Ryan Benjamin | Columnist Quizzo: Travel Game

Diehard DP fans, come on down for a DP Columnist Quiz! (sort of) Your ideal spring break activity come true, I know. We as DP columnists simply scratch the surface, so this goes a little beyond in keeping you informed. I will attempt to prove that we actually cover a broad spectrum of issues - even though you might say we only write about course requirements and Facebook - and that we use facts to contextualize our arguments. These questions go a little deeper into some of the issues we've covered. Enjoy the "Column Review," if you will.

1) We started the year with a crisis in the Middle East. Not long after, Emerson Brooking reminded us to treat each side fairly. Question: Who will be the new Prime Minister of Israel? A) Benjamin Netanyahu B) Shimon Peres C) Hillary Clinton D) Tzipi Livni

Lisa Zhu wrote about President Amy Gutmann's $1.1-million salary. Though I didn't feel quite sympathetic when I read a University-wide e-mail announcing to the world that she and other top Penn execs would not receive a salary increase this year, I do think she is fairly compensated. Still, recent events have brought into question the high pay of other, less, shall we say, important positions in higher education. That could include University of Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun, who literally yelled at a reporter who asked him if he would give back some of the money that he, the highest-paid public employee of the State of Connecticut, takes home each year (What's a good quiz by the Connecticut Yankee without a reference to his home state?). Question: How much will Jim Calhoun make this year? A) Too much to count B) $1.6 million C) $5 million D) $200,000

The wine-tasting preceptorial has been the brunt of quite the conflict in recent years between the Undergraduate Assembly and Student Committee on Undergraduate Education (disclaimer: I'm a member of the latter). However, this year the two groups resolved their differences. Now 25 seniors (quick: What's the percentage of the senior class?) will learn about wine from three experienced professors. So on that note, what makes grapes so wonderful for wine? A) Grapes stay freshest the longest. B) Of possible fruits to use, they are the most efficiently produced. C) They naturally ferment without added sugars or acids. D) They are red, which makes for a good color.

Colin Kavanaugh took President Barack Obama's message to heart, encouraging Penn students to volunteer in West Philly. Approximately how many people live in West Philadelphia? A) 1.5 million B) 300,000 C) 210,000 D) 55,000

And what percentage of students at most West Philadelphia high schools graduates on time? Fifty percent. Women's health is a much-discussed issue on campus, especially as we enter Women's History Month. Kaitlyn Welborn praised the initiation of gift certificates to Planned Parenthood of Indiana. Whether fair or not, the topic made me think about abortions. How many abortions were performed in the United States in 2007? A) 6.2 million B) 500,000 C) 2.9 million D) 1.2 million

David Lei recently asserted that Ivy League graduates and their narcissistic tendencies are not to blame for the financial crisis. I've not decided whether to agree with Lei or not, but I do know that of the 500-or-so Wharton graduates in 2008, over 88 percent found some kind of employment. What percent of these students went into investment banking jobs? (45 percent) And what was their average salary? ($61,000). Is this the best way to contribute to society? Perhaps it is narcissistic, considering the percentage of such Wharton grads that entered government jobs (1.0 percent).

And finally, just to see how really attuned you are, in how many articles (columns and news) since the semester started in January has the word Facebook been used? (22) You know you've read every one of them. But here's a number you might be able to guesstimate. How many active users does Facebook have worldwide? (175 million).

We DP columnists have our share of stupid opinions. But you should know we do our best to cover as much as we can. The onus to go the extra step is on you.

Answers: A, B, B, C, D

Ryan Benjamin is a College senior from New Haven, Conn. A Connecticut Yankee appears on Fridays. His email address is benjamin@dailypennsylvanian.com.

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