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Going home

By The Observer · Sunday, March 27, 2011

The fencing team psychologist has told us many times about the process of "going home" — closing your eyes and imagining yourself at the threshold of home, taking a few steps in and imagining where you are, taking in the details, the smells, and the sounds. Then you go into your room, opening the door realizing that this is your home. Then you fall on your bed, calm and relaxed.

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A necessary evil

By The Observer · Sunday, March 27, 2011

Despite Mr. Easley's right-wing rants in "Where idealism and realism don't intersect" (Mar. 24), I find there to be ample room for unions in 21st century America. Not only is there room for unions, but unfortunately (yes, unfortunately) they are necessary. Unions began as a way for workers to organize and fight for fair labor conditions during the turn of the industrial revolution. Over the years these unions have gotten away from their roots and do, as Mr. Easley describes at times, step over their boundaries and ask for too much. Unions have in themselves become greedy and at times corrupt. I know this from firsthand experience, having paid my dues and been a member of the Teamsters Union while working in a dairy manufacturing plant. Often the goals of union leaders were not representative of all union members and were overly aggressive. Sadly this attitude of unions is necessary.

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A defense for college students

By The Observer · Sunday, March 27, 2011

Not far removed from ND, I argued while I was there and continue to argue that the higher powers at ND have created a culture of drinking that are constantly putting the kids in tough situations.

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Looking forward to a tight topic at God Debate II

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

The upcoming God Debate II between Sam Harris and William Lane Craig has me even more excited than I was last year. The title "Is Good from God?" already has something that last year's debate was lacking: a tight topic.

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The fruit of labor

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

At first I greatly appreciated your piece ("Where idealism and realism don't intersect," Mar. 24) as satire, but eventually I became worried that you were serious. I am responding to what I am afraid are your actual opinions.

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Observer fever

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

On Wednesday night, I had a minor crisis in The Observer offices: we ran out of purple pens. Normally, this would not be an issue. Purple isn't even my favorite color — blue is, if you were wondering. In fact, I do not even own one purple article of clothing, including underwear (I just checked). Why was the absence of purple ink in my life such a travesty? Simple: Justin Bieber's favorite color is purple.

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Observing contradictions during Lent

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

It is an unfortunate fact that greedy, self-serving, mean-spirited people abound around us daily in our society. Personal contradictions range from the subtle to the outlandish. For example, twice yearly — during the Christmas season and Lent — a humanist organization purchases advertising titled, "What Humanists Think," and places it on the Metro buses in Washington, D.C. Their message proclaims that some people do not have to believe in God to be good. Yet during the past two years, as routinely as those posters appear on the divider wall behind the driver's seat, intolerant so-called "good" Christians inevitably deface and destroy them by adding biblical citations or crossing off the words, "do not."

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The God Debate

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

Next month, Notre Dame is hosting round two of "The God Debate." Those who organized this forum are to be applauded, for I can think of no subject of more fundamental importance than the question of the existence of God. However, the choice of speakers both this year and last leaves me a bit perplexed.

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An analysis of Rebecca Black's song "Friday"

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

The decline in American culture becomes apparent when looking at and judging the popular music of the day. Rebecca Black's hit song "Friday" makes light of this degradation of American civilization and highlights our stupidity as a people. The failure to read and understand the obvious deeper meaning of this song is simply atrocious, and points out major gaps in our education and schooling. In order to attempt to facilitate creativity and critical thinking within our schools, I will attempt to dissect and to shine a light of knowledge on the forbidden metaphorical corners of the first verse and chorus of Rebecca Black's song.

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Going further

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

I could not agree more with Mr. Mark Easley ("Where idealism and realism don't intersect," Mar. 24) in his assessment that unions "are outdated vehicles of progress." In fact, I only wish Mr. Easley went further in his demand to remove unions from both the private and public sphere. In the name of almighty efficiency, why not remove all restrictions on child labor laws as well? After all, before that pesky federal government interfered, their tiny hands were better suited for work in textile mills. All of America's youngsters could be getting an early start on their 401(k)s! Who needs that government-imposed obstacle to competitiveness, minimum wage laws? And just think of how competitive America could be if we returned to those halcyon days of the industrial revolution before those mobs otherwise known as "unions" demanded a TWO-DAY weekend. I can only hope and pray that someday the government will impose better protections against the unions that drive their companies overseas and will continue to support our hostage and battle-weary CEOs whose annual bonuses only rank in the millions of dollars.

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Let's hear it for the ladies

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 23, 2011

In the next couple of days we'll hear two very significant stories from our gospels. In both, which appear nearly back-to-back tomorrow and Sunday, women have prominent –– and indeed, similar — roles.

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Appreciation for OIS

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 23, 2011

As an Arabic and Peace Studies double major, it goes without saying that I have an invested interest in the political climate throughout the Middle East. These are remarkable times, indeed, what the world is currently witnessing are revolutionary developments that will lead to a drastically changed region, and with it, a new era of legitimate rule by largely oppressed populations.

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Best conference around

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 23, 2011

After the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament this weekend, a lot of media types have been writing a lot of columns and features and blog posts about a certain basketball conference that didn't exactly live up to expectations.

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Liberating East Lounge

By The Observer · Wednesday, March 23, 2011

In response to Mr. Stein's short commentary titled "Tradition of the East Lounge," (Mar. 23) we have a few comments to make. We would like to open with the statement that we are students in the College of Engineering. Students in our course of study, along with business students, apparently never pick up any respect for tradition according to your words.

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Inspiration and persperation

By The Observer · Tuesday, March 22, 2011

We stand in awe of masters. We admire the skill involved when Kobe Bryant effortlessly drains a contested fadeaway. We sit enraptured by Anthony Hopkins's nuanced portrayal of Hannibal Lecter, listen transfixed to Jimmi Hendrix's famous guitar. We hear about the theories of great astrophysicists or the complicated procedures performed by brain surgeons and admire the sheer amount of mastery involved. We both appreciate expert performances in the moment and dream about someday replicating them ourselves.

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