The odds were not in their favor. Around 100 Scroll and Key hopefuls gathered at the society’s College Street tomb Thursday afternoon after receiving a cryptic message — sent to members of the junior class — requesting their presence to “celebrate the Rites of Spring.” As the students looked on, the Keysmen began playing a modified version of “duck, duck, goose” substituting the words “scroll” and “key” for “duck” and “goose.”

Solidarity. Yale’s Muslim Student Association is launching a “calling campaign” to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office tomorrow in response to recent reports that the New York Police Department kept watch of Muslim students at Yale. The campaign urges supporters to call Mayor Bloomberg’s office tomorrow at any time from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Busted. A man police are calling “The Hamburglar,” was arrested in South Windsor, Conn., Thursday morning. He was caught on camera stealing about $900 worth of food from a Johnny Rockets, a popular American fast-food chain, the Hartford Courant reported.

Looking to November. A Quinnipiac University poll on Connecticut’s U.S. Senate race shows U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy ahead of former secretary of the state Susan Bysiewicz ’83 for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate, 37 percent to 25 percent. On the Republican side, meanwhile, wrestling executive Linda McMahon leads former U.S. Rep. Chris Shays, 51 percent to 42 percent.

Obama in trouble? In a Thursday afternoon talk at Luce Hall, Democratic pollster Peter Hart pointed to numerous indicators of a generally negative climate — including the stat that only 30 percent of Americans believe the country is going in the right direction — as indication that President Barack Obama could lose come November.

The artist returns. A new mural from Believe in People has popped up on the side wall of Hull’s on Chapel Street. The painting features an image of a man pole vaulting over what appears to be a mountain range, behind which a sun is setting. The caption reads, “Do Something Amazing.”

R.O.T.C. goes to Cambridge. Harvard University announced on Wednesday that it plans to open an office for the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps this fall. Harvard has already allowed a Navy R.O.T.C. to come to campus.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY

1916 Two professors advise in a talk that, in business, stamina and training with patience will win out.”