Today's Stories
  • Sports
    • Home-opening wins propel track teams into season (By ANDY TROEGER Sports Writer)
      The Irish track season got off to a resounding start Friday as both the mens and womens teams won their home openers in the first scored match of the season. With 131 points, the Irish women outdistanced Ball State at 99 and Western Michigan at 93. The men defeated Ball State 91.5-65.5.
    • Straight shooters Notre Dame's excellent free throw shooting has been key to its 16-3 record this season (By ANDREW SOUKUP Sports Writer)
      The total is now up to three.

  • Inside
    • The answer to 3/4 = 28% (Tom Haight Assistant Ad Design Manager)
      If you're actually reading this, you've undoubtedly seen the flamboyant campaign implemented by the Office of Alcohol and Drug Ignorance with the slogan "When does 3/4 = 28%?" You've also probably wondered what kind of idiotic decision it was to run them a whole month without an answer. While I can't answer why it's taken this long to come out with the answer (though I suspect coordinating the Boat Club bust with the sheriff might have had something to do with it), the answer to the actual riddle is that 3/4 of the student body drinks only 28 percent of the alcohol consumed by said body. Personally, I had it pegged as 3/4 of the alcohol is drank by 28 percent of the student body, but you don't need to be a math whiz to realize the numbers work out to be essentially the same. I just happened to see the uglier side of the same argument, something they apparently either didn't fathom or didn't care about.

  • Viewpoint
    • Visit to Baghdad inspires concern for Iraqi people, opposition to war (Julie Ryan-Silva )
      Last fall, 30,000 academics signed a petition opposing the apparently impending war with Iraq. In response, the University of Baghdad invited signatories to the petition to visit Baghdad to learn more. Thirty-two people, myself included, accepted the invitation and traveled to Baghdad from Jan. 11 to Jan. 17. The delegation included academics in the fields of archaeology, communications, computer science, environmental studies, geography, history, law, mathematics, medicine, Middle East studies, nursing, philosophy, political science, psychology, public health, religious studies, social work and sociology. While our delegation does not support the regime of Saddam Hussein, we traveled with the hope of learning more about and showing support for Iraqi people. We did not accept financial assistance from our hosts so as to maintain the independence of our group.
    • Calls for participation in Saint Mary's student government elections (Board of Governance Saint Mary's College)
      We as the Saint Mary's College Board of Governance, representing the Saint Mary's College students in an effort to clarify the election process, feel the need to issue this statement.
    • Calls for participation in Saint Mary's student government elections (Anna Bauer freshman)
      As a first-year student at Saint Mary's, I found The Observer's endorsement of an abstention campaign in Saint Mary's upcoming election to be both disappointing and disturbing. Not only are Elizabeth Jablonski–Diehl and Sarah Brown willing to run, but they are truly the best candidates for the position. The women in our student body who are standing quietly aside are doing so not out of fear or intimidation, but in support of a ticket that has faithfully and beneficially served their student body.
    • Peace movement ignores need for removal of Saddam (Damian Zurro senior)
      As a result of the peace protests last weekend and the calls for no war in Iraq that have surfaced on this campus, I feel compelled to respond. I know many of the students personally who are clamoring for peace, and they are very sincere people who have a world-view worthy of respect. I even had the privilege of attending the delightful Sheila Provencher's talk on what she witnessed on a recent peace coalition trip to Iraq. She is a true person of non-violence and very brave to do what she did. Yet, a nagging fact remains that if the counsels of the peace movement are followed, at the end of the day Saddam Hussein remains in power. This is an injustice that cannot be simply overlooked.

  • News
    • Board of Governance: Group responds to election editorial (By MEGAN O'NEIL News Writer)
      The Board of Governance responded to requests for money from various student organizations, initiated a fund to benefit needy students and discussed voting procedures for today's student body presidential elections at its weekly meeting Monday.
    • Students prepare for annual fair (By NATASHA GRANT News Writer)
      The annual Winter Career and Internship Fair, sponsored by Notre Dame's Career Center, will be held today in the Joyce Center from 4 to 8 p.m. Notre Dame, Saint Mary's and Holy Cross students from all majors will have the opportunity to present their resumes for consideration for full-time positions and internships and discuss career options with recruiters from over 130 companies.
    • Legends plan unveiled to group (By MATT BRAMANTI News Writer)
      The new incarnation of the Alumni-Senior Club is finally taking shape. The floor plan for the new facility, to be called Legends, was unveiled at Monday's Executive Cabinet meeting by Director of Student Activities Brian Coughlin.
    • Students speak out on Iraq (By KRISTIN KLEIN and LUKE BUSAM News Writers)
      It was standing room only at the Peace Coalition's discussion Tuesday as over 100 people filled the Reckers Hospitality Room to discuss the idea of the United States going to war against Iraq.
    • Board elects Soukup as new editor in chief (By LAUREN BECK London Correspondent)
      The Observer General Board unanimously elected assistant managing editor Andrew Soukup as the 2003-04 editor in chief on Monday.
    • Rough seas ahead for Boat Club (By JASON McFARLEY News Writer)
      It may be too early to tell whether The Boat Club's ship has sailed, but the police raid that turned up more than 200 minors Friday doesn't bode well for the popular student tavern, say officials who regulate the state's bars and alcohol industry.
    • Bush adviser speaks on initiatives (By JOE TROMBELLO News Writer)
      Jim Towey, deputy assistant to President Bush and director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, emphasized the importance of these initiatives while delivering the keynote speech for the Center for the Study of Latino Religion's symposium "Faith at Work in the Latino Community" in the McKenna Hall Auditorium.

  • Scene
    • Matchbox 20 show's they are more (By Jon Gargano Scene Music Critic)
      More Than You Think You Are, Matchbox 20's third album, is easily their most versatile to date. Possessing intense lyrics, swirling guitar riffs and propulsive choruses, this album further expands and diversifies the band's image as the face of radio pop-rock. In this album, the quintet experiments with different styles and sounds incorporating gospel, country-twang and hard-rock into their emotive ballads.
    • Dashboard fans unplug (By RYAN RAFFERTY Scene Music Critic)
      What makes a good live album? A good setlist? Lots of witty banter between the band and the crowd? How about the quality of the recording? Dashboard Confessional's latest release, MTV Unplugged, attempts to capture all the elements of a perfect live show, but they fall short.
    • Dylan thunderous in revue (By JULIE BENDER Assistant Scene Editor)
      There is no one quite so hard to define as Bob Dylan. It seems that every time he appears in the news he has radically transformed his image, his sound, his message, or some combination of the three. Most recently, Dylan made an appearance at the Newport Folk Festival sporting a shoulder-length wig, a fake beard and a fake mustache. His purpose for doing this? No one knows.