Opinions, Column

Feb. 3 Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

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Thumbs Up

Puppy Bowl – Between the numerous college bowl games, the Super Bowl, the Pro Bowl, and the bowls in which we ate our cereal this morning, one would think that America would feel like there are enough bowls to last a lifetime. In the past couple of years, however, it has become clear that that is not the case. Although there is nothing that can reach the storied heights in which the Super Bowl is esteemed in Americans’ minds, there has been in the recent past one bowl that has captured the hearts and minds of the American people, and that is the Puppy Bowl. What is not to love about the Puppy Bowl? It’s a bunch of adorable puppies playing around in a tiny stadium.

Thumbs Down

Super Bowl Monday – While there is nothing quite like the Super Bowl to bring people together over wings, beer, and American football, the day after the Super Bowl is often a day most would rather forget. Often considered Hangover Monday, it is a day that really ought to be a federal holiday. So, federal government, if you’re out there listening to us, please make today a federal holiday because we really don’t want to be in class right now.

<strong>Phillip Seymour Hoffman</strong> - Before anyone gets his or her knickers in a twist, don't worry, we are not Thumbs Downing Philip Seymour Hoffman, we are Thumbs Downing his death. Over the past two decades, Hoffman has established himself as a truly impressive actor. Even more impressive than the acting itself is the fluidity with which he has been able to move between the media of the stage and the screen. It is rare in this day and age to see someone skilled and driven enough to establish himself as a serious player in both arenas, but Hoffman showed time and time again that he was the man to do this. Nothing makes it clearer than the fact that he won both an Academy Award for Best Actor and three Tony Awards nominations for his acting performance on stage. What also worries us is the famous "Curse of Threes" that has shown us that the famous die in sets of three. We don't want to know who will be next.

<strong>Email Fail</strong> - You want to know what really grinds our gears?-People who struggle with responding to emails. Now, there are two different categories into which these people tend to fall. The first is by far the worst, but the second is close behind. The first kind is the group of people who simply take forever to respond to an email. You email them, wait for a response, and, by the time you hear back from them, you've forgotten that you emailed them in the first place. Here, the problem is how difficult it is to schedule and plan when you simply don't know. The second group is those with whom you have a back and forth correspondence and then, all of a sudden, nothing. They just drop off the face of the earth, and you don't know what happened. And that, well, that is just plain annoying.

The Rain – Yesterday was the first of several Admitted Eagle Days on the Heights. Rather unforunately, it was also overcast and raining for much of the day. While that is to be expected from New England in February, it is also a case of really poor timing. We want our potential new Eagles to be impressed by BC and really enjoy their visit so that they make the right decision and come here in the fall. There is nothing that puts a damper on one’s mood-and one’s opinion of a school-quite like visiting in poor weather. We hope they don’t think too much of the weather when making their decision in a little while.

February 3, 2014