Huggin' strangers
Trying to get strangers to hug you isn’t as hard as you may think.
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Trying to get strangers to hug you isn’t as hard as you may think.
Police arrested three suspects believed to be involved in a string of robberies that occurred in the last few months Thursday.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fans catching the action at the NCAA Baseball Regional at Bart Kaufman Field last weekend could also take part in a bonus event sponsored by the IU Athletics Department.The Jordan Avenue Festival took place just outside the baseball field, and it aimed to keep fans entertained before, after and between games. Jake Dodds and the Stagecoach Revolver and the All Access Band provided live music, and food was available from Great White Smoke BBQ, Papa John’s and Kids Kettle Korn. Tents and tables kept festival-goers out of the heat.“It’s nice to come out and sit in the shade after sitting on the hot aluminum seats during the game,” Bloomington resident and IU graduate Tim Riffle said.Riffle and his wife, Sarah, traveled to Phoenix when the team played games against Washington, Utah and Oregon State earlier this season.They said since many of the games this weekend were standing-room-only, fans probably appreciated the extra seating at the festival.IU took its first two games: a 10-2 win against Youngstown State Friday and a 4-2 victory against Stanford Saturday.Both days also saw record attendances for Bart Kaufman Field. Friday’s record of 4,125 fans was broken Saturday with 4,312 fans.Roy Lubovsky is the dining director for IU Athletics, but he coordinated most of the festival’s events.“It got dumped in my lap, and I sort of ran with it,” he said.Lubovsky said IU Athletics modeled the festival after the Super Bowl experience in Indianapolis in 2012.He said the goal was to create an environment where people could join in on the fun, even without a ticket to the game.“It’s more of a nicety, where people can sit and enjoy music,” Lubovsky said. “And it’s all ages.”Lubovsky said the department hoped to create a place where fans of all teams could mingle and enjoy the fun. But almost all the fans at the festival were supporters of IU. Workers at the festival gave away IU-themed towels, posters and pom-poms. IU apparel was also available to purchase.The Athletics Department wanted a type of experience different than tailgating for football games in the fall, but it also saw the festival as a training ground for local food truck Great White Smoke BBQ, which began in October 2013.Truck owner Dave White said he had approached IU Athletics about getting involved with tailgating in the fall, and they invited him to bring his truck to the baseball stadium.“The idea was the live music and the smell of the smoke to bring people in,” White said.Lubovsky said they would close the area about 30 minutes before the first pitch to encourage people to go to the games.Though it was slow on Friday, Lubovsky said he expected there would be more people at the festival through the weekend, when they didn’t have school or work.“By Sunday we’re hoping for 1,000 people,” he said.Dodds said he thought the festival was a huge success. He said having a new facility in Bart Kaufman Field is a big plus to draw people in, and even though it was hot playing music in the sun, he would do it next year if given the opportunity.“The bigger it gets, the better,” Dodds said. “I love stuff like this.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>New licensing provisions put in place by the Indiana State Board of Education have Indiana teachers in an uproar.The Board of Education approved career specialist permits in a 6-5 vote May 14. According to the new rules, any person with a four-year college degree, a 3.0 or higher GPA and three years of work experience can get a teaching license for his or her field in Indiana. No background in teaching is required.“Teaching isn’t just about knowing content,” said Teresa Meredith, Indiana State Teachers Association president.Meredith and the ISTA have been vocal in their opposition to the new provisions.“I hope that the Board of Education will reconsider and have respect for the profession,” Meredith said.Lou Ann Baker, spokeswoman for the Indiana State Board of Education, said it wasn’t an easy decision for the board.“What was approved was a compromise from what the Board discussed and what they heard from professionals in the field,” she said. “We’re making sure you have a knowledgeable person in front of these students.”Potential career specialists will also have to pass a content assessment test. Upon being hired to teach, they will begin pedagogy training immediately, and they will learn in areas like classroom management, curriculum development and psychology of child development.But it still means career specialists could be hired without having any experience in front of students in a teaching capacity.“There’s more to it than just standing in front of students ready to tell them all you know,” Meredith said.Baker said the career specialist permits were modeled after career and technical training permits that certify professionals in trades like auto repair and firefighting to teach.She said supporters of the new permits believe they will give administrators flexibility when finding teachers.“If they find someone who doesn’t have a teaching background, but they think could be inspirational in the classroom, they can hire that person,” she said.Rural schools sometimes have difficulty finding teachers, and the permits would give administrators another option, Baker said.Though people with career specialist permits would be certified to teach anywhere in the state, hiring them will be entirely up to individual school districts, Baker said.“If they want only to hire teachers who have gone the traditional route with an education degree, they can absolutely do so,” she said.Meredith said the ISTA will urge parents to tell administrators not to hire people with career specialist permits.She is a mother, and her first two children were prone to ear infections. When she had her third child, her doctor recommended she buy an otoscope, a medical device used to look into the ears.She purchased one, and now she knows a decent amount about ear infections.“But I shouldn’t be a doctor,” she said. “There are more things I need to know about the ear and how the whole human body works, and it’s likewise with teaching.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Funding cuts from federal and local governments have left rural Indiana schools with room for improvement.The Rural Schools and Community Trust, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to schools in rural areas, released its annual “Why Rural Matters” report May 19.The report is the seventh in a biennial series analyzing the conditions in rural school districts in the United States.