40 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(01/24/08 5:00am)
Chick flicks fit in two categories: ones that star Matthew McConaughey and ones that don't. "27 Dresses" does not, and it is therefore a good chick flick by default. So as not to offend the two men in the sold-out theater, the adorable film can be upgraded from "chick flick" to romantic comedy. \n"27 Dresses" has all the components of a perfect romantic comedy: a modest single woman (Katherine Heigl), an unattainable love interest (Edward Burns), a smart-talking best friend and the inevitable hunk with chiseled cheekbones, sparkling blue eyes and luscious thick hair (James Marsden).\nThe plot is frivolous enough. Jane (Heigl) is an over-achieving perfectionist obsessed with weddings — so much so that she has been a maid of honor 27 times. She revels in controlling the details from food selection to dress fittings but neglects her own love life. She is madly in love with her boss, who ends up falling for Jane's bleach-blond, leggy baby sister Tess (Malin Akerman). Along comes Kevin (Marsden), a journalist who writes the wedding column for a giant newspaper, to save the day. He is fascinated by Jane and secretly writes a Page 1 feature about her life as a perpetual bridesmaid.\nHeigl is believable as the selfless, control-freak Jane, but Marsden is absolutely perfect. He not only made all the women in the movie swoon, but by the number of audible sighs ringing throughout the theater, the entire audience was smitten as well. He is the new McConaughey -- with more hunk and less annoying baby voice. The movie follows the simple romantic comedy formula and the ending is, as always, a happy one.\nThe only two issues with the movie are that Jane spends a lot of the movie turned off by Kevin, when in real life, no one would turn him down. On a more realistic note, the efforts to downplay Heigl's looks in comparison to her beautiful sister are annoying. Heigl looks drab, and there are at least six different scenes of her stuffing her face. At least there weren't any vag shots a la "Knocked Up." \nIssues aside, chick flick (oops-"romantic comedy") connoisseurs will not be disappointed.
(06/28/07 4:00am)
It seems like Ryan Adams has found a new demographic with his latest release, Easy Tiger: baby boomers. That is not to say that this release feels uninspired or unfocused, especially compared to the storm of albums he put out in 2005, or his drunken posts on the Internet, but it lacks a certain punch. Gone are the post-Whiskeytown, exploratory wonders of Heartbreaker, or the head-banging rock of Gold. In their place are stylized singer-songwriter confessions, tunes for people who loved Neil Young growing up but can't listen to hard rock today.\nThe best track on the album is "Halloweenhead," a comparatively heavy song that describes a guy with way too much on his mind. The only problem is that Adams sabotages the would-be radio hit with multiple curse words and a goofy shout ("Guitar Solo!"). If there is a smash hit from this album, it will be "Two," a song dedicated to the power of a relationship, featuring background vocals from the queen of adult contemporary herself, Sheryl Crow. "Tears of Gold" is good, classic country music made for a slow dance, and "Off Broadway" is a sweet, tender song reminiscent of Joni Mitchell. But on the whole, the album feels plain, and by the second half, the songs run into each other in an indistinguishable pit.\nEasy Tiger is a dedicated genre exercise, but it's hard to tell if Adams hasn't aged himself prematurely with this effort. Lyrics about Murphy Beds and moping all night make him sound much older than his 33 years. It's understandable why he would take this route, the same one Wilco and others have tried lately. Putting out a adult contemporary album will sell more because that crowd doesn't get music for free online as much as the younger generation.\nWhichever demographic he's shooting for, on Easy Tiger, Adams shows that he wasn't joking when he wrote the album's last song, "I Taught Myself How to Grow Old"
(05/24/07 4:00am)
Gretchen Wilson -- the self-professed "Redneck Woman" of country music -- gives us nothing but what we've come to expect of her on her newly released third album: songs about Silverados, whiskey, trailer park livin' and cheatin'. \nThe only problem is that we've heard it all before -- on her previous two albums.\nOne of the Boys, the follow-up to All Jacked Up and Wilson's tremendously successful debut, Redneck Woman, delivers more of the same from the talented singer. \nThough it starts off well with typical Gretchen ballads about not changing herself for anyone and giving up fighting to go to bed, it's all downhill from there. \nThe songs on this album sound like the songs on the last album, slightly reworded and with different tunes and melodies. She covers the same subjects -- having fun drinking, being tempted to cheat, sorrowful drinking, wanting a down-home boy and all the responsibilities that come with being a wife and mother -- without really adding anything new.\nThe album closes with "To Tell You the Truth," one of its better offerings about wanting but being unable to come clean after cheating. The song is brutally honest, and anyone who has ever been in a similar situation will easily be able to relate to it.\nIf Wilson's aim was to remake her last album, though, she has forgotten her token Billie Holiday cover, which she did so well last time. \nNow that she has clearly established herself on the country music scene as the beer-drinking, change-for-no-one, down-home girl, perhaps Wilson should find some new material for her next album.
(05/10/07 4:00am)
Canadian crooner Michael Bublé says he was completely terrified about making his latest album, Call Me Irresponsible, because he "knew that it had to be better than the first two (albums) -- that it had to show growth without alienating anyone ..."\nHis worries should be put to rest now because the work he describes as his "remark on the state of love" is as complete an album as any I've come across in recent times.\nThe lineup includes everything: upbeat hits that make you want to dance, the usual jazz staples of the Rat Pack era, av '60s rock cover and two Bublé originals.\nThe album kicks off with a lively "The Best is Yet to Come," featuring a menage of sounds, including finger snaps and horns, and continues the upbeat spirit with "It Had Better Be Tonight." \nAs with his previous albums, Bublé plays the modern-day Sinatra, including classic favorites like "I've Got the World On A String," "Always On My Mind" and a gospel choir-backed "That's Life." \nThough no one could ever outdo the original, Bublé does an interesting take on the Eric Clapton favorite, "Wonderful Tonight," and he even brings in some of my personal old-school favorites, Boyz II Men, to collaborate on "Comin' Home Baby," delivering another solid performance.\nThe album includes two originals, "Lost," which I can't stop listening to, and "Everything." The former is about his breakup with a longtime girlfriend and the latter is about his feelings for his newfound love interest. Both songs show that Bublé has the talent to stand on his own (although covers are what he does best).\nHis last album, It's Time, was on the Billboard jazz charts for two years, breaking a record with 80 weeks at No. 1. But with this album, even more solid and thorough than the last, that record just might be in jeopardy.
