THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's OLUME 38: ISSUE 13 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2004 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Campus reviews healthy habits Fast-food lifestyle Some ND students weighing on campus obsess over exercise By TRICIA de GROOT By EILEEN DUFFY News Writer News Writer The movie "Super Size Me" In trying to avoid the frighten­ hit the box offices this summer, ing "obese American" image, giving Americans a dramatic some Notre Dame students are new perspective on the conse­ eating far too little and exercis­ quences of a fast-food diet - ing their bodies into oblivion. and giving the many college American's new obsession students who rely on it thou­ with nutrition might just be scar­ sands of caloric reasons to ing Notre Dame students into the think twice. opposite problem of eating disor­ As a living example of what ders and overzealous exercise. just one month of McDonald's For every value meal ordered can do to one's physical and at Notre Dame's Burger King, mental health, filmmaker there is another order placed for Morgan Spurlock let the dan­ the 300-calorie salad. For every gers of the. fast food world idle dorm TV watcher, there is a attack his body and unfold fervent runner straining to lose onscreen. But at Notre Dame, those extra pounds. in a community stacked with According to the National overachieving, busy students, Eating Disorders Association, as many don't have time to worry many as 10 million women and about nutrition. Even those JOANNA PAXTON/The Observer one million men are struggling The recent box office hit "Super Size Me," which focuses on the dangers of fast-food and with an eating disorder. Americans' effort to become more health conscious, has spurred students to examine their see NUTRITION/page 6 nutrition and exercise habits more closely. Above, students eat popular fast-food items. see DISORDERS/page 6 ICA..MP..A.JGr'J 20fJ41 College Democrats and Republicans Rock the Vote Same-sex marriage was one of By CAITY SCHNEEMAN the first issues discussed. News Writer Republican John Thibodeau came out with a strong opinion. Donkeys and elephants went "Marriage in our society has been head-to-head Wednesday evening set apart for years as an important at Stonehenge as Rock the Vote and unique union between a man staged a formal hour-long debate and a woman that produces chil­ between Notre Dame's College dren with a sole purpose of the Democrats and Republicans. development of society for tomor­ Associate Director of row," he said. Undergraduate Studies in Political Democrat Kamaria Porter Science Joshua Kaplan played the replied that decisions concerning role of moderator as he asked the marriage should be left up to each six debaters pre-prepared ques­ state. tions about their party platforms "The only way to address the JOANNA PAXTON/The Observer and the plans of each party's presi­ Democrats Alii DeJong and Peter Kralovec and Republicans Tom Rippinger, John Thibodeau dential candidate. see DEBATE/page 9 and lan Ronderos listen to a democratic representative speak at the debate Wednesday. SENATE • Two injured in crash N arne of SUB will remain same on SMC's The Avenue By AMANDA MICHAELS Associate News Editor Observer staff report The Notre Dame Fire Department reportedly trans­ Six months after the Two students, one on a bicy­ ported one student to Saint Student Senate voted to cle and one driving a car, col­ Joseph Regional Medical change the Student Union lided Wednesday evening at Center and the other to Board's name to the the corner of Indiana 933 and Memorial Hospital. Campus Programming The Avenue, in front of the The driver of the car wits Council, the Senate entrance to Saint Mary's. treated and released by reversed its decision and Saint Mary's Security Wednesday night, but as of 10 re-dubbed them SUB. responded to the accident at p.m., the bicyclist was still The amendment, which 4:45 p.m., according to Saint undergoing tests. Farmer passed with only one vote Mary's marketing and public reported, however, that none of dissention, specified relations director Nick of the sustained injuries that all mentions of the Farmer. appeared to be serious. CPC in the newly-minted A representative of the St. Farmer declined to provide Student Union Joseph County Police any information about the JOANNA PAXTON/The Observer Constitution be changed The academic affairs chair discusses the pros and cons of Department confirmed its students involved in the acci­ changing the SUB name to the Campus Programming Council. see SENATE/page 9 presence on the scene as