Brandon Moyse

These last four years may have been the most carefree, fun years of our lives, but they’re not the best ones — at least I hope not.

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.

Spring Fling is overrated. . Please don't hurt me. Somebody had to say it, though, and I know I'm not the only person on campus who feels that way. (I'm not saying it's a widely held opinion, but there are 10,000 undergrads here. There's some law of probability that says someone else agrees with me.

Lately, President Obama has been all over talk shows, Sunday morning news programs and the Internet trying to sell his bloated budget. But he hasn't sold me. Among his numerous planned tax increases on the upper income brackets is a proposal to cut tax breaks on charitable donations from 35 percent to 28 percent, effectively increasing the cost of giving.

I didn't shed any tears when they shut down Koko Bongo. And when Wizzards closed, Atlantis moved in, lunch buffet and all. But forcing Philly Diner to close at 2 a.m. on weekends and 1 a.m. on weeknights? That's more than I can take. It isn't even because I'll no longer have a place to go at four in the morning for a milk shake and a sampler platter - the fact that Philly Diner is closing early in response to a February shooting as part of an effort to reduce crime is what really bothers me.

The recent death of Leonore Annenberg was a blow to the Penn community. While the University is not lacking in sugar daddies, Leonore and her husband Walter were different from other major donors - they gave to further a highly specific mission with a sense of purpose.

Remember The Odd Couple? If you're like me, then probably not. It was a 1965 Neil Simon play (later a movie, then a TV show) about a neurotic neat freak who moved in with a shameless slob. Hilarity ensued. Every year, many freshmen unwillingly enact their own little "Odd Couple" revival, only it's not so funny for them.

With meningitis, and now measles, on everyone's mind, many students are wondering: "How could this have been prevented? How can I keep myself safe?" If you don't believe me, just look at the 3,000-plus who went to Student Health to get prophylactic treatment last week.

I'll get it out there: I'm a hypocrite. I'm against income taxes but pay them. I'm in favor of the death penalty but wouldn't want to get it myself. I'm a proponent of freedom of speech but occasionally censor my Facebook wall. And I'm pro-guns despite never firing or even holding one.

Is a nose job medically necessary? Sometimes. What about a sex change? That has been the question raised recently by transgender individuals and their supporters. They contend that the University's lack of health care coverage for sexual-reassignment surgery violates Penn's non-discrimination policy.