(05/04/07 4:00am)
Dear IU,\nFor four years now, we have been together, making this journey down that long and winding road that is college. This weekend, that road splits and both of us will have to go our separate ways. But before we do that, I wanted to tell you what you have meant to me.\nYou have been a great friend, a mentor and a confidant. You’ve been here for me through it all, helping me grow and learn.\nYou were there for me when I was a freshman, trying to find my way around campus without knowing anyone in sight. You made me feel welcome and helped me find my niche in such a big community by introducing me to the newsroom.\nAnd when I decided that we should take a break for a semester, you understood. I came back and you embraced me like I had never even been gone.\nYou’ve seen me through times of sorrow and joy. You have given me wonderful writing experience, taught me the intricacies of politics and instilled in me a newfound love for The Beatles. You have introduced me to some of the greatest professors and advisers and led me to my very best friends. \nYou’ve taught me how to balance keeping a job, finishing schoolwork and drinking, yet kept me from becoming too much of a work (or alc)-oholic. \nWe’ve laughed together through the good times. We cheered at the basketball games, yelled at the Little 500s, kept ourselves out of trouble when tailgating and spent countless late nights (even Mondays) closing down Nick’s and Kilroy’s. We’ve cried together through the hard times. We’ve faced the tragedies of fellow Hoosiers whose lives were taken from us too soon. We have faced breakups and stuck it out through the fights. The headaches and heartaches have been numerous, but we made it through together.\nSometimes I wonder how I’ll make it when I venture into this world alone. But then I think of all that you have given me and I know I will always carry a part of you with me. \nYou have been my best friend for four years and I’ll always remember everything we’ve been through together. So give me a call anytime; I’d love to come back and visit. \nGo out and find a new love, as I do the same. (You know I’ve had a thing for New York for a while now.) I want to see you happy, so embrace those who come next.\nHemingway once wrote: “Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today.” That’s never been truer than now. I’m going out to seize the world, IU. May any success I achieve always come back to you and everything you’ve taught me. It’s been a wonderful affair, but now I must go. \nIt’s been a wild ride. Thanks for the memories.
(04/26/07 4:00am)
Avril Lavigne is known for being the princess of punk-pop and she takes that to a whole new level on her newest album, The Best Damn Thing, by spitting out lyrics consisting of the likes of "Hell yeah/I'm the motherfucking princess" and "And now you're somehwhere out there with a/Bitch, slut, psychopath."\nLavigne's third album comes complete with a parental advisory warning, something that will surely please the parents of the teenage following her type of music targets.\nThe album starts on what is perhaps its highest note with the single, "Girlfriend," where Avril urges her interest to leave his current girl for her. The song works with a cheerleading-type of sound, with chants, claps and has a catchy tune that makes it a perfect listen-to-while-you're-getting-ready type of song. \nAlthough she was recently married, you'd hardly know it by the makeup of the album. It continues with the upbeat, poppy anti-dude song, "I Can Do Better," where Avril continues her ranting ("I'm sick of this shit/Don't ask why/I hate you now."). \nSongs like "The Best Damn Thing" and "I Don't Have to Try" continue the upbeat cheerleader theme, and though the lyrics sometimes annoyed me so much that I had to skip the songs ("I'm the one who wears the pants/I'm the one who tells you what to do"), the beats were still catchy in that teen-princess kind of way. \nAvril performs at her best on songs where she's not simply trying to keep up her queen of punk reputation. "Innocence," "When You're Gone" and the album's closer, "Keep Holding On," showcase a deeper side of Lavigne and give hope that she's at least slowly maturing musically and lyrically. \nThough she hasn't come too far from the days where lyrics as ridiculous as "I'm not the milk and Cheerios in your spoon" appeared on her debut album, The Best Damn Thing is fun with several catchy pop tunes and is at least more listen-able than her sophomore album (which sold less than half as many as her debut). Perhaps if she can get over her preoccupation with keeping up her punk look and just focus on music, Lavinge will continue to develop. Pop this album in if you're looking for something fun and simple, just don't expect it to actually be the best damn thing.
