While President Derek C. Bok and his colleagues dined on pizza Thursday night, Currier and Chives Caterers decided to donate the food to Shelter, Inc. to feed the homeless.

Zieg, Heil!

After yesterday's convocation, the academic and political dignitaries made their way over to the Fogg Museum for a bite of lunch. Obviously wary after the previous evening's demonstration at Memorial Hall, Harvard, Cambridge and Boston police made sure to come out in impressive numbers to guard against any more disruptions.

Many at the Fogg yesterday afternoon, though, thought the Metropolitan District Commission went a little overboard when a contingent of 48 goose-stepping coppers made its presence known on Quincy Street.

The blue-shirts, who marched in formation in rows of three 16 men deep, came to a halt just short of the Fogg's main entrance. After standing at attention for several minutes, a command was barked and they began to fondle their nightsticks. Moments later, they stood at ease.

A few minutes later, another order was yelled and the members of the Intimidating Presence once again jumped to attention, took a few steps forward and spun on their heels, marching lockstep back to whence they came.

Zieg Heil, Redux

Overhead outside the Fogg this afternoon:

"Well, at least we know they're not all Jews," one Cambridge police officer said to another, as he caught sight of a man--not affiliated with the protesters--bearing a placard which read "America Divest from Israel."

On the Protest Trail

For some, protesting runs in the family. Susan Tilson attended yesterday's protest against the Secretary of State with her son Whitney '89. While mom said that she has been to numerous protests, her son said that yesterday's was his first.

The 46-year-old Tilson was dressed in a business suit and pumps, which she said she had chosendeliberately to prove "straight people" protesttoo.

Meanwhile, one gentleman picketed with thesign, "I'm glad I went to Williams,Williams is divesting" written in theWilliams purple.

On the Lighter Side

If you still haven't heard enough of the words"Harvard," "350," "higher," or "education," fearnot. Salvation is at hand.

"Harvard: A Video Portrait," an hour-longdocumentary about higher education at Harvard,will be presented today at 7 p.m. on WNEV-TV,Channel 7, in honor of the 350th. The showcombines film clips from the Harvard Archives andfresh interviews with some current highereducation notables at Harvard and other Harvardbigwigs such as Harvard President Derek C. Bok,Harvard's Agassiz Professor of Geology Stephen J.Gould and Harvard's Boylston Professor of Oratoryand Rhetoric Seamus Heaney. Happy 350th to Harvardand everyone else and may higher education prosperat Harvard for at least 350 more years.

Really.

The Reporter's Notebook appears periodicallyin The Harvard Crimson.