In short

PSU blood drive today

Students can donate blood today in an American Red Cross-sponsored blood drive in Smith Memorial Student Union.

Gwyn Aschom, outreach coordinator for the PSU Center for Student Health and Counseling, said students should anticipate a donation to take around one hour, including check-in and the actual drawing of blood. She said about a pint is drawn, and that students who participate in the drive “should not expect any passing out or similar complications, so long as they remain hydrated throughout the day and eat something solid beforehand.”

One blood drive per term is typically held at PSU, Ashcom said. This drive marks the first time students can register to donate online before the actual event, at www.givelife.org, where an online profile of the donor is created and appointments made. Ashcom said more appointments have been made due to the online registration system and that it will now be a regular part of PSU blood drives.

The drive will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom (SMSU 355).

–Robert Seitzinger

Supreme Court denies ACLU wiretapping appeal

WASHINGTON (AP)–The Supreme Court dealt a setback Tuesday to civil rights and privacy advocates who oppose the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program.

The justices, without comment, turned down an appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union to let it pursue a lawsuit against the program that began shortly after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

The action underscored the difficulty of mounting a challenge to the eavesdropping, which remains classified and was confirmed by President Bush only after a newspaper article revealed its existence.

“It’s very disturbing that the president’s actions will go unremarked upon by the court,” said Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU’s national security project. “In our view, it shouldn’t be left to executive branch officials alone to determine the limits.”

The Terrorist Surveillance Program no longer exists, although the administration has maintained it was legal.

The ACLU sued on behalf of itself, other lawyers, reporters and scholars, arguing that the program was illegal and that they had been forced to alter how they communicate with foreigners who were likely to have been targets of the wiretapping.