Opinion

David Lei | A critical juncture

Penn has always seemed a bit out of place in West Philadelphia. The privileged students of this Ivy League University practically live side-by-side with some of the city's most economically impoverished families. We are, to put it simply, two harshly different worlds.

Brian Kroener and Jessie Sun | Dialogue about diversity still productive

'We live in an age in which we must please everyone. And by everyone, I mean 'minorities.'" On March 27, Ryan Benjamin used this quote to depict the negativity inherent in group recognition along the lines of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and other social identities.

Editorial | A Hey Day for the ages

On Friday, juniors tapped their canes down Locust and happily bit corners off Styrofoam hats as they took part in one of Penn's few truly revered traditions. At the same time, seniors enjoyed drinks and entertainment as they were symbolically welcomed into Penn's alumni community in a new traditional exercise.

Ryan Benjamin | This lesson brought to you by YouTube

The first time Susan Boyle popped onto my computer screen, I had no clue she would become a phenomenon within days, shocking the world with her unbelievable singing talents despite extremely low expectations. "Susan really makes you wonder how much undiscovered and unharnessed talent there is in the world," Engineering senior Mike Abuschinow said.

Opinion Art | Daniel Schwartz

Daniel Schwartz is a College sophomore from Decatur, Ga. His e-mail address is dschwartz@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Wiktoria Parysek | An aid policy for all

With the class of 2013 admitted, Penn Previewed and ready to register, the financial-aid application fears are mostly nonexistent among our newest pre-frosh. The taxes have been returned, the forms have been meticulously filled out and the aid notices have been received (albeit with mixed reactions).

Editorial | Controlling chatter

On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives unfortunately rejected a measure that would ban hand-held cell-phone use while driving in the state of Pennsylvania. While the measure was harsh - it made talking on a hands-held phone a primary offense, meaning violators could be fined steeply - it was heading in the right direction and would have made a strong impact.

Brandon Moyse | Banning stupid never works

I've always been told you can't fix stupid. Philadelphia, though, is trying to ban it. Last week, the City Council passed a bill that would allow police to ticket motorists, bicyclists, skateboarders, rollerbladers and scooter riders who are caught talking or texting on handheld cell phones.

Editorial | Preserving tradition

Tomorrow - for the few students who don't know - is Hey Day, the traditional "moving up" day for juniors. And, in the past, it's also been the traditional "get stuff thrown at you" day for juniors. While this year's crop of juniors weren't even at Penn in 2006, when a then-junior was sent to the hospital after being hit in the eye with an egg, the Ghost of Hey Days Past should still be present tomorrow.

Lisa Zhu | A wish list for the city

I'm no Fresh Prince, but come May 18, I too will be saying goodbye to the city in whose shadow I've been living for the past 20 years. Since my parents to Philadelphia in the late 1980s, parts of the city have changed a great deal: The Comcast Center tower has nestled itself next to the Mellon Bank building and the Liberty Place skyscrapers.

Opinion Art | Amira Fawcett

Amira Fawcett is an Engineering senior from Houston. Her e-mail address is fawcett@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Junior class president Arthur Gardner Smith | Soon to be seniors!

According to University Archives, in 1916 Hey Day was established as a "moving up" celebration to mark the advancement of each class. As Penn's Class of 2010 steps into senior status tomorrow during Hey Day, their Class of 2009 counterparts will be moving up as well with The Final Toast.

Senior class president Brett Perlmutter | To the Fine'09

According to University Archives, in 1916 Hey Day was established as a "moving up" celebration to mark the advancement of each class. As Penn's Class of 2010 steps into senior status tomorrow during Hey Day, their Class of 2009 counterparts will be moving up as well with The Final Toast.

Kaitlin Welborn | Recession overload

Hey, did you know that Barack Obama and fam have a new super-duper-adorable dog?! He's a cute, fuzzy-wuzzy Portuguese Water Dog given to the First Family by Senator Ted Kennedy. His name is Bo and he is so cute! And did I mention that he's now usurped Suri Cruise for the media's prize of "OMG Cutest Thing Ever!!!!"? Of course you knew that Malia and Sasha finally got the promised pup, the same way you knew that the video of Susan Boyle's performance on Britain's Got Talent has received 17 gazillion hits on YouTube and the same way you knew that Lindsay Lohan and Sam Ronson are dunzo.

Ashley Takacs | Sensible sustainabilty

As an architecture major, I get pangs of jealousy every time I hear that the architect du jour is building some shiny new super building on someone else's campus. Whether it's Frank Gehry at MIT, Renzo Piano at Columbia or Norman Foster at Stanford, it's tough not to be envious when Penn's last superstar designer was Lou Kahn back in the 50s.

Editorial | Byer for UA chairman

Today, members of the Undergraduate Assembly will gather to elect the chairman for the next academic year. While the entire student body does not get to vote in this particular election, the chairman, more so than any other undergraduate leader on campus, speaks for the entire student body.

Opinion Art | Janice Dow

Janice Dow is a College sophomore from Los Angeles. Her e-mail address is dow@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Letter from the Editor | The decline of the dollar

You are reading an eight-page newspaper today. On this day last year, you were reading a 14-page paper. And, though it's a rarity for The Daily Pennsylvanian to drop to such a low size, it is not the first eight-page paper of the semester. Unfortunately, every newspaper in the country is slimming down its print edition.

Christina Domenico | Generating majors for a new generation

Last week, the Columbia Spectator wrote about the college's plan to add a sustainable-development major for fall 2010. Cited as "trans-disciplinary," the major would encompass multiple topics and include a fieldwork component. This degree program - which sounds like old-school environmental studies on steroids - will be the undergraduate arm within the school's Earth Institute, which works to "help achieve sustainable development primarily by expanding the world's understanding of Earth as one integrated system," according to its Web site.

Julie Steinberg | Red in tooth and claw

Tomorrow is Earth Day, the celebration of all things nature (and a possible extension of yesterday's festivities for some). Though I'm not entirely certain of the difference between Earth Day and Arbor Day (something about deciduous?), Obama said the environment was important so I'm celebrating both this year.