Opinion

Sarah Cantin | Long road to equality

Almost two weeks ago, many in this country stood up and chanted, "Yes we can!" The more accurate claim might have been, "Yes, some of us can." Some of us can marry, that is. On Nov. 4, three states passed measures to ban same-sex marriage, and none has proved more controversial than California's Proposition 8.

Jacob Schutz | Killing the concept of research

There are many things I don't understand about the past: powdered wigs, the Puritans, Richard Nixon, disco. The full list is more extensive (though a lot is related to disco and Nixon), but perhaps most baffling to my 21st-century mind is the concept of scholarship before the Internet.

Editorial | Congrats, Mr. President

Another administrator is heading south. Next March, Provost Ron Daniels will leave to become the president of Johns Hopkins. In his short three years here, Daniels improved financial-aid efforts and research programs and played a central role in implementing parts of President Gutmann's Penn Compact.

Opinion Art | Alicia Puglionesi

Alicia Puglionesi is a College senior from Havertown, Pa. Her e-mail address is puglionesi@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Opinion Art | Alex Jacobson

Alex Jacobson is a College junior from Los Angeles. His e-mail address is jacobson@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Mordechai Treiger | Knowing what you eat

Believe it or not, Penn's dining halls serve a lot of healthy food. But if Dining Services are serious about helping students eat healthily, it isn't enough to just serve nutritious food and hope students choose to eat it. They need to provide the accurate information students need - when they need it.

Dani Wexler | Freedom to disagree

Hackneyed as it may sound, with great power comes great responsibility. And teachers have great power. There's a video circulating the web, which shows an elementary-school teacher exerting blatant pressure on her students to support Barack Obama. Teacher Diatha Harris insinuated to the daughter of an American solider that the child's advocacy of McCain would extend her own father's time in Iraq.

Editorial | Sign us up

SEPTA isn't perfect. With many issues to address - cleanliness, capacity and fare-collection modernization - signage doesn't rise to the top of the improvements list. Still, installing understandable signs outside SEPTA stations will help riders and tourists navigate the maze of subway, regional rail and trolley routes.

Opinion Art | Jennifer Lesser

Jennifer Lesser is a College junior from Minneapolis, Minn. Her e-mail address is lesser@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Callum Makkai | Residences for the rest of us

The jet zoomed past the shiny skyscrapers and over the Delaware River, revealing an awesome panorama. As the plane touched down on the tarmac, a palpable sense of elation overtook my weary soul. It was a relief to have the long journey from Beijing behind me.

Editorial | Informed decisions

Philadelphia's trying to make sure you think twice before ordering that cheesesteak. Last week, the City Council approved an ordinance that requires chain food establishments to display nutritional information with menus, starting in 2010. The law only applies to eateries with 15 or more locations, so it won't harm small businesses.

Lisa Zhu | Philly's greener future

As part of the effort to reinvigorate America's economy and achieve energy independence, Obama proposes investing $150 billion over the next 10 years in alternative fuel technology. Obama claims this policy measure will create five million new "green-collar" jobs.

Editorial | Transparent government

We've seen many politicians try to prevent sunlight from reaching City Hall. But we never thought Mayor Michael Nutter would be one of them. Last week, city authorities prevented reporters from entering a budget-related meeting between Nutter and City Council members.

Christina Domenico | Finals on your lap

I always pity the professor or TA grading my blue-book exams. My handwriting gradually deteriorates to a foreign alphabet by the last page, and cross-outs overwhelm my intelligent reasoning and argumentation. Then there's the lack of flexibility to change an answer I wrote 50 minutes earlier.

Opinion Art | Janice Dow

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

David Kanter | Sucking it up

A few weeks back, Wharton sophomore Keith Williams and some friends entered the McDonald's on 40th and Walnut streets during the hours between Saturday night and Sunday morning. As you probably already know, Williams and his friends were called "stupid school kids" and deliberately given bad service, despite treating the staff respectfully.

Editorial | Better behavior

The recent altercation at McDonald's between Penn students and West Philadelphia employees wasn't the first, and it won't be the last. The neighborhood has a long history of similar incidents. Considering the many differences between the two groups, it's not surprising.

Julie Steinberg | Disconnected from others

Over the past week, pundits have dubbed Obama's victory the result of a "digital election," one that utilized text messaging, e-mails and MySpace to get support from our generation. And while the strategy worked astoundingly, the information revolution leaves me a tad uncomfortable when it's applied to other areas.

Meredith Aska McBride | Supporting the establishment

George Bush was inaugurated for the first time on my 11th birthday. I cried bitterly. A week ago tonight Barack Obama was elected president, to be inaugurated on my 19th birthday. I cried last week and I'm sure I'll cry again on Jan. 20, but this time with euphoria.

Opinion Art | Amira Fawcett

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