(04/17/07 4:00am)
Last week the nonpartisan research firm Mathematica released the findings of a nine-year scientific study of abstinence-only sex education programs under Congressional order.. The findings? The programs, in most cases, don’t work (surprise, surprise).\nAccording to the study of more than 2,000 students, those enrolled in the courses were equally as likely as their counterparts to have had sex, and the age at which intercourse first occurred was identical among the groups.\nThe only positive outcome that the programs seem to have produced is a knowledge of identifying sexually transmitted infections. But I would guess that simply being able to pick out of a list the names of the infections that are sexually transmitted doesn’t do much for teens if they don’t know the symptoms or long-term consequences of contracting STIs. This is especially true considering that one-quarter of sexually active adolescents nationwide have an STI, according to the survey, many of which are incurable.\nThe “education” programs have also been effective in promoting false insecurities about the effectiveness of condoms. Nearly 25 percents of the youths surveyed said they believed that condoms were never effective in preventing HIV transmission, and 20 percent said they were never effective in preventing the transmission of chlamydia and gonorrhea.\nThe federal government spends about $176 million a year to promote abstinence until marriage. President Bush recently requested $191 million (a $28 million increase) from Congress to fund the abstinence program in the next fiscal year. And all this money for what? To teach kids the social agenda of the administration and ignore reality?\nThe good news is that more states are beginning to realize these abstinence-focused programs aren’t in the best interests of their children and teens. Last year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a document reminding states that to receive federal funds, their programs could not promote the use of condoms or contraceptives or even “refer to abstinence as a form of contraception.” So several states decided they would rather do without the federal funds than be forced to adhere to such strict guidelines. Recently, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland announced the state would no longer accept federal money to fund its sex-education program, making it the seventh state to do so. \nConsider the numbers: The United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the Western world. Though it’s down to 75.4 out of every 1,000 in 2002 from 106.7 in 1986, it’s still a far cry from the rates of France (20.2), Germany (16.1), Spain (12.3) and Italy (12.0). Teens aged 15 to 19 accounted for 831,000 pregnancies in 2005. Nearly half of sexually active high school seniors reported not using a condom during their last sexual encounter. And about half of the 19 million new STI cases in 2000 were reported in young people ages 15 to 24.\nWe owe it to the future generations to ensure that teens are provided with accurate and thorough information on a topic that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
(04/03/07 4:00am)
You’ve probably seen the most recent Sunsilk shampoo commercials. And if you have, I hope they have encouraged you to never purchase a single product from this line.\nIn its recent media campaign, Sunsilk pits blondes against brunettes in what the women declare a “war” between the two hair colors. In the commercial, the blondes are found in bright rooms surrounded in pink, where they declare themselves the “ladylike” ones and the partyers, noting that “nothing ruins an afterparty faster than a pack of brunettes.”\nAt the same time, the commercial puts the brunettes in a library, where they declare themselves the classy ones, adding: “We can read.” \nThese commercials demonstrate a horrible perpetuation of stereotypes: The blondes are the fun ones, and the brunettes are the serious ones. And Sunsilk forgot to even incorporate the stereotypes of the millions of women who are neither blonde nor brunette (red hair, black hair, what about dyed-blue hair?). So much for catering to the masses.\nWhoever thought that insulting women would be a good way to get us to buy their product clearly is out of touch. Insinuating that a woman is dumb simply because she is born with a certain gene that makes her hair lighter is probably not the quickest way to her bank account. \nNot only are the ads insulting, they also give us the impression that women should be obsessed with and accordingly classified by their looks. Blonde or brunette? That’s the determining factor in self-identity according to ads like these. \nAdding insult to injury is the company’s Web site, where you can fight “Mortal Kombat”-style in the Color Showdown, with a blonde and brunette clawing at one another. Enter VIP lounges according to hair color and decorated accordingly – the blondes’ is pink and trendy, the brunettes’ darker and more classic. The site even has “secret experiments,” such as finding out who’s sexier between the two colors when asking – you guessed it – men for their opinions. It again suggests we need men’s approval to validate our existence. Brunettes are given “points” for things like “More brunettes stepped up to star in a sexy calendar,” while points are detracted from the hair color of women who ate the most junk food behind a hidden camera – another insinuation from the media of how important women’s appearances (in this case, weight) are to their being.\nAnd if offending all women weren’t enough, the site’s expert “hairapy” guys also embody plenty of stereotypes of homosexual men, talking about how much they love fashion and doing hair and makeup. \nIf there’s one thing we women can agree on – not just blondes and brunettes, but women of all hair colors – it’s the boycott of this horrible company and its goal to pit us against one another.
(03/20/07 4:00am)
Put gas in the car or buy birth control? That is the choice that one woman, Jackie Fitzgerald, faced in 2001 because her insurance did not cover her contraceptives prescription. Deciding because of necessity to go with the fuel, she subsequently found herself with an unplanned pregnancy.\nThis woman, along with several others, decided to sue their employer, Union Pacific Railroad Company, for discrimination under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The courts initially acted in the women’s favor, but alas, the judicial system has found its way to deal yet another blow to women’s rights in its most recent ruling.\nThe United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled Thursday that the Union Pacific Railroad Company’s insurance policy did not discriminate against women in its refusal to cover the costs of birth control for its female employees. The court, in its 2-1 decision (which, of course, was handed down by a panel of all white, all male judges), justified its ruling by saying that “contraception is not ‘related to’ pregnancy ... because ... (it) is a treatment that is only indicated prior to pregnancy.”\nContraception is not related to pregnancy? Excuse me? Apparently these judges forgot to take human sexuality 101. Contraception is all about pregnancy – the desire to avoid it. It’s called birth control for a reason. Contraception is one of the most basic health needs of any sexually active woman, and insures should be required to include it in all coverage packages. Would they really rather pay for the costs of childbirth and at least 18 years of health care than $30 a month for pills? It’s also, however, a problem that is uniquely female; access to contraception is the only way women can control their fertility and, ultimately, their lives (short of chastity, and who really wants to go there). All women should be granted equal access to control their fertility regardless of their ability to pay.\nIt’s also interesting to consider that this company that refuses to cover birth control for women nonetheless will cover “lifestyle” medicines for men, such as Rogaine for hair loss and Viagra for erectile dysfunction. Making sure men can keep erections and have healthy sex lives but not permitting women to avoid unwanted pregnancies seems like quite a sexist contradiction.\nAs Judge Kermit Bye said in his dissent “... the inequality of coverage is clear. This failure only medically affects females, as they bear all of the health consequences of unplanned pregnancies ... Women are uniquely and specifically disadvantaged by Union Pacific’s failure to cover prescription contraception.” Uniquely and specifically disadvantaging people sure sounds a lot like discrimination.\nStrangely enough, Working Mother magazine recently named Union Pacific one of the top 100 companies for working women. Perhaps they’ll want to reconsider those rankings soon.