“Our point overall in the study is that after more than a decade of reporting on these issues, very little has changed,” said Robert Mahaffey, director of marketing and communications for RSCT.Mahaffey said many of the states that need to make the most improvements to their rural schools have been at the top of the RSCT’s list for years.Mississippi is at the top this year, and it was also on top in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2012.“That’s alarming,” Mahaffey said.The group gave Indiana rural schools a priority ranking of 19, which means Indiana rural schools are more in need of improvements than districts in 31 other states.“We have been asked year after year to do more and produce more with less money,” said Scott Turney, executive director of the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association.Turney said since high levels of poverty aren’t as frequent in rural school districts as they are in urban and suburban settings, his school districts have to work a little harder to find funding and grants that will work for them.Almost 10 million students attend schools in rural districts nationally, which is about 20 percent of the total public school enrollment in the U.S.Turney estimates the average enrollment of Indiana rural school districts to be about 1,300 students.The RSCT report said the state of Indiana spends $5,111 to educate one student.Compared to almost $8,000 being spent per student in other states, it’s one of the lowest rates in the country.Turney said that while rural school districts continue to struggle, every school district in Indiana has funding issues. He points to the $300-million cut in education funding that then-Gov. Mitch Daniels announced in 2009.“As you trickle away money, you affect personnel and those kinds of things,” Turney said. School districts struggle to attract the best and brightest teachers because they can’t afford to pay teachers at a competitive rate.The reports released by the RSCT aim to capture the attention of policymakers in Washington, D.C., where the organization is headquartered. Mahaffey said he hopes legislators from those states that need to make improvements will finally pay attention with this report.“Our endgame is that states that need to pay more attention will spur on to do that,” he said.Turney said the RSCT has worked very hard to raise awareness for the issues rural schools face.But while he said he thinks the government in Washington has noticed there is a problem, nothing has been done yet to solve it.Turney said his schools will need to continue to find new ways of dealing with cuts.“We’ve reached a point now where cuts are having a negative impact on what we are able to do for students,” Turney said. “You can only trim so many things.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Funding cuts from federal and local governments have left rural Indiana schools with room for improvement.The Rural Schools and Community Trust, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to schools in rural areas, released its annual “Why Rural Matters” report May 19.The report is the seventh in a biennial series analyzing the conditions in rural school districts in the United States.“Our point overall in the study is that after more than a decade of reporting on these issues, very little has changed,” said Robert Mahaffey, director of marketing and communications for RSCT.Mahaffey said many of the states that need to make the most improvements to their rural schools have been at the top of the RSCT’s list for years.Mississippi is at the top this year, and it was also on top in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2012.“That’s alarming,” Mahaffey said.The group gave Indiana rural schools a priority ranking of 19, which means Indiana rural schools are more in need of improvements than districts in 31 other states.“We have been asked year after year to do more and produce more with less money,” said Scott Turney, executive director of the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association.Turney said since high levels of poverty aren’t as frequent in rural school districts as they are in urban and suburban settings, his school districts have to work a little harder to find funding and grants that will work for them.Almost 10 million students attend schools in rural districts nationally, which is about 20 percent of the total public school enrollment in the U.S.Turney estimates the average enrollment of Indiana rural school districts to be about 1,300 students.The RSCT report said the state of Indiana spends $5,111 to educate one student.Compared to almost $8,000 being spent per student in other states, it’s one of the lowest rates in the country.Turney said that while rural school districts continue to struggle, every school district in Indiana has funding issues. He points to the $300-million cut in education funding that then-Gov. Mitch Daniels announced in 2009.“As you trickle away money, you affect personnel and those kinds of things,” Turney said. School districts struggle to attract the best and brightest teachers because they can’t afford to pay teachers at a competitive rate.The reports released by the RSCT aim to capture the attention of policymakers in Washington, D.C., where the organization is headquartered. Mahaffey said he hopes legislators from those states that need to make improvements will finally pay attention with this report.“Our endgame is that states that need to pay more attention will spur on to do that,” he said.Turney said the RSCT has worked very hard to raise awareness for the issues rural schools face.But while he said he thinks the government in Washington has noticed there is a problem, nothing has been done yet to solve it.Turney said his schools will need to continue to find new ways of dealing with cuts.“We’ve reached a point now where cuts are having a negative impact on what we are able to do for students,” Turney said. “You can only trim so many things.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Glenda Ritz, Indiana superintendent of public instruction, and the Indiana Department of Education announced the expansion of the state’s Migrant Education Program May 12.Seven new regional education centers have been unveiled, including one in Columbus, Ind.The Migrant Education Program was put in place by the No Child Left Behind Act and aims to identify and serve 100 percent of migrant children ages 3 to 21.While immigrants refers to people who legally move to a new country, migrants forgo legal formalities when crossing national borders.