Dear Penn-ders,

So… how about this weather! No, seriously, this is ridiculous – snow? Only last week we were enjoying sunny-and-seventies, a cruel tease on Mother Nature’s part to show us everything we’ll be missing out on for the next few months. Thank heavens we still have First Call Magazine. There’s nothing better than warming up a mug of FroGro apple cider, lounging in a 15-year-old couch by a non-functional fireplace, and completing yet another First Call crossword all in one sitting. See, this is what we are here for.

And more than that, of course. If you’ve been following the primaries at all, well, don’t bother watching television anymore because we have your election fix right here. Outraged that McCain ended up on top (for the Republican nomination race, that is)? Don’t be. Tim explains why.

For that matter, if McCain isn’t exactly your cup of tea (or warm FroGro apple cider), there are plenty of other issues to rage over. Michael takes a serious look at school shootings, and Alyssa clues us in as to why they might happen (not directly, but maybe in the broader scheme of things, depending on how you interpret it… and such).

On a slightly different note (no pun intended! Well, actually, the pun was intended, but it just seems lame to admit it. And come to think of it, why do people even use the phrase “no pun intended” anyway when clearly it’s just a devious way of pointing out the pun itself in case they missed it)… so on a slightly different note, Charlie takes a behind-the-scenes look at one of Penn’s lesser-known musicians. Perhaps you know him, perhaps you don’t, but either way, you’ll need to read on to find out. Steve reviews another new album – that is, if it really should be considered new, we’ll let you decide.

And to leave things on a lighter note, Amy tells a short story about a time she locked herself out of her room. In a towel! Lucky for her (unlucky for us) an Indian princess came to her rescue.

In any case, you have a new issue of First Call in your hands, so how could you really care about anything else? Enjoy the day, enjoy the issue, and don’t worry about the snow. Spring break will be here before you know it.

Goodbye and good luck,

Mike Sall