"Just how valuable is Facebook "friendship?" Such is the question Burger King posed to Facebook users in its latest - but short-lived - advertising stunt. Calling it the "Whopper Sacrifice," the fast-food chain asked Facebook users to "de-friend" 10 people in exchange for a free Whopper.

As Gaza burned and violence by Hamas and the Israeli Defense Force added to the mounting death toll of the current conflict in the Middle East, Penn students gathered on Locust Walk and College Green yesterday in protest, solidarity or both. They carried signs: "End the Genocide in Gaza"; "Israel We Stand with You"; "Zionism=Racism"; "Free the Palestinians from Hamas.

As students straggled into the Penn Bookstore in the frigid cold yesterday, they were greeted by an unusual sight - a high-tech station full of sleek bicycles. Bike Share Philadelphia - an organization advocating for public transit via bicycle - held a demonstration station yesterday on the corner of 36th and Walnut streets to spread information about the cause and to let people try out their bicycles for free.

As gatherings of social workers go, last night's at Huntsman Hall was pretty unusual.

Wharton is turning a disaster into a learning experience. Following the eruption of the current economic crisis, the University approved a new course: "The Economic and Financial Crisis: Causes, Consequences and Policy Options." The course, which is pass/fail and earns students half a course credit unit, focuses on the intricacies of the economic situation.

These days, finding a balance between academics and economics is crucial. That balance motivated the museum's administrators to discontinue 18 research specialist positions at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology last November, effective May 31.

The study abroad experience has become a rite of passage for college juniors across the country. But due to high travel costs, poor exchange rates and typical tourist expenses, many students fear they simply can't afford the experience. Instead of passing up an international education, however, resourceful students like College senior Ebony Thorne and 2008 Penn alumna Jennifer Leone have overcome financial burdens by turning to outside aid.

Although Mehdi Zakerian, human rights professor at the Islamic Azad University in Tehran, Iran, was invited to teach at the Penn Law School last year, he was unable to come when Iranian authorities detained him on suspicions of espionage around Aug. 15, according to Amnesty International.

Although many people look forward to a clean slate at the start of the new year, the Undergraduate Assembly hopes to continue efforts on past projects in the coming semester. UA Chairman and Wharton and College senior Wilson Tong outlined the goals of the UA for the upcoming semester, explaining that much of last fall's planning and project proposals will ultimately come into fruition this spring.

There is a such thing as a free lunch today - and burritos are on the menu. From 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Chipotle Mexican Grill will serve its 20-ounce award-winning burritos and a soft drink at no charge to celebrate its grand opening tomorrow. "We understand what's happening in the economy, so we're telling students 'c'mon, lunch is on us,'" said Chipotle spokeswoman Katherine Smith.

Many people at Penn worked hard to get Barack Obama elected in November - and now they're preparing to see him sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Students are getting ready for next Tuesday's inauguration by traveling to Washington D.C. or taking time off from classes to watch the ceremony on campus.

John Mayer thinks "your body is a wonderland," and the Office of Health Education wants you to tell them why. For "The Body Project," a collaboration between the OHE and Guidance for Understanding Image, Dieting and Eating, students, faculty and staff will be invited to submit video testimonials about body image.

Today, Bike Share Philadelphia will give students one less reason to go to the gym. The organization is hosting a demonstration station of public-use bicycle models from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in front of the Penn Bookstore. Whether you're a fitness buff, an environmentalist or just sick of sitting in traffic, public-use bicycles offer a viable alternative to driving, according to Russell Meddin of Bike Share Philadelphia.

The crimes have been counted and the verdict is in: Penn and its surroundings are getting safer. Both violent crime and overall crime decreased in the Penn Patrol Zone in 2008, according to the Division of Public Safety. Particularly striking is the drop in violent crime, which is down 38 percent since 2007.

This semester, the Graduate and Professional Students Assembly is setting up a number of events and proposals to improve life for graduate students, GAPSA Chairman and fourth year Ph.D. student Andrew Rennekamp said. Rennekamp listed improving housing conditions for graduate students as a major priority.

Goodbye, plastic bottles. Hello, water. In response to Penn's commitment toward increasing environmental sustainability, Dining Services collaborated with the Penn Environmental Group to replace bottled water in McClelland in Ware College House and Hill Express in Hill College House with "Quench machines": environmentally friendly water coolers.

Police are still looking for the man who sexually assaulted two Penn students in an armed home invasion Dec. 19. Philadelphia Police say that the incident, which occurred in an apartment on the 4400 block of Spruce Street, is similar to two others that occurred in Center City in October and believe the same person is responsible for all three attacks.