“My department is committed to providing schools and communities with the resources they need to ensure that all children receive an equitable and high-quality education,” Ritz said in a press release.The Indiana DOE claimed federal grant money in order to fund the efforts. The program divides the state into six regions. Region 5 includes Columbus and Bloomington, as well as 24 other counties in southeast Indiana.Migrant families who qualify for the program receive special services like tutoring, health care checkups and individual meetings with program coordinators. Families who have traveled from warmer climates are often supplied with warm clothing.“We provide everything necessary for the kids to excel,” said Judith Grant, an identification and recruitment field specialist for region 5.Grant said she hasn’t found any kids in Bloomington that qualify for the program, but the Columbus center has about 15 students who are bused to Columbus from as far north as Shelbyville, Ind., and as far south as Seymour, Ind. Even though it covers a larger area, region 5 has fewer people than other regions, she said.The Columbus center was added to an English as a Second Language education program in the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. Debbie Thomas, director of English language learners for BCSC, is regional director of the program.Thomas said each student in the program will receive an iPad that will be theirs to keep, even if they move away from the area. The iPads will be loaded with books selected for each student’s reading level.Thomas said the iPads will be useful since migrants travel so often.“We can track them as they go from one location to another,” she said.School districts in each county send out work surveys to determine whether or not migrant families qualify for the services.Grant recruits children who have moved from one school district to another in the past three years so that their guardian could find work in agriculture. She visits the homes of families who might qualify to review their cases.Thomas said they had no children in the program at the beginning of the year, but now 15 kids are involved. She said she expects to find more in August when school districts send out work surveys.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After releasing its latest album “A Long Goodbye” in April, Bloomington band Busman’s Holiday says farewell to Bloomington as it starts its biggest tour.The band is made up of Bloomington brothers Lewis and Addison Rogers. The trip begins today in Columbus, Ohio, and includes stops in Washington, D.C., Athens, Ga., and Minneapolis before wrapping up June 2 in Toronto.“It will be a totally different experience, but it will be exciting,” said Lewis, who sings and plays guitar.The second half of the tour will pair Busman’s Holiday with Kishi Bashi.Both bands are on Joyful Noise Recordings, an Indianapolis-based record label that began in Bloomington.Lewis met Kishi Bashi frontman Kaoru Ishibashi on a previous tour.Ishibashi, who has toured previously with Of Montreal and Regina Spektor, asked Lewis if he knew anyone from a label.Lewis said he did and helped deliver Ishibashi’s demo to Joyful Noise.“That flourished, and now we’re touring with him,” Lewis said. “We’ll be on a tour bus for the first time, and we’re playing bigger shows, so it’s nice to do that.”Though Lewis said he hasn’t been on a tour this size, Addison, a drummer and singer, previously toured with Swedish musician Jens Lekman.Lewis said Addison got a taste of a bigger tour with Lekman.“A Long Goodbye” took the duo four years to complete before releasing it April 1.Lewis said the latest album involved him bringing songs he had started writing to his brother.“Addison finishes songs,” Lewis said. “He helps me get through them sometimes.”Lewis said he likes the feeling of releasing an album and seeing what it becomes once it’s out in the world.“It’s nice that it has its own life, and it lives with people,” he said. “You don’t get that sharing element of music if you haven’t released an album in a while.”Even though Lewis has been a part of other projects, such as the local band Sleeping Bag, he has played with Busman’s Holiday since he was 15 years old, and he said his band with his brother has always been the one he feels most passionately about.“Addison and I see eye to eye on a lot of things,” he said. “That has a lot to do with being brothers.”Overall, Lewis said they’re looking to have a good time on this tour. He and Addison will head back to the studio in September to begin working on a new album.He said he’s trying to sustain the band and make a career out of it, and it seems to be happening slowly but surely.“We’ll do it until we can’t play anymore,” Lewis said. “We’re in it for the long haul.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As recent IU graduates look ahead to the professional world, two Bloomington high school students embark on their college journeys with a prestigious award.Emma St. John and Winston Winkler were chosen as the 2014 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars by the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County. Both are graduates of Bloomington High School North.In addition to a scholarship covering their cost of tuition, they will receive a $900 stipend for books and other academic materials each year.“I know that the Lilly Scholarship will change my life,” Winkler said in a press release.The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program began in 1998 as a way to promote higher education in the state of Indiana. In 2009, Indiana ranked 43 out of 50 states in educational attainment, with only 22.5 percent of its residents 25 or older obtaining at least a bachelor’s degree.The scholarship program has helped nearly 4,000 Indiana high school graduates attend college and has given more than $300 million in scholarships since it began. Fifty-four graduates from Monroe County have been awarded the scholarship. St. John and Winkler were chosen from a field of 62 applicants from six high schools in Monroe County.Winkler plans to attend IU to study biochemistry. He participated in band and track and field all four years at BHSN, as well as clubs such as National Honors Society. He’s also the senior class president.St. John will attend IU in the fall to study human biology. In addition to her scholarship, she was named to the Herald-Times’ All-Area Track and Field First and the All-Area Basketball Second teams.