(02/27/07 5:00am)
If you are not pretty, skinny, white and popular, you are not wanted in the Delta Zeta sorority at DePauw University. At least not anymore. \nIn November, representatives from the sorority’s national office visited the chapter in Greencastle, Ind., interviewed 35 of the members of the house and deemed 23 of them unfit in their commitment to recruiting, according to an article in Sunday’s New York Times.\nThe members of the sorority deemed insufficient included all the overweight women and the only black, Korean and Vietnamese women, the Times reported. Understandably, six of the 12 women not kicked out of the sorority quit anyway after the fiasco. In a Times photo of the evicted women, noticeably absent are any skinny, blond-haired, blue-eyed stereotypical “beautiful” women. Several wear glasses. Many are not thin. \nSo the national office then brought in members of IU’s Delta Zeta to help recruit new members at the DePauw chapter in January. All the while it made 25 of the members from the DePauw chapter stay upstairs, essentially hiding them from the new recruits because the national office didn’t think they fit their description of what a Delta Zeta should be.\nKate Holloway, a DePauw senior who withdrew from the sorority during its reorganizing, told the Times: “They had these unassuming freshman girls downstairs with these plastic women from Indiana University, and 25 of my sisters hiding upstairs,” she said. “It was so fake, so completely dehumanized.”\nThough the national office denies it based its judgment of the women on appearance, the implications of its actions are clear. The DZ nationals have once again created the perception that to be in a sorority, women must be skinny, beautiful and popular – they must fit society’s ideals of what women should be (those ideals that have been perpetuated throughout history in a male-dominated society). They like to claim they embrace diversity, yet here they are kicking out their very own sisters simply because they do not fit the mold of an “acceptable” sorority girl.\nDelta Zeta proclaims its purpose is to “unite its members in the bonds of sincere and lasting friendship” and “stimulate one another in the pursuit of knowledge.” But kicking out more than half of the members of a chapter without substantial reason – because maybe some of them weren’t skinny and white and beautiful – doesn’t sound like it’s unifying anyone in anything resembling the bonds of friendship.\nThe only thing the Delta Zeta national office has managed to do is unite the members in hatred of the system and stimulate a blow to their confidence. Some of the women kicked out of the chapter were so distraught by the decision, they withdrew from classes.\nWomen should unite and stand up to speak out against such injustice. In the sisterhood of women, we should be able to be ourselves and love one another for who we really are – the smart, funny, caring and successful individuals who truly are beautiful.
(02/13/07 2:08am)
If a man wants to have sex with a woman and she says no but he does so anyway, it's rape; we all should know that by now. But if she consents and then changes her mind, the exact definition -- legally -- is not so clear.\nAccording to a Time magazine article, a recent ruling from the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, which could be sent to the state's highest court soon, says that this scenario would not constitute rape. In fact, in Maryland and North Carolina, once a woman agrees to sex, she can't take back that decision and still claim she was raped.\nThe basis of this law can be traced back to early English common law, when a woman and her virginity were seen as her husband's property. It followed the thinking that once her virginity was taken, it could never be restored, and so once she consented, the deal was done.\nBut times have changed, and the law should as well. To date, only Illinois has passed legislation explicitly giving women the right to change their minds, though seven states have supported that right through the courts system. The other 42 states should take heed and address this issue before they are forced to when it is brought up in a trial. Legislators should act to ensure that women across the country can be confident in making their decisions and know that the state will protect them when they do say no.\nWhat if sex begins to hurt? What if a woman finds out her partner potentially has a sexually transmitted infection? What if she simply decides she does not want to participate in sex with her partner? The possibilities are endless, but the reason why a woman would change her mind is of the least importance. \nSome argue that men simply can't stop once they are engaged in a sexual act, like Mel Feit, executive director of the National Center for Men, a male-advocacy group based in Old Bethpage, N.Y.. Feit told Time, "At a certain point during arousal, (men) don't have complete control over our ability to stop. ... To equate that with brutal, violent rape weakens the whole concept of rape."\nBut this argument is completely ludicrous and only serves to dehumanize males as a whole. Men are capable of making choices -- including the choice to stop when their partner says so -- and should be held responsible for their actions.\nOthers have argued that the situation becomes tricky when asking how long men have to stop after women change their minds and say no. This is a decision that can really only be thoroughly assessed on a case-by-case basis, but the answer in short should be simply immediately.\nWomen -- and men -- should have absolute control over their own bodies, including the right to make choices about sex and say no at any point in time, regardless of all other factors.
(01/29/07 11:19pm)
If things go well in the state legislature, Indiana could be a leader in women's health next year. \nState Sen. Connie Lawson, R-Danville, recently authored a bill that would require girls entering the sixth grade to receive a vaccine for HPV, a sexually transmitted disease that can cause cervical cancer and genital warts, when they receive other standard vaccinations. The FDA approved the vaccine in June.\nThis bill is a shining example of a bipartisan effort -- all 13 female senators have signed on as co-sponsors, including six Republicans and seven Democrats -- but unfortunately it has been met with the usual share of opposition.\nMonica Boyer of the Indiana Voice for the Family wrote in a letter to the editor in the The (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star on Jan. 20 that the "vaccine misrepresents to young people that it protects them from all STDs." Because HPV can only be transmitted through sexual contact, she said, it is not a public health risk and therefore the government should not be involved.\nThe initial costs for the government to provide the vaccine might be high (the vaccine, Gardasil, currently runs at a little more than $350 per person), but those costs will pay off, considering about $2 billion is spent per year in the United States to treat cervical cancer. By distributing the vaccine en masse to all girls, the government can prevent the cancer from becoming a plague only among the poorer women who couldn't afford the vaccine when they were young. \nThis vaccine prevents only a few strains of HPV, four to be exact. A main criticism of the bill is that it might give girls free reign to have sex. However, there are certain facts that contradict this claim. For instance, girls who receive the vaccine will still be at risk for contracting other sexually transmitted diseases and infections and pregnancy, realities they should be made aware of when receiving the vaccine. The important point is that the vaccine will help prevent cervical cancer. More than 12,000 women were diagnosed with the disease and slightly fewer than 4,000 women died as a result in the U.S. in 2002. And if parents really insist they don't want their children protected (because their children, of course, are the ones practicing abstinence till marriage), they can choose to have their daughters opt out of the vaccination without fear of recourse. \nBut vaccinations are about prevention, not treatment. That's why it's important to reach girls before they become sexually active, whether that moment comes at age 15 or age 30. Getting a tetanus shot doesn't encourage people to walk around barefoot in construction zones, and being vaccinated for HPV shouldn't encourage girls to behave irresponsibly. \nThis is a common-sense bill, and the women of the Indiana Senate should be commended for banding together and acting so quickly on such an important matter. Now we must hope that the men of the legislature will do the same and vote yes on this proposal.
