How appropriate! Hi, peeps. How’ve ya been? We interrupt your busy, rowdy (Neflixy, gluttonous) winter break with glorious news. As they have in years past, Penn Masala is journeying to India for the first half of January for five-stop a cappella extravaganza! We’d expect nothing else of Penn’s beloved Masala, and we’re sure Obama is kvelling just as much.

This tour is sponsored by the Hard Rock Cafe, with concerts in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and New Delhi. Needless to say, the Hindi a capella superstars have already created a media circus – there’s already an adoring promotional article in Rolling Stone India. Quakers in Dia (too far?) shouldn’t miss Masala making majestic music – the rest of us can ogle the glitzy video trailer (above).

Before the election, inboxes nationwide were bombarded with “personalized” emails from politicians, fundraisers and, of course, celebrities. The Obama campaign sent frequent messages opening with “Dear [Your Name]” from such stars as Beyoncé, Sarah Jessica Parker and Dr. Maya Angelou!

Junior Dylan Hansen-Fliedner decided to, quite literally, take all those emails to heart. Treating the hundreds of messages as if they really were personal, he replied to every email he got from September 10 to Election Day with a corresponding love letter. Dylan turned his 100+ hilarious fake declarations of love for Obama for America’s fundraising into a self-published book, which is downloadable on this Tumblr.

He also compiled and sent his responses to the White House, and today, his clever project got picked up by The Atlantic! We can only hope Bey, Michelle and all the other emailers get to read your heartwarming love letters. Penn BFF Joe Biden would definitely appreciate the “I love you, and I will continue to do so till my last breath.”

“DON’T VOTE. It only encourages the bastards!” they say. Either this person really doesn’t like Obomney, or they’re clearly misinformed about the legitimacy of both of their respective children. Either way, the new (same) president has been elected. Check out The DP for election results!

You registered to vote in Pennsylvania–a swing-state–so you could cancel out the vote of your left-leaning roommate, or perhaps you actually believe your vote counts. Either way, it’s your first election, and you’re about to do it big.

Speaking of “doing,” “it,” and “big,” consider marking your first real display of civic duty by attending Bill Clinton’s speech at the Palestra. Ditch your election-chic for some White House Intern-chic and sidestep the Secret Service agents to hear the 42nd President discuss the critical nature of this election at 4pm tomorrow.

It’s technically a pre-election rally, encouraging Penn students to vote for somebody, making this whole democracy thing just (im-)peachy. Get yo tix here!

It’s pretty hush-hush, but there’s a super-dramatic presidential race going on between Mitt Zombie and BOOrack Obama. Spooky! Anyway, whether or not you’re in the know of this election, the Penn Political Coalition is currently presenting Political Action Week, which promises to be as exciting as it is alliterative (please pledge to go to polls!). Hurricane Sandy may have stolen the thunder of Amy’s Halloween Party, but the PPC is proudly cramming in as much political proactivity as possible over the next three days.

A full schedule of events can be found here and on Facebook, but the fun kicks off tonight in Huntsman at 7 (you can still get A-Gut’s desserts) with Obama’s Cabinet Secretary Christopher Lu. Don’t worry about political bias, though: College Republicans will be screening the controversial documentary 2016: Obama’s America tomorrow in Huntsman at 6 p.m. And of course, the festivities will conclude with a free food Schmoozer on Friday, before the PPC starts its weekend pre-election panic (more Ps!).

Losing a professor is always a huge blow to the community, especially when that professor is your own. But the legacy left by former five-term Senator and Penn Law faculty member Arlen Specter, who passed away yesterday at the age of 82, is unparalleled. Here are 5 things you should know about his career:

1) He’s sorta like Ben Franklin. According to former Gov. and Penn faculty member Ed Rendell, Specter “did more for the people of Pennsylvania over his more than 30 year career with the possible exception of Benjamin Franklin.” Wow. Read more after the jump!

A recent Times Style feature details the– what else?– stylistic and political choices of Jeremy Bernard, the Obama administration’s social planner, as he sets up the White House’s upcoming state dinner. Who’s among those 806 invitees? Oh, is it you, Amy? It is! Except Any Gutmann? Eh, silly typo. We’ll let it slide this time.

Take us as your date, Any! We make great conversation about blogs, Penn, cats and the Interwebs. Or if you don’t want us to talk and just sit there and look pretty, we’re really good at that too.

The best-named person in the White House is bringing his talents to Penn.

Reggie Love, Obama’s 30-year-old yes man, plans to get a Wharton MBA after a five-year stint with the Pesident that started in the Senate. ABC News says that he’s “affable and outgoing,” so hopefully he’ll be more fun to have around than another celebrity student we know.  Also, “he taught Obama how to fist-bump, bought him a silver iPod for his birthday and introduced him to the music of Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. ” Maybe he can do the same for Amy!

No word yet on what he’ll be studying or when he’s actually set to start. Oh, hey! He already takes classes part-time! Why haven’t we seen him? No excuses for no spottings come full enrollment, y’all.