“I am truly grateful that the Lilly Endowment and the Community Foundation chose to invest in my education,” she said in a press release.Another BHSN graduate, Gregorio Lopes, was originally selected to receive the award but declined in order to go to an out-of-state school.After a blind review of the written applications for the award, the 11 finalists were interviewed. The final rankings comprised of scores from the written portion and the interview and were approved by Independent Colleges of Indiana, which represents 31 in-state institutions.Tina Peterson, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, said in a press release that she is inspired by winners of the award who go on to become professionals. Annie Marshall, an author and physician based in Indianapolis, was a recipient of the scholarship in 2001 when she graduated BHSN.“The benefit realized by this community and our state by encouraging these exceptional young people to pursue an education in Indiana is immeasurable,” Peterson said.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>An 8-foot-long metal replica of an MQ-9 Reaper drone towered above demonstrators as they read names of children killed in a CIA airstrike on Chenagai, Pakistan, in 2006. Eighty civilians were killed in that strike, including 69 children at a religious school. Members of the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition gathered Wednesday at the Monroe County Courthouse, with signs calling for an end to drones use by the United States military. They read names of victims killed by drones in the Middle East through a megaphone.Militant drones are employed to kill terrorists, but have been known to cause civilian casualties. Drone warfare has been criticized for its lack of precision, but has increased during the Obama Administration.“The program is flawed in its entirety, because it operates outside the rule of law,” event organizer Timothy Baer said.He referred to drone attacks as extra-judicial because they act as judge, jury and executioner.The demonstration happened in conjunction with the Drones Quilt Project, an exhibit on display at the Monroe County Public Library through May 18. The quilts are made with blocks containing the names of drone victims.The group laid out informative literature and postcards that they encouraged passersby to fill out. Baer said he hoped to send at least 20 postcards to the White House.He said he’s been making phone calls to the White House to advocate the proposed Drone Control Act, which would force the U.S. to immediately stop using drones for surveillance and attack operations. BPAC activist David Keppel met with Senator Richard Lugar in February 2003 to lobby for peace, and the U.S. invaded Iraq a month later. Keppel said he’s disappointed by the ongoing violence in the region and the escalating use of drones. “It’s a horrible version of the supermarket, ‘Buy one get one free,’” Keppel said of the drone program. “Every time you kill one enemy, you make two more.”Drone technology isn’t all bad, said Nasrin Farrokh-Hekmat, an IU professor and native of Iran. Some are used in the prevention of animal killings by poachers or for scientific research. But she said she’s still skeptical of their use in combat.“Even if you kill some bad guys, you can’t take the chance,” she said.Though there were fewer than 20 BPAC members in attendance, the drone model and signs garnered attention from commuters. Drivers honked their horns in solidarity as they drove past the square, showing peace signs with hands held out their windows.One mo-ped driver shouted, “Don’t give Obama a free pass,” as he drove by.Keppel said he compares the terror felt by civilians threatened by drones to the paralysis that occurs when a killer attacks a U.S. city. He said he wonders how long the killings will continue.“I have to ask myself if this is really making us safer,’” he said.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Dartiers, rejoice! The winter that wouldn’t end is finally over. And there’s nothing better to bring in the warm weather with than some good music. Here are some great albums to listen to while you’re out in your yard with a cold beer and a burger in hand.The Strokes — “Is This It”Julian Casablancas is well-known for his air of apathy. His leather jacket, shades and long hair make him look like he doesn’t give a fuck pretty much all the time. On the Strokes’ debut, though, he’s not pessimistic. Rather, he’s carefree. It’s the sound of a young New York kid who’s having a great time. His lackadaisical lyrics combined with the high voicings of Albert Hammond Jr.’s guitar and the poppy hooks makes “Is This It” a summer essential.The Beach Boys — “Pet Sounds”This Beach Boys masterpiece is the ultimate art-pop album. With its varied instrumentation and heavily layered vocals, it might not seem like a light, summery album at first. But Brian Wilson is a musical genius who could write great pop songs in his sleep. “Pet Sounds” has no shortage of familiar tunes you can sing along to, like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Sloop John B.” Even if it’s an overcast day, “Pet Sounds” makes it seem like the sun is out.Bruce Springsteen — “The River”“The River” is far from being the Boss’s best album. But it sure is the most fun. At nearly 84 minutes, the album is the length of a short movie, but it never lacks intensity. For most of the album, Bruce sets aside his extended storytelling tendencies in favor of shorter, poppier songs. Opener “The Ties That Bind” is a brighter, more open production rather than the maximalist compositions from Springsteen’s previous albums. “The River” is the sound of the E Street Band singing all together and having a great time. And they want you to join in.Pavement — “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” Steven Malkmus and Pavement made a name for themselves in the 1990s by doing whatever they wanted. Their albums often sound like a bunch of kids messing around. But Malkmus knows how to write a damn good pop hook. “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” might not even be the best Pavement album.“Wowee Zowee” is more consistent. But it has to be on this list because on it you’ll find what is surely the greatest summer song ever. “Gold Soundz” is the perfect song to usher in the warm weather. There’s no line that sums up the college summer better than “so drunk in the August sun.”Fleetwood Mac — “Rumours”The album that inspired this list is the one that pulled off the Southern California rock sound of the 1970s better than any other. Jackson Browne, The Eagles and Joni Mitchell all tried, but on “Rumours,” you can just feel the wind in your hair as you’re cruising down an LA boulevard in your convertible. It all came together for Mick Fleetwood and company on this album, which seems unlikely since everything fell apart just before they started recording. Christine and John McVie had divorced and were barely speaking, and the tumultuous relationship between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham led to constant fighting between them. But when you combine anger and passion with some of the best rock songwriters of the 1970s, you get a masterpiece. It helped that drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie were a great rhythm section and Lindsey Buckingham was a severely underrated guitarist. Songs like “The Chain” and “I Don’t Want To Know” will never lose their intensity. And “Go Your Own Way” can fit seamlessly into any road trip mix CD. Some say nothing is perfect, but “Rumours” is an album that begs to differ.