(10/20/06 1:06am)
The parents of slain IU student Jill Behrman were called to the witness stand to testify in the third day of the trial of John R. Myers II, an Ellettsville resident accused of killing the IU student.\nOn the stand, Eric and Marilyn Behrman said they both had spoken to their daughter multiple times about riding her bicycle alone.\n"Riding was part of Jill's routine," Marilyn Behrman said. "... Generally, she rode alone to fit her schedule."\nEric and Marilyn Behrman recalled their memories of May 31, 2000, the last day they saw Jill alive.\nEric Behrman, his parents and Jill were set to have a late lunch. Jill had not arrived at the restaurant 20 minutes after the time they had decided to meet, and Eric Behrman recalled feeling "concerned and irritated." He said he thought maybe Jill had forgotten about the lunch, so he went to the Student Recreational Sports Center, where she worked, to look for her. After not finding her bike on the rack where she usually parked it, he decided to go home to look for her. Eric Behrman returned to his home to find Jill's bicycle and cycling shoes gone, and he said he just guessed Jill had forgotten about the lunch and had gone on a ride. Eric Behrman called his wife at work, and she said she had not heard from Jill, either.\nThat night the Behrmans began to get worried about Jill.\n"It was dark," Marilyn Behrman recalled. "Eric began pacing. Her bike was gone, her shoes were gone, Jill was gone. We began to think something was wrong."\nMarilyn Behrman said she had asked her daughter about a week before if she needed a light for her bike, and Jill had said no, explaining to her mother she didn't ride after dark.\n"It was very unusual for her not to come or call," Marilyn Behrman said. "I can't remember that ever happening when she lived at home. We had a sense something was wrong."\nThe Behrmans called the police and filed reports for Jill as a missing person. \nEric Behrman said he began driving all the routes Jill usually rode, driving all night to no avail. In the morning, he went to the police station, unsure of how to proceed. \nEric Behrman described his drive home from the police station as the "longest drive" of his life. \n"I had to tell our family we were on our own," he said. "I had to tell our son and everyone the search is up to us."\nThe Behrmans made fliers, called local papers and radio stations and notified friends and family of Jill's disappearance. The family offered a $25,000 reward to anyone with information about Jill, then raised it to $50,000 and eventually $100,000.\n"We searched, and we searched, and we searched," Eric Behrman said. "We spent months searching."\nIt would be almost three years before the search would turn up any information about Jill Behrman's whereabouts.\nSeveral jurors wiped away tears as Eric Behrman recalled the day in March 2003 that he and his family were notified Jill's remains had been recovered.\nEric Behrman said three investigators and a minister from the Behrmans' church met with the family at their home.\n"They said, 'This is the day we've been looking for for a long time. We found Jill,'" Eric Behrman said. \nThe prosecution introduced several pieces of evidence, including what Marilyn Behrman identified as Jill's bicycle, a Cannondale R500 bicycle in three pieces found on Maple Grove Road.
(09/12/06 3:45am)
About 4,000 women die every year from cervical cancer. But thanks to a new vaccine that protects against human papillomavirus -- a virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer -- that could change.\nThis summer, the Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine that protects against four types of the sexually transmitted HPV -- two that cause cervical cancer and two that cause genital warts -- for women between the ages of 9 and 26.
(11/03/05 3:39am)
As the leaves change color with the arrival of autumn in southern Indiana, the choice of cuisine changes as well.\nFall brings its share of seasonal dishes, and while pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce might be the dishes that come to mind, there are also more offerings: those made from persimmons, a fruit indigenous to the United States that grows wild throughout much of southern Indiana.\nAmerican persimmons typically grow in the East, South and portions of the Midwest. Persimmons, or Diospyros virginiana, which literally means "fruit of the gods," were first grown by American Indians for a variety of purposes, including the treatment of afflictions such as diarrhea and dysentery, in addition to their nutritional value. For cuisine, they can be eaten raw or used to make a number of breads, puddings and similar dishes.\nJerry Lehman, a Terre Haute resident who is the director of the largest persimmon farm in America with eight acres of persimmon trees, said the persimmon tree is able to survive the cold winters of Indiana because it is indigenous to the country and has been able to develop and adapt through the years. \nThe fruit is not widely popular, Lehman speculated, because when European immigrants settled in America they brought their own fruits with them, such as apples, plums and pears and already knew how to utilize them. But Midwestern families know how to utilize the persimmon, he said, especially Hoosiers.\nIndiana, he said, is "the heart of persimmon country."
