• Our View: Corporate tax-break bill is celebrated
  The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should have the authority to regulate tobacco.

• Draft dodging in the twenty-first century
  During the Iraq war, over one thousand U.S. soldiers and possibly up to 15 thousand Iraqis have died, according to iraqbodycount.net.

• Vote Kerry for inconsistent leadership
  America has a critically significant decision to make on Nov. 2 — who will lead our country, and consequently, the free world? The man who occupies the White House on Jan. 20, 2005 will superintend the security and sovereignty of the United States.

• Letter to the Editor
  The Three Strikes Laws were not written to conform to the intent of the voters.

Diversions

• Six pretty cool bands to check out today
  If you walk into a record store you'll run into a rather daunting task: trying to find a really cool band in a sea of not so cool music. Here are six bands that I think you would find pretty cool.

• "Study Away" gives students an excuse to leave home
  If you are a student who is adventurous, open-minded and would like to view the world from more than just one cultural perspective, then studying abroad is for you.

• Comedy Central's "Wanda Does It" falls short of its mark
  If Wanda Sykes is doing "it," then "it" must not be making her fans laugh in her brand new television show presented by Comedy Central.

• "Team America: World Police" shows the rest of the world who is boss
  Last weekend at the box office "Team America: World Police" ranked third on the top 10 list by making $12.3 million.

• Nugget in the Rough
  The men's water polo team got off to a 1-0 start in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation conference against the Pepperdine Waves on Saturday thanks to a great performance by this week's Nugget in the Rough, Brett McCleave.

• 49ers tie for second place
  The women's golf team tied for second place at the rain-shortened Azteck Fall Invitational, held at The Auld Course in Chula Vista.

• Fans favor Crimes
  A disgruntled and offbeat Yale volleyball dad heckled all game long during the Sept. 11 match against Long Beach State in frustration of his team's play, and the object of his discontent was non other than 49ers' Alexis Crimes.