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If you haven’t seen Sunday night’s episode of “Game of Thrones” yet, beware — you might turn purple with shock.The show, in one of its most unexpected moments yet, elected to ramp up the action in “The Lion and the Rose,” the second episode of its fourth season.If you just marathoned season 3 to get caught up, you might want to take some extra time to catch your breath. Maybe you’re still recovering from the infamous Red Wedding. If this is the case, this episode’s Purple Wedding may give you a serious case of whiplash.Those who watched the show as it aired had the luxury of almost a year in between seasons to recover from last season’s now-infamous Red Wedding.With “Breaking Bad” now out of the picture, “Game of Thrones” seems poised to take its place upon the Iron Throne of the TV kingdom. Its 60 minutes per week are almost always riveting from start to finish, but devoted fans will notice the show is particularly spectacular when George R. R. Martin writes the episode.The novelist has been responsible for penning some of the show’s most pivotal moments, including the second season’s gargantuan “Blackwater” episode. Martin knows his characters well. The episodes he writes feature extended, dialogue-driven scenes.And even though “Game of Thrones” has many storylines covering thousands of miles, Sunday’s episode abandoned most of them, devoting half its runtime to the royal wedding in the capital of King’s Landing.The long scene allowed several of the show’s major players time to interact and develop. Included were fan-favorite Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), head-butting dominatrices Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) and promising newcomer Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal), aptly nicknamed the “Red Viper.”Absent from the episode were Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). But the King’s Landing scene, like Joffrey’s goblet, was filled to the brim with sultry political tension in the form of expertly crafted dialogue from Martin.Sunday’s episode seemed to be kick-starting the season’s action even before the huge catalyst near the end. Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton), who took control of the North after a slew of Starks lost their heads, makes moves to secure his power.But Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), Winterfell’s young heir, moves further and further out of Bolton’s reach as his storyline delves deeper into intriguing mysticism.The dense plot of “A Storm of Swords,” the third novel in Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, was split up over seasons three and four of the show. And though the recent weddings might seem climactic to viewers, don’t expect to come back off the edge of your seat any time soon.The characters might say the war is over, but the storm is still brewing.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Mac DeMarco’s second album couldn’t have come at a better time.Just as warm weather finally seems to be in Bloomington to stay, the Canadian singer-songwriter has delivered an album full of lazy-yet-polished rock ’n’ roll. DeMarco is known for being a goofball on stage, but on “Salad Days” he sounds focused and elegant.That’s not to say the album isn’t catchy and infectious. It takes the titular opener exactly 10 seconds to get to its wordless hook, and by then you’re ... well, you know. The energy continues on “Blue Boy” with a jaunty, whirling guitar riff. He mellows out briefly on “Brother” with a cautionary tale.DeMarco was forced to come up with “Let Her Go” when his label asked for an upbeat, late-night, TV-friendly single, which he’s still bitter about. He responded with a danceable jam complete with maracas and a beautiful, subtle hook. Whether or not he was mad about the song, it sounds authentic, and it’s one of the album’s best tracks.DeMarco has also developed a guitar sound that’s truly his own on this album, with surf-rock tremolo and high chord voicings that stand out on every track.Most of the songs are about three minutes, with only one of them longer than four. DeMarco says all he needs to say and nothing more in these short, concise pop songs.Most of the album’s style draws influence from surf rock bands like Girls and Smith Westerns. But DeMarco has clearly also been listening to the psychedelia of Tame Impala. It comes through on lead single “Passing Out Pieces.” He mimics Tame Impala lead singer Kevin Parker’s coy, distorted falsetto near the end above the track’s fuzzy bassline and blaring vintage synths. It’s a song that could have fit right in on Tame Impala’s 2012 album “Lonerism.”The second half shifts from the poppy hooks of the first few tracks to slightly extended tunes. DeMarco sings in airy tones and requires you to listen a little closer for the hooks. But he finishes strong with “Jonny’s Odyssey.” It’s an instrumental that sounds like it could be ska in its rhythm section-free intro until the drums and synth come in and it goes full-on psychedelic.“Salad Days” will surely have lasting power through the summer. It might not have any one song that’s up to par with “Ode To Viceroy,” a fan favorite from his first full-length, “2.” But it’s absolutely his best LP so far.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Rod Tuffcurls and the Bench Press aren’t from around here.It’s not even close. They’re from an alternate universe.They’re unsure of the name of this universe. It might be Zinidion 7. Or Kreblon. That’s a phonetic spelling —apparently the proper way includes a silent J. There are no carbs where they’re from, and Jennifer Lawrence is everywhere.