(09/20/05 3:58am)
Forty-five years of experience is quite a life for a saxophone, especially when it is passed between owners — most of them just-turned teenagers, spitting and blowing into the instrument as they learn to play — year after year after year. But if the instrument still works, it can't justifiably be replaced, especially not with state funds.\nThe 45-year-old sax is only one example of aging instruments and worn materials local music instructors have to work with, said Bob Austin, a music teacher and band instructor at Jackson Creek Middle School. Austin's students used the 45-year-old instrument when he taught at a different Monroe County Community School Corporation school, and he said he guarantees the school is still using it. \nSchools' budgets are continually being cut and the funds must be diluted to a growing number of programs. The budget cuts, combined with the recent implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act — which teachers say furthers the dwindling of arts programs because it forces schools to focus on subjects like math and science — have forced arts courses, like music, to suffer, Austin said.\n"There are only so many hours in a school day and something has to give," he said. \nAustin also teaches students how to mix and record music in a music technology class, but he admits the equipment is a bit outdated at 7 years old. \n"In the business world, you can't use 3-year-old equipment," he said. "But I'm not complaining." \nAustin said he has no problem with using older equipment and he is grateful to still have the opportunity to teach the course at a time when many music classes are being cut. \nSome state lawmakers say they were faced with a tough fiscal situation this year doling out funds for the state budget — which took effect July 1 — and it shows, as nearly one third of Indiana schools will receive some kind of funding cuts in the next two school years, said Marilyn Edwards of the Indiana State Teachers Association, which represents almost 50,000 teachers statewide. \nSchools across the state are being forced to cut positions and programs. This summer, Susan Walker, a South Bend music teacher who has been employed at LaSalle Intermediate Academy for 16 years, was named educator of the year in her school corporation only to be told the same week that her position might be cut, according to The Associated Press. \nAustin said his school's budget seems to get tighter and tighter each year, and he doesn't expect the upcoming years to be different. Jackson Creek typically requires students to take a music exploratory class in both the seventh and eighth grades, but the course will not be offered to seventh-grade students this year, he said. \n"When there are budget crunches, class size increases and class options decrease," he said. "There's just not enough money to take care of things." \nAustin said most publicly funded music programs experience difficulty when financing the high costs of replacing musical instruments and updating technology, especially when they are competing with so many other programs for a limited amount of funds. \nSarah Fronczek, a fine arts consultant for the Indiana Department of Education, said that budgetary constraints and pressure from the federal government to make specific yearly progress on standardized tests in math and English play a factor in the decreasing attention paid to music programs, although music is considered part of the balanced curriculum that the state requires. \n"(Because) No Child Left Behind (stresses) student achievement in language arts and mathematics in particular, we do see some decrease in music programs around the state," she said in an e-mail. \nThe decline in quality music education runs from the elementary level all the way up to high schools. Gwen Witten-Upchurch, choir director at Bloomington High School South, said in an e-mail interview that she has seen enrollment in her classes decrease significantly in recent years and "students across the board from elementary on up have less music (education) than ever before." But music educators argue their courses are important learning tools that benefit children's overall learning experience.\n"Music is an enhancement tool. It's not extracurricular; it should be inter-curricular," argues Kathy Heise, music teacher at Marlin Elementary. Heise said she teaches kindergartners to learn the months and days of the week through song, sometimes even incorporating musical math. She said she has seen several students who could not learn in a typical setting excel when taught the material through music. \nBrent Gault, assistant professor of music education at IU's School of Music, said music is key to a balanced curriculum in schools. \n"Part of (educators') job at school is not just preparing students by giving them tools, but also teaching them a way to express themselves," which can be done through music, he said. \nGault said he has seen music teachers more active in advocacy in recent years than ever before because many fear their programs will be cut. But he said it is still possible for music programs to survive, and even thrive, in the world of constrained budgets if the programs make themselves an integral part of the local community. \n"Programs that don't get cut are indispensable to the community," he said. "If you make the program indispensable, (your community) will fight for it." \nEducators seem to agree music is an essential ingredient to a well-rounded education, and many say officials who choose to cut programs are making a mistake. \nBut state Sen. Bob Meeks (R-LaGrange), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and primary architect of the state budget, said he has been warning schools that the cuts would come. \n"For the last three years, I've been saying 'There is no money,'" Meeks said. "Somebody should have been listening. We have an obligation to fund education, but we don't have an obligation to give them funding every time they turn around and think they need more money." \nMeeks said the state is not responsible for any schools cutting music programs, as those decisions are left up to the local administration. \n"I have been telling everyone there is no money — they should have been more frugal," he said. "Some elected not to do that, and they are finding themselves in the pink right now. But there won't be an impact unless they haven't managed their funds wisely." \nAs for that 45-year-old sax, it may be sticking around for a little while longer, traveling between the hands of a few more students until the teachers can convince the school it needs to be replaced. \n"Think of all the students who have squeezed the keys and what (that saxophone) has gone through," Austin said. "The Indiana budget crunch will come back and bite us"
(09/01/05 5:34am)
A new state law requiring advocates for foster children lacks a provision providing the money for such advocates. \nSenate Bill 529 became law July 1, requiring advocates to be appointed for children in abuse and neglect cases. Advocates for children's rights hail the law, saying it is important someone represent youths in court.\nHowever, the assembly failed to allocate money to support the new law, said Sandy Rampley, volunteer coordinator for the local Court-Appointed Special Advocates.\nJamie Jorczak, communications director for the Indiana Senate majority caucus, said the state will work on funding solutions in the future.\n"It's a program that is going to be implemented in phases," Jorczak said. "The state is trying to find solutions to the problem, and because there wasn't an immediate solution, there is no need (for it to be) immediately funded."\nJorczak said funding for the program will be taken into account again during the 2007 budget session.\n"Children's interests are not always the same as their parents', and parents have the right to be represented by an attorney in court. The state of Indiana is represented by a attorney in court," said Rampley. "If the child involved does not have a CASA volunteer, that child has no one to speak to their interests."\nAmy G. Applegate, clinical associate professor of law and director of the Family and Children Mediation Clinic at IU agreed.\nWithout advocates, she said, "there's nobody speaking for (the children) in the proceedings." \nThe advocates are there to look out for the children's best interests, something she said attorneys may not always do.\nFor example, she said, if a child comes from an abusive home with few rules, the child may want to go back to that home so he or she can live without a lot of parental supervision. A court-appointed special advocate would recommend to the court the child not be placed back in that home, even if it was what the child wanted, she said. Attorneys, however, are paid to represent a client's wishes.\nRoger J.R. Levesque, IU professor of criminal justice, said in an e-mail interview that research shows CASA volunteers are at least as good for children as legal counsel.\n"In some cases, CASA is better in that they can spend more time with the children," he said. "Research also shows that having volunteers can increase the chances that children will receive appropriate services and can reduce the number of placements and perhaps even the time they spend in out-of-home care or in the dependency system itself."\nAlthough the state did not secure enough funding this year, Rampley said she believes funding will eventually be secured for child advocates because it is such an important issue.\n"It will happen, but it's going to be a process," she said. "The state doesn't have any money right now either"
