Opinion

The BCS system encourages cheating

 Human nature dictates that the more select and coveted a prize, the greater the impetus to control the process that awards a trophy. No truer statement need be said but for the granddaddy of all the punkishly rigid and controlling processes than that of the national collegiate football championship. The so-called "Bowl Championship Series" is a fiefdom presented with an earthshaking clarion call, but in reality only focuses on one important bowl venue each season. It is neither an actual series, nor an impartial championship journey. Rather, the BCS is a manipulated, subjective process controlled by an oligarchy of interests who assiduously limit the competition to a mere two teams. As a result, the current BCS model is the quintessential study that showcases a sure-fire way to encourage ongoing manipulation and cheating by those who participate in as well as those who control the process.

A useful resource for students

Going off campus to head downtown can be costly, and sometimes less than safe, especially when alcohol is involved. Student government and the Office of Student Affairs have teamed up with local transport authority Transpo to offer a safer, more convenient form of transportation for both off- and on-campus students.

Notre Dame short story

 Part 3 by John Cirilli

Tradition

 I graduated from Notre Dame for the first time in 2007. I managed to stay away for a year. I sometimes quip that I failed to achieve escape velocity. While most take this to be a joke, it is not.

You can't be poorer than dead

 Flannery O'Connor, prone to wry humor for instructive purposes, titled one of her short stories "You Can't Be Any Poorer Than Dead."  Her story characteristically examines how people face — or ignore — their limitations, both their own and others'. But more centrally, and hauntingly, O'Connor's work — beginning with her title — suggests that there is one giant human limitation that underscores all our others, and threatens us at every turn, and yet which we spend most our lives trying not to think about. At some point, our lives just … end. 

Soulja Boy ruined everything

 In regards to Danny Masse's Nov. 3 Letter to the Editor ("Ignorant or genius?") discussing Soulja Boy, I fail to understand why there is even a debate on whether he is ignorant or a genius. Despite his one hit song, Mr. Boy is extremely inconsequential to rap music and hip-hop. I do not even know how to refer to him professionally. Is it Mr. Boy?

Travesty in North

 Students of Notre Dame, a travesty has struck North Dining Hall. It has become apparent that the Cheerios bins are being filled with Honey Nut Cheerios, and the Honey Nut bins are being filled with regular Cheerios. The purity of each has been compromised by such mixing. For the sake of us all, especially those who rely on Cheerios or Honey Nut Cheerios for sustenance, North Dining Hall's failure to separate the Cheerios must be stopped.

Inquiry on ND girls

 Dear Meghan Dougher,

A Notre Dame short story

 Part 2 by Christine Fagan

Give country a chance

Miseducation of an Indie kid

 I am a music snob. I listen to British soul artists, spend hours in music stores searching dusty stacks of scratched vinyl, watch remastered DVDs of decades old concerts, spend more on headphones than most people do on their iPods, endlessly praise the music of Tom Waits, rewatch Prince's "Purple Rain," publicly scoff at Pitchfork but still read the reviews, and know who won the Mercury Music Prize last year.

A Notre Dame short story

He had been here before. He couldn't remember when, but he had been here before. Perhaps it had been in a dream, or maybe he was experiencing a moment of déjà vu. But as much as he tried to push against that brick wall, he could not remember how to get through. His fingers gripped the cold brick and tore down the wall, but he only came away with dirty, bloody fingernails. He kicked, he punched, he yelled, but nothing worked. All he knew was that he had to get to the other side soon. His life was depending on it. Part 2 by Christine Fagan Desperate for a way through, he decided to try a new approach. He swallowed all that was left of his pride and leaned his whole body into the bricks. He simply leaned, and with that he could feel movement. The wall ebbed and flowed as if controlled by breath. This wall works remarkably like a lung, he thought as he continued his leaning. In almost an instant he felt swallowed. The wall consumed him in his entirety and he clumsily fell through the bricks. Given the chance he would have screamed, but a contradictory mix of pride and shameless fear overtook him, and he remained silent. After a few seconds of eternity, he was on the other side. Once he regained his balance he stood ready to face the council. He was going to win, if only because he was not ready to die. Want to write the next paragraph to the story? Submit your paragraph to NDLFshortstory@gmail.com. Limit of 200 words. Title it Part Three. This story will continue until Nov. 16. If your paragraph is selected, it will be published in Viewpoint, and you will get to read it at the NDLF panel discussion Nov. 19. The visiting authors will write the ending paragraphs. Take advantage of the opportunity to write a story along with three New York Times bestselling authors.

Calling all priests

"Loyal Daughters and Sons" will be performed this week (Wed.-Fri.) at the Library Auditorium, and I highly encourage all in the community to go see it, to raise awareness of the very important issue of sexual harassment and violence both on our campus and in our society. I saw this performance last year, and it made a huge impact on me, as an alum, father of a current Notre Dame female student, and as a man in general. The method of presenting this topic makes a deep impact that can not be matched by simply reading about this subject.

Ladies, please!

 In response to Ms. Dougher's letter "University of ugly girls?" (Oct.28), I would like to interject that your boyfriend's friends do not speak for the entire male population on campus. 

Notre Dame leadership

 In The "Abolition of Man," C.S. Lewis argued that modern education produces "what may be called Men without Chests. It is an outrage that they should be commonly spoken of as Intellectuals. This gives them the chance to say that he who attacks them attacks Intelligence. It is not so. They are not distinguished from other men by any unusual skill in finding truth nor any virginal ardour to pursue her." Sadly, we see this in full effect at Notre Dame today. 

The city that sparkles

Completely and totally lost on I-65 yesterday, driving back from weekend festivities in Bloomington, my friend Hannah and I were completely speechless with the sheer beauty of the great state of Indiana during this most delightful time of the year. We had awoken in my friend's apartment earlier in the day only to be greeted by the most glorious blue sky I have ever witnessed. Crisp red and orange leaves danced merrily along Walnut Street and the cool bite to the air refreshed our sleepy spirits.

A rose by any other name

It has become the latest ploy in the liberal plot to sell their beloved public option to wary Republicans and moderate Democrats, not to mention a skeptical public. Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the latest version of the House bill will contain what she likes to call "the consumer option:"

Ignorant or genius?

Greetings, ND Community

Intellectual debate outside classrooms

 The perceived lack of intellectual discussion outside the classroom is just that: perceived. I'm not sure how student government measured the intellectual quality of dining hall conversations, but I think it would be safe to say they didn't. 

Creative Halloween

Witches and monsters and ghosts!  Oh my!