well. dent. page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Thursday, September 9, 2004 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: How LONG DO YOU THINK THE NICE WEATHER WILL LAST? We are family Three years ago it dawned on me in one sudden and unforgettable day, the worst day of my life, the actual meaning of"Notre Dame family." Eric Buergler Katie Easterly Chrissy Hedges Matt Frey Laura Bradley Brendan Myers Everywhere you go on campus, there junior junior junior junior freshman junior are complaints O'Neill Lyons Dillon from disillusioned Christie Boisen Zahm BP Walsh students. You hear about Reslife, The "This is nice "Another month "Come one, it's "Until "Hopefully 'its long as the , Observer, South Scene Writer through the football team's Bend nightlife, the weather?" before the South Bend, tomorrow. football team and perma-cloud forever, duh. " weekend." winning student govern- sets in." streak." ment. Sadly, we find it much too easy to criticize when the storybook Notre Dame magic doesn't measure up to expectations and even easier to forget that we get to be a part of a widespread, legendary family. Freshman year on this day, I realized this- because when you are at your lowest is when the very best in others can surface. My dad died that morning. I can't even try to describe that day or the following weeks, but the clearest IN BRIEF thoughts I had then- and now- were that people 1 had barely known two The documentary "Super weeks held me up. I was completely Size Me," which follows one unprepared to face the loss alone. man's arteries-clogging quest Luckily, I was not alone. to live on only McDonald's for a It was not exactly the cards from my month, will be shown at 7 p.m. dorm or the e-mails from my professors and 10 p.m. tonight in the that convinced me that Notre Dame is, in Debartolo Center for the fact, the greatest University in the nation. Performing Arts. Tickets are It was not exactly the fact that random available at the door or in alumni at the Grotto will offer candles to advance at the Debartolo ticket girls who are sitting on benches and cry­ office. ing. It was everything. That's the thing about families. The Attend the Saint Mary's best ones can be frustrating and over­ TWilight Tailgate starting at 3 bearing, but members are always cared p.m. today. The event includes for and the ties are never broken. The a picnic dinner, inflatable same family that kicks you off campus for moonwalks and a performance breaking parietals will reach out its hand by the band "Blessid Union of again to help you even after graduation. Souls." Families are constantly growing and changing- so is Notre Dame. Every Double Comer Emil year, a new class joins, and four short Bolongaita. now a consultant years later will leave behind only memo­ with World Bank, will lecture ries of study days at LaFortune and Thursday at 8 p.m. on "The nights at Turtle Creek. But even though ERIC SALES/The Observer Enemy Within: Challenging you eventually leave campus, you are Teenwolf, of Dillon Hall, leans out of a window over South Quad to promote the Corruption in Post-Conflict always part of the legacy. Change and Dillon Hall pep rally. The festivities get under way tonight at 7 p.m. Countries." The lecture will be loss doesn't weaken a family; it strength­ held in the Hesburgh Center ens the bonds when you need each other Auditorium and is sponsored more. by the Kroc Institute's I wrote my mom an e-mail after I came OFFBEAT Distinguished Alumni Lecture back to campus after the funeral. She Series. later told me that she saved it and still Boxing reality show hopes of Miami by unanimous separate incidents. reads it occasionally, because when I to be a big hit decision and sending Reyes Luna, described by fish­ Pianist Jacquline Smith, wrote that I felt like I was "surrounded by NEW YORK - After pre­ home. ermen as a friendly 5-year­ tenor Paul Appleby and cellist best friends," she knew there was no rea­ liminaries stuffed with "The Next Great Champ" old whale, has made fre­ Nicole Thorn will perform clas­ son to worry about me. enough lawsuits and trash­ had several familiar ele­ quent contact with people sical music tomorrow from At the risk of excessively rhapsodizing talk to make Don King ments of a reality series: a and boats in waters off noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Penote about our school, I should clarify that I proud, the first of TV's bat­ smoke-filled backroom, Vancouver Island, about Performer's Hall in the can find fault with it as easily as anyone. tling boxing series threw instead of a boardroom, 125 miles north of the U.S.