“I think the alternate universe exists inside of cells existing in Jennifer Lawrence’s nose hairs,” said Rod Tuffcurls, the band’s namesake and lead guitarist.Tuffcurls, along with drummer Dick Celebrity, guitarist Happy Masterson and bassist CC Ryder, makes up the Bench Press, which hails from Chicago and tours the Midwest. But Bloomington is a special place for the cover band. They’ve played the Bluebird Nightclub three times this semester already, and they’ll play again this Saturday night, as well as two nights during Little 500 weekend.Looking at the band at the Bluebird, it’s not hard to tell they’re imported. As they play on March 12, temperatures outside are in the 20s, but they still wear baseball T-shirts with their names written on them and short-shorts that don’t even come halfway to their knees.During one song, Tuffcurls sticks his thumbs into his shirt to make it look like his nipples are protruding. Bassist CC Ryder stands on top of an amp stack as he plays another song. Ryder, Tuffcurls and Masterson perform synchronized dance moves during Modest Mouse’s “Float On.” “They’re all front guys, but everybody’s got their different personality,” Celebrity said. “They do different types of joking on stage.” Celebrity said Ryder is the crooner of the group. He’s a “bass destroyer” and can lay down a mean bass line. But he’s also a “heart destroyer” and sings many of the ballads on the band’s setlist. Masterson is the single guy.“So he’s a swinger,” Ryder said. He joined the band just eight months ago, mostly on the basis that girls would like him. He sings most of the girl songs. “Not the songs that girls like,” Masterson said. “The songs sung by girls. Men seem to like them.” Tuffcurls is the “spastic one,” according to Celebrity. For much of the interview, he responds only in tweets he’s reading off of his phone. Ryder says he sings most of the “idiosyncratic” vocals. Drummer Celebrity is a model, actor and musician. He keeps the band in time behind the drumset and is sometimes responsible for keeping them on track during their set.They all have extensive musical experience, having taken music lessons since childhood. Some of them have music degrees, others in theater. Celebrity has a master’s degree in jazz drumming from DePaul University. Ryder’s mother is a voice teacher, so he’s been exposed to music for as long as he can remember. Before he joined the band, Masterson was music director for Chicago’s Second City comedy troupe.The Bluebird becomes a diverse melting pot on nights when the Bench Press plays. You’ll see bros with their jerseys and backwards hats, hippie girls with baggy clothing and dreads, and the regular college folks in hoodies and glasses. You’ll even see uncategorizable wildcards like the guy who’s wearing an orange paisley suit with a bolo tie.The band knows this, and they try to include something for everyone. Their setlists include everything from songs of the 1960s to the pop hits of today. On March 12, they opened with “Everything Is Awesome,” from “The Lego Movie.” Then they went in to the Beatles’ “She Loves You,” doing the head shakes on the “woos” like John and Paul did.They performed “Runaround Sue,” a No. 1 hit from 1961. But then they switched gears and played Haim’s “The Wire,” a top 40 hit released less than a year ago, a few songs later.And while their energy and enthusiasm drive their shows, their virtuosity is always present, too. They morph “Go Your Own Way” into “Sultans of Swing” at the end, with Masterson taking a slick, Mark Knopfler-style solo. Masterson, Ryder and Tuffcurls layer three different a capella vocal lines during “Kiss From A Rose.”“We all like a lot of different music,” Celebrity said. “But our overlapping taste is what we play.” Even though “Ants Marching” is frequently on the setlist at their shows, Celebrity seems to be the only member of the band who likes Dave Matthews. Ryder says Matthews is a huge influence.“It’s like, ‘what should I not do as a musician or songwriter,” Celebrity said.Masterson plays Television’s “Marquee Moon” during some down time at the sound check before the show. But Tuffcurls doesn’t like that band.Despite their differences, they succeed in picking songs their audiences will like. The audience screams along to the chorus of Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble.” During Wilson Phillips’ “Hold On,” one concertgoer jumps up and down and waves his arms.Unlike most concerts, you’ll rarely see someone taking a picture with a phone at a Bench Press show. Rather, the audience engages in the performance, dancing and smiling and turning to their friends to sing their favorite parts.The audience has a great time at the band’s shows, but so do the band members. They all say that Bloomington is their favorite place to play.“That’s not bullshit. We love coming here,” Masterson said. Celebrity said Bloomington has a certain “je ne sais quoi” that puts it above other frequent tour stops.They’ve made friends here. They’ve spent tons of money at the record stores in town, and they love the food at Village Deli.But even though they’ve grown fond of the places along Kirkwood Avenue, it’s not the stores and restaurants that makes Bloomington their favorite place. It’s the people, especially the IU students who come to the Bluebird for their shows.“Kids are smart here,” Ryder said. “They get our sense of humor really well.”While people in other places might get confused by their references to memes and the Internet, Masterson says that doesn’t happen in Bloomington.“We just kind of do whatever we want,” Tuffcurls said. “We don’t have to explain it to them.”IU students stay in touch with the band even after they graduate. The band has started playing at weddings of IU alumni. At shows in Chicago, Celebrity said IU alumni make up a significant chunk of the audience.Above all, the band just wants to party and have fun. They say Bloomington is a good fit for them because IU students share that sentiment.And that alternate universe? It turns out to be closer than they first thought.“I’m trying to think of the alternate universe where there’s no consequences and we can drink all we want,” Ryder said.But Celebrity already knows the place.“You mean Bloomington, Indiana?” he said. The band all agrees.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Everybody has that family member you like but only in moderation. You go to grandma’s house, and Cousin Joe is there, and you’re happy to see him. You play video games and complain about the same drunk uncle together.But then he starts to be annoying. He makes fun of your favorite band and makes a weird comment about gay rights. By the end of the day, you’re glad to be rid of him.Rick Ross is like that cousin. He hasn’t been around in a while. In 2012, he released the “Rich Forever” mixtape. That was one of the best mixtapes in recent memory.But his album “God Forgives, I Don’t” was a major disappointment later that year, especially after how good his 2010 album, “Teflon Don,” was.“Mastermind” starts out well. Opener “Rich as Gangsta” and “Drug Dealer’s Dream” are straight up mafioso rap songs like few do better than Rozay. The heavy boom-bap beats complement Ross’s powerful delivery.Lead single “The Devil Is A Lie” features a great beat with horns and wailing vocals. A not-completely disappointing Jay-Z feature makes it one of the album’s finest tracks.