(12/07/04 5:03am)
She just finished her daily workout routine. After a 30-mile cycling trek across the county's winding roads, sophomore Kristen Holmes returns home satisfied, but exhausted. She unlaces her shoes and heads to the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and retrieving a bottle of -- chocolate milk?\nNo, she didn't grab the wrong bottle. And she's not trying to make herself sick. What she is doing might actually be good for her, says IU Physiology Professor Joel Stager.\nIn a recent study, Stager and his team of researchers found that drinking chocolate milk between tough workouts can actually be good for the body. \nChocolate milk has high amounts of carbohydrates and proteins, and enough water content to replace fluids lost from sweat during a workout, explained Jason Karp, a doctoral candidate at IU who led Stager's team of researchers conducting the study.\nLike water, chocolate milk can be used to make up for the loss of fluids after a workout, but the carbohydrates and proteins present in the chocolate milk make it better for the body than water because it replenishes nutrients and rehydrates an athlete, Stager said.\n"(Comparing water to chocolate milk) is not a fair comparison," he said. "Chocolate milk is better on the substrate side. It's water plus a whole lot of other things."\nStager first informally tested his theory on Bloomington South High School swimmers practicing twice daily under his coaching.\n"Some of the swimmers were using (energy) products you can purchase online or at supplement stores," he said. "I had them bring them in, and I looked at the labels and went to the grocery store to see what was comparable. And I found the composition of chocolate milk is analogous to what they were paying lots of money for."\nStager worked with his team and had the swimmers drinking chocolate milk between practices. When the results seemed to conclude that chocolate milk was working, he decided to do a formal study. \nFor the study, a team of researchers tested nine cyclists with each of three different drinks: chocolate milk, Gatorade and a high-carbohydrate sports drink called Endurox. The cyclists worked out on bikes and were given one of the three drinks afterward during a four-hour break, Karp said.\nAfter the four-hour break, cyclists got back on the bikes and cycled again until they were exhausted. The team of researchers then compared data on how much work the cyclists were able to do, their heart rates, their blood lactate measurements and the amount of time they worked until exhaustion set in.\nThe results were positive, Karp said.\n"Chocolate milk is just as effective for exercise performance," he said. "It's just as good if not better than the other two drinks."\nReplenishing nutrients lost during a work out is crucial if an athlete plans on working out again, Stager said.\n"There is a critical time period of about an hour where, if you don't take steps to return muscular nutrients, the rate at which you can catch up is hampered," he said. \nBut high nutrient contents aside, many athletes wonder how drinking chocolate milk after a work out would make them feel.\n"I definitely had not considered (drinking chocolate milk) before," Holmes said. "It would be awesome, though. I'd enjoy it because I hate Gatorade."\nHolmes, who competes in IU's Little 500 cycling event was also a swimmer in high school and said she had heard of the milk theory during swim season but never gave it any credit.\nOthers echoed her sentiments.\nGraduate student Bob Hayes is familiar with two-a-day practices. He played football in high school and said the rigorous summer workouts drained athletes of energy and endurance.\n"If you drank milk in between practices, you were puking your guts out," he said. "I would be skeptical of these results (because) my first-hand experience shows it doesn't help."\nHayes said despite what research might show, he simply prefers water over all other drinks at all times. \n"I drink water. It hydrates you, and you can drink water before, during and after practice, which I (don't think you could say about) chocolate milk."\nThough neither Karp nor Stager argue against drinking water after a workout, they note that it lacks the nutrients an athlete will need if he or she will be working out again soon. And chocolate milk is better than many sport drinks, they said.\n"Chocolate milk has more carbs than Gatorade. To get the recommended amount (of carbs), you would have to drink a lot of Gatorade," he said, compared with just 16 ounces of chocolate milk needed each hour following a workout, according to the research-based recommendations for maximum recovery.\nStager insists chocolate milk can work, but only for athletes in intense training -- particularly those who have long workout periods, like swimmers, cyclists and long-distance runners.\n"This is not just for walking the dog. Chocolate milk might help other people do nothing more than gain weight," he said. "We can't generalize. It doesn't matter what activity it is, but it's not casual. (These results) are not for just a half-hour of tennis."\nHe also recommends milkshakes as an alternative to those who aren't particularly fond of chocolate milk.\nTen years ago, an IU basketball player told Stager he was having trouble recovering after practices in time for games. Stager told the player to run over to White Mountain Creamery after practice and get the biggest milkshake he could afford. After doing this for two weeks, the player reported it was making a huge difference in his performance, Stager told the Washington Interscholastic Nutrition News Forum.\nKarp also said chocolate soy milk would be effective for those who are lactose intolerant and cannot drink milk. He said it's the carbohydrates -- which are present because of the chocolate -- that are the key factor.\nCarbohydrates are essential to the body because they are the fuel that gives the body energy, a Harvard School of Public Health statement said.\nBut will athletes buy the conclusions and substitute something linked with eggs and bacon for drinks like Gatorade, Powerade and other specialty drinks available at nutrition stores?\n"A lot of people already drink chocolate milk, but Gatorade really has control of the market," Karp said. "I don't know if we'll ever get to the point (where milk has an edge in the market)."\nBut Stager said chocolate milk has a bright future in the market. He said he has received at least a dozen phone calls from people in the dairy industry interested in his findings.\n"This has been picked up at very high levels," he said. "This week alone I've gotten three phone calls from people in the dairy industry wanting to know about what we're up to. Now we just need to convince them we need money. Instead of advertising 'got milk,' we need the money to fund (our research)."\nStager and Karp presented their findings this summer at the American College of Sport Medicine Annual Conference in Indianapolis, and they are working on writing a manuscript to be published in an academic journal, Karp said.\n-- Contact business editor Brittany Hite at bhite@indiana.edu.
