Opinion

College Republicans | Innovation and accountability

We're all experts in education. That is, all of us have intimate and formal experience in the field. Personally, I enjoy fond memories of my public-school education. I was fortunate to find myself engaged with challenging course work and dedicated teachers until my graduation day.

Editorial | Our picks for the UA

As we noted last year, it's hard to ask freshmen to run real, substance-driven campaigns after they've barely spent a month at Penn. Many fall back on popular anti-dining positions, while others resort to superficial slogans or other flashy gimmicks to win votes.

Penn for Obama | The education candidate

Why do college students like Barack Obama? Sure - he's a fresh face on the scene who talks about a new kind of politics for America. But Obama's popularity runs deeper than vague ideas about change. College students like Obama because he stands for the issues they care about.

Opinion Art | Janice Dow

Janice Dow is a College sophomore from Rowland Heights, CA. Her e-mail address is dow@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Julie Steinberg | From Russia with love

'Kevin is an American. He is in Moscow now. Repeat after me." As the class joyfully chorused back to Ludmila Vladimirovna, our Elementary Russian professor, I couldn't help but contrast the experience to my time in Spanish 140 during freshman year. That class, which followed Alessandro and Pablo on their journey through el siglo de oro, had 25 students in it.

Meredith Aska McBride | Time to step up labor-rights efforts

For a long time, we've taken it for granted that AlliedBarton management isn't receptive to its officers' concerns. In the next few months, that could all change. AlliedBarton security officers have been fighting for better working conditions and a union for years, and it's been a struggle as the company's upper management has consistently refused to talk with guards.

Your Voice | Letters

TFA helps develop leaders in education To the Editor: I am writing in response to David Kanter's column ("In Teaching, Experience Matters" 9/17/08). Five years ago, I was one of the seniors at Penn who decided to join Teach For America. In the fall of 2004, I walked into a classroom in Houston, full of third graders reading at a first-grade level.

Opinion Art | Amira Fawcett

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

Oliver Ardery | Wharton's brotherly love

I spent my August as an incoming Wharton MBA student in pre-term mode, taking preparatory courses on my new campus in advance of the first semester. Like many classmates, I studied sampling distributions, logarithmic functions, demand curve and other foundation concepts.

Opinion Art | Alicia Puglionesi

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

Ryan Benjamin | Quality, not quantity

Three weeks ago I got a phone call nobody wants under any circumstances: A friend of mine had suddenly passed away. Jeremy and I were good friends in high school, often sharing some of the same classes, crazy teachers and a lot of great conversations. After graduation in 2005, we occasionally stayed in touch, but it wasn't enough.

Editorial | Getting their attention

From Blackberries to iPods to cell-phones, today's driver has plenty of distractions. Unfortunately, such multitasking can be deadly. And three Philadelphia City Council members have decided to do something about it. City Councilmen Frank Rizzo, Bill Green and William Greenlee proposed legislation last week that would ban handheld cell-phone use while driving or biking.

Your Voice | Letters

Getting involved in a historic election To the Editor: No matter one's party affiliation or political convictions, the excitement of this election season has been undeniable. Amid a fierce debate of ideas among individuals who feel passionately about this country, history has been made.

Mordechai Treiger | Keeping quarters out of the picture

Business Services executive director Doug Berger would not fare well in the current election. He spent his entire summer working against change. "In the day-to-day life of being a student, [change] shouldn't be one of the things you're really worrying about," he declared.

Opinion Art | Alex Jacobson

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

Wilson Tong and Zac Byer | Looking ahead, a new UA

This year, the Undergraduate Assembly (UA), Penn's University-wide, elected branch of student government, will be more present on campus than ever before. If you don't know what the UA is, we will strive to change that - and not for ourselves, but for you.

Stephen Krewson | Clearing the smoke around hookah

Awareness. It's being raised all around you, all the time, and seldom with your consent. Studies have shown that even simple acts such as waking up in the morning or walking down Locust may increase your awareness to near-toxic levels. So it's with a sincere apology that I attempt to raise awareness about everyone's favorite substance that is processed using a combination of heat and water and is subsequently smoked.

Lisa Zhu | Bang for your buck

As many of you already know, Fall Restaurant Week arrived in full force on Sunday. Over 100 restaurants in Philadelphia, including some of the city's hottest and most expensive establishments, have put out $35 fixed-price, multi-course dinner menus. Although I definitely wouldn't call myself a "foodie"- it's hard to eat foie gras and veal when you're a vegetarian - I do enjoy partaking in dining options a step up from 1920 Commons.

Editorial | Casinos in Center City

With the new proposed location for the Foxwoods Casino, city officials might have just hit the jackpot. Foxwoods and government officials recently announced that the casino group would consider building its multi-million dollar venue in the Gallery Mall near 9th and Market streets, instead of on the Delaware River.

Opinion Art | Jennifer Lesser

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