“Mafia Music III” takes cues from “Yeezus” with its features of Jamaican dancehall artists Sizzla and Mavado. The sleek, guitar-driven beat sounds like it shouldn’t be working as well as it somehow does.And the Mike WiLL Made It-produced “War Ready” should be way too long. But Ross and Jeezy help the track breeze through its seven minutes. It’s appropriately out of control.But then the album comes to a screeching halt. Ross should have featured someone to do the hook on “Blk & Wht,” because he sounds awful on it.He follows that up with one of the laziest, most unnecessary hip hop skits ever. Then the Weeknd comes in on “In Vein” and puts to sleep anyone who hadn’t already nodded off.Ross is at his best when he does energetic, straightforward party bangers. When he tries to do a soulful slow jam, he rarely succeeds.The exception to that rule is the next track on the album. The Kanye West and DJ Mustard-produced “Sanctified”proves the second half of “Mastermind” isn’t all bad.A nasty synth bassline counters the soul vocal sample, and it’s a beat that is immediately recognizable as Kanye. He and Big Sean contribute good verses.It’s probably not Kanye’s best effort, but even a bad track from him is enough to be the best song by a mile on the second half of “Mastermind.” Ross seems to have lost interest entirely by the end.Overall, the features are enough to make the album diverse without overshadowing Ross himself. He holds his own next to some of the genre’s best.The album has its moments, but by the end of its 62 minutes you’re probably ready to be done with it. Ross starts doing annoying things, and like with Cousin Joe, you just want to get in the car and go to sleep while dad drives home.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Is 2014 Pharrell Williams causing you grief? Is “Happy” making you sad? Feeling unlucky with that Daft Punk song stuck in your head?Have no fear, music fans. Under that stupid hat, there’s a brilliant musician who’s had an incredible career.He’s certainly at his height in popularity right now. But those of you offended by the annoying hook and misogynistic lyrics of “Blurred Lines” will find he hit his creative peak much earlier.The beginnings of Williams’ career go all the way back to the mid-1980s when he was in middle school. He met Chad Hugo in seventh grade at a music camp, where he played keyboard and Hugo played tenor saxophone.Later, when they were both in high school, Williams and Hugo started a band, the Neptunes. Interscope executive Teddy Riley helped sign the band.As the Neptunes, Williams and Hugo became a production force to be reckoned with by the late 1990s. They made connections with rap group Clipse and singer Kelis, which would be more than fruitful in the coming years.The Neptunes wrote, composed and produced every song on Kelis’ debut “Kaleidoscope.” She kept them around, and they produced her breakthrough hit “Milkshake” in 2003.But the Neptunes’ breakthrough year was 2001. Williams and Hugo formed a new funk/pop/rock project, N.E.R.D, and released “In Search Of ...” That album features some of the Neptunes’ finest work. Tyler, the Creator, cited it as a major influence on his production style.In 2001 they also produced Britney Spears’ top 40 hit “I’m A Slave 4 U” and Kelis’ second album. In 2002, they produced almost all of Justin Timberlake’s debut, “Justified,” including the hits “Señorita,” “Like I Love You” and “Rock Your Body.”By 2003, they were working with the top names in rap and R&B, including Jay Z, Beyonce, LL Cool J, Nelly and Usher. Another N.E.R.D album came in 2004, and Williams appeared on Snoop Dogg’s No. 1 hit “Drop It Like It’s Hot.”Clipse’s critically acclaimed sophomore album “Hell Hath No Fury” came in 2006. So did Williams’ first solo album, “In My Mind,” which went to No. 3 in the United States. N.E.R.D’s third album, “Seeing Sounds,” was released in 2008.For about a decade, Williams was riding high as one of the most sought-after collaborators in pop music. He had moments of musical genius. The Neptunes found a recipe for success with their upbeat, percussive, jazz-influenced productions.But now, even though he’s had huge hits in the last year, Williams isn’t doing his best work. His new solo album, “G I R L,” isn’t bad, but it’s not great. It could be his gateway drug to a mediocre late career period plagued by uninspired adult contemporary pop.Let’s face it, every artist has to get past his prime at some point. Jay-Z has proved that. So don’t dwell on his dorky fashion choices. Revel in the Williams of pop’s past.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If you’ve seen St. Vincent (singer Annie Clark to those who know her offstage) you know she looks like she’s perpetually on her third cup of coffee.Her hair has always been a messy, but once it was dark brown and tame. Now, it’s bright white, and her roots are coming in. It juts off in every direction like it’s trying to escape from Clark’s scalp.Her sunken eyes, once constantly reverent, are now more likely to be wide open and piercing. Her skinny frame once donned small, floral dresses. Now it’s seen more often in black, flowing robes.Clark is clearly strung out in 2014. She might be escaping from something. She’s looking to free herself, but it’s not going as planned, and she’s getting frustrated.The opener on her eponymous album, a track called “Rattlesnake,” is about a time she walked along a remote, deserted ranch road in West Texas and decided to take off all her clothes. But she saw a rattlesnake on the side of the road and ran all the way back home, terrified.The phasers on the drums and blippy synths on that song make it sound like a spaceship is taking off. We’re clearly on our way to an otherworldly journey.Clark is one of today’s most talented and innovative guitarists. But on many of the songs, her guitar arrives late, leaving room for synths, drums and vocals on the front half. As the songs unravel and grow deeper, Clark’s fuzzy, unruly guitar creeps in.“Birth In Reverse” has a relatively tame post-punk buildup. But near the end, a scuzzy guitar riff pops in, fighting with the equally dirty synth line. The two brief phrases shout at each other, throwing punches as each measure of music passes.Clark has consciously or unconsciously created mini-rock operas in each song about dissatisfaction, obsession and anxiety, and they’re dripping with inner turmoil.Don’t be fooled by the cryptic lyrics and smooth keyboard lines in the first half of “Huey Newton,” either. Halfway through, a monstrous guitar line comes in. It sounds like it escaped from a Black Sabbath song and attached itself to the song’s brain stem.But that’s not the most disorienting song on the album. “Bring Me Your Loves” is out of control. Its goofy, hokey, dixieland drums somehow accompany a synth line that’s so distorted it sounds wrong.