(09/16/04 3:57am)
IU's Kelley School of Business is hailed as one of the nation's top business schools. But some students want to learn outside of the classroom things that simply can't be taught.\nJames Chappo, a senior in the Kelley School, is taking a crash course in business management. He partnered with pal and fraternity brother Chris Camerucci to develop Triton Nutrition, a Web-based nutritional supplement provider.\nLast winter Chappo brought the idea of starting their own company up to Camerucci, who graduated from the Kelley School in the spring.\n"We're entrepreneurs and always wanted to start a business," Chappo said. "I have always been an athlete and have been into supplements. When we looked online, we weren't really impressed (with other nutritional supplement providers). It looked pretty amateur, like an easy market to breach."\nChappo has worked with Web design since high school and looked into the prospect of starting a Web-based business. After evaluating the risk that would go in to it, Chappo and Camerucci decided to give it a go.\nThe two chipped in about $3,000 for initial costs and found they had broken into a easy and manageable market.\n"There wasn't a whole lot of start-up cost because I did all the Web development," Chappo said. \nChappo credits courses he has taken for helping him get the company started, especially noting the I-Core curriculum as beneficial. \n"We had the skills necessary to do it, which saved us a lot of money," he said. "We have alliances with our suppliers and have a direct-ship model. Instead of the supplier shipping to the store or warehouse ... we cut that whole process out."\nThis, Chappo said, is what makes the business so easy for them.\n"We have a lower overhead (and) no risk on inventory. We can get products to customers much quicker," he said.\nIn addition to Camerucci, who runs the company's office in Cincinnati, and Chappo, who takes care of business in Bloomington, Kelley School senior Tom Coulis handles the financial aspect of the company.\n"(Chappo) had this idea," Coulis said. "He was very passionate, and I saw it as a great opportunity."\nChappo said managing a business while taking classes doesn't add up to too much stress for him.\n"I can go to class at the business school and in between classes get on a computer, process orders, make phone calls, answer customer questions and inquiries, and make sure there are no problems," he said. "It took a lot of work to set up, but everything's taken care of -- we almost don't have to touch it except when there is a problem, like if something is out of stock or there is a customer inquiry."\nCoulis agreed the Internet makes running the company smooth sailing, for the most part.\n"We've been able to use resources in place for small businesses without having an infrastructure," he said. "(We can) put on an image that makes customers feel confident with purchases from our company."\nThe company has been successful so far, both Camerucci and Chappo say.\n"We're getting orders from overseas -- we have a lot of guys in Iraq ordering, which is very promising," Camerucci said.\nCoulis said being involved in the business has helped prepare him for the industry in a way no class ever could.\n"Not only can we incorporate (the work we do) into some class projects, but we certainly have taken on the perspective we've gained through the business," he said. "It gives us a huge insight into how larger companies operate. It's a valuable perspective most business students don't have right now and gives us a huge advantage."\nThough the company has experienced success, Chappo and Coulis plan to enter the job market after graduation, and Camerucci is currently getting into real estate.\nChappo, who interned with GE over the summer, said he would consider running Triton Nutrition in addition to having a full-time job.\n"I honestly haven't determined (what to do)," he said. "It would be possible to have a full-time job and do this as well, but on the other end, I feel I need some corporate experience. It (Triton Nutrition) will always be here and I have nothing but time."\nCoulis agreed.\n"I know I am looking to full-time opportunities. We've gotten the process down ... and have been able to develop the process most efficiently," he said. "We'll certainly be pursuing other career opportunities, but if we can take (this) to the level we want to take it to, we certainly will consider."\n-- Contact business editor Brittany Hite at bhite@indiana.edu.
(04/28/04 6:03am)
IU seniors will get one last chance to do something Hoosiers do best: compete against Purdue. The IU Foundation is sponsoring Senior Face Off, a fundraising drive that began Monday and ends Friday. The face off will encourage seniors from both campuses to make donations to their soon-to-be alma maters and declare the school with the highest percentage of donating seniors the winner.\n"It is ... where seniors from IU and Purdue try to raise money within the senior class," said Nathan McCarthy, the IU Foundation annual fund associate. "(We get) donations ... and whoever wins gets the pride of winning."\nMoney collected by the Foundation at IU can be designated to go to a specific school or program. Senior Adam Helton, session assistant at IU Telefund and a caller for the Senior Face Off program in 2003, said this makes the gift better for seniors.\n"(Seniors) are able to give back whatever they want in the school or academic unit ... they feel passionate about," he said. "The money goes where they want it to go. It's up to the individual caller."\nThe face off is now in its third year, and IU has both prior competitions. \n"We have won past two years, and we're trying to go for the third year in a row," McCarthy said.\nLast year, IU won the face off by a narrow margin of 0.2 percent, with 16.4 percent of the senior class of 2003 giving.\nMcCarthy said the Foundation is hoping to get around 20 percent of seniors to donate this year. \n"As far as growth, we'd like to have more seniors participate in the program. One thing we like to emphasize is we realize (seniors are) getting ready to start a job. It's not the amount that counts, it's the participation," he said. "The tuition we pay does not cover the entire cost (of attending). Gifts from alumni and friends help fill that gap along with state funding. It pays for that chair you sit in or the technology getting updated."\nThe winner of the face off is determined by the percentage of seniors who donate, not by who brings in the most money. Theoretically, the school that raises the most money could still lose the drive based on participation.\nIU Student Foundation President Vince DeFazio said he hopes the program will eventually become an annual event for IU seniors.\n"I hope that it takes off," he said. "It's still in its premature stage, but I hope the program really builds and is a good competition between IU and Purdue."\nHelton encourages seniors to give back so future students can enjoy the same privileges current students do.\n"Everyone stops at Woodburn to use computers. All that stuff goes through programs and campaigns like this," Helton said. "We're not asking for a lot of money, and it doesn't matter how much you give, just that you give."\nDeFazio echoed Helton's thoughts.\n"This school has provided so much for us and supported us all the way through," he said. "Donating back to the University is a great way to leave your legacy and give students coming here and already here the opportunity to have the same privileges we do.\n"I think if you get seniors while they're still here to get in the mindset of donating money, (they'll realize it) is a good thing, and hopefully when they become alumni, they will have the same mentality and want to give."\nMcCarthy agreed. "The reason we ask seniors is because it's a good habit to get in, to start giving to your university right away," he said. "The help is needed and very much appreciated."\nThe final results will be tabulated and reported by May 7. To check out the school's latest standing, visit http://iufoundation.iu.edu/seniorfaceoff/.\nSeniors who want to donate to the face off can give by saying "yes" to a student caller from the IU Telefund, by donating at the Senior Face Off table at the Senior Salute Thursday at the DeVault Alumni Center or by visiting http://www.indiana.edu/~iuf/seniorfaceoff/gift.html.\n-- Contact assistant copy chief Brittany Hite at bhite@indiana.edu.