“Bring me your loves / All your loves, your loves” Clark snarls. And then it’s somehow a beautifully honest song about a difficult relationship. The outrageous instrumentals cut out and a capella, she wails “I thought you were like a dog / But you made a pet of me.”But Clark knows if all the songs were like these, her album would be impossible to digest. So she balances the bombast with beauty.“Prince Johnny” and “I Prefer Your Love” feature the same tender pop St. Vincent perfected on 2011’s “Strange Mercy.” And closer “Severed Crossed Fingers” is Clark’s 2014 update of classic rock power ballads, complete with choir-like backup vocals, acoustic guitar strumming and keyboard arpeggios.It’s not as good as “Strange Mercy.” That album was a near-perfect collection of songs that caught Clark at a point where she was mastering her sound.But somehow “St. Vincent” seems more honest and right. It’s aptly titled. It’s a more accurate version of Annie Clark than anything she’s made before.Clark shows us that her chaos on this album is controlled. She hasn’t completely unraveled yet, and she probably won’t. Her statement on this album seems to be that it’s okay to come undone once in a while if you can savor the moments when you’re back down to earth.So when you’re making your coffee in the morning, take it in. Smell the aroma. Watch the milk dive to the bottom of the cup and blossom back up at the top. Take a look out your kitchen window at the crisp morning as the steam rises from your mug.But then go ahead and drink one cup too many and come undone.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Beck Hansen tends to be one of those artists you forget about. He hasn’t released an album of his own music in six years. He’s worked on other artists’ albums since then, but it’s easy to remain invisible as an album’s producer.He’s trying to stay invisible on his latest LP, “Morning Phase.” Every song is a soundscape, with multiple layers of guitars, pianos, strings and more. Interwoven in those layers are Beck’s vocals. His voice isn’t a commanding presence. It’s always been understated and nuanced. Even so, Beck elects to put heavy reverb on all the vocals, further masking them. The echo is a borrowed technique from today’s pop bands, like fun. and Imagine Dragons, especially on “Blue Moon’s” soaring melody. But Beck makes the style his own. One of the projects Beck completed during his hiatus from solo music was a cover of David Bowie’s “Sound and Vision” in early 2013. It was ridiculous, overreaching and unnecessary. It featured nearly 160 musicians and ran almost 10 minutes, adding way too much and completely missing the point of Bowie’s original, elegant, near-perfect production. Maybe Beck learned from that experience. Maybe he, like me, hated that cover after the fact. Because while “Morning Phase” still has many, many layers, they all mean something and come together coherently.“Morning Phase” would probably best be categorized as psych-folk. On “Say Goodbye,” he borrows styles from chillwave bands like Tame Impala and Toro Y Moi. The drums and bass are straightforward and lay down a funky groove, but the vocals echo around the song and the synths come in and blur everything together. “Blue Moon,” though, is definitely more folk than psych. Beck supplements that song’s acoustic guitars and piano with mandolin, giving it an ever-so-slight country tinge. And “Wave” features little accompaniment besides strings to go with Beck’s voice. Some of the songs even borrow from classic rock bands. “Unforgiven” has the same slow, plodding drum beat that many Pink Floyd songs have, and in places on “Don’t Let It Go,” Beck sounds almost exactly like that band’s David Gilmour. Beck has been said to be a musical chameleon, and that’s an apt description of him on “Morning Phase.” He’s been in the music business for more than 20 years, and clearly he’s heard some things he likes.“Morning Phase” can’t hold a candle to Beck’s earlier masterpieces, like “Odelay” and “Sea Change.” And it doesn’t quite have the charm of fan favorites like “Midnite Vultures” and my personal favorite, “Guero.” But it’s a solid and fitting late-period effort for him. And since he’s had such a huge influence on alternative music for the last 20 years, we’ll give him a head start anyway.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Anyone who’s anyone knows Super Bowl Sunday is great for every single reason except for the actual football game. We’re talking the food, the drinks, the commercials and the halftime show. You know, the good stuff. In order to prepare you for football’s greatest night, Weekend has put its heads together to give you new and different ways of spicing up your Super Bowl Sunday. Boiled and broiled chicken wingsIf you’ve lived in Bloomington, chances are you know the power of the chicken wing. Students flock to Kilroy’s on Kirkwood to get their hands on the sauce-drenched snacks. But one deep-fried wing can yield anywhere from 70-100 calories, usually with about 1.5 grams of saturated fats. That means if you’re eating eight of them at KOK, you’re gobbling up 600-800 calories and 64 percent of your daily value of saturated fats. But if you boil the wings, drain the fat and then broil them, you get rid of a lot of the bad stuff. Four or five wings cooked this way will only set you back 160 calories!— Place your wings in a large pot and fill with water, enough to cover the wings by about two inches. Boil the wings for 10 minutes and drain.— After boiling, transfer the wings to a broiler pan and broil for about five minutes, or until the skin starts to brown. Flip the wings and broil for another five minutes.— Coat the wings with a generous slathering of your favorite sauce and enjoy!Recipe adapted from Health.com Homemade hummusHummus is a nutritious substitute for those nacho dips piled high with sour cream and processed cheese, but it can be expensive and inconsistent if you buy it in stores. It’s ultra-easy to make at home, though, and quick enough that you can work on perfecting your technique. Plus, there’s no limit to the number of things you can dip or top with the stuff!— Combine 1/4 cup tahini and 1/4 cup lemon juice in food processor, and process for one minute.— Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, half a clove of minced garlic and 1/2 tablespoon each of cumin and salt, and process for one minute.— Add 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas to processor, and process for 1 to 2 minutes until thick and smooth.— Add water to your desired consistency. Serve with pretzels, pita chips, vegetables or anything else you want.Recipe adapted from inspiredtaste.net American football is notorious for its lack of action compared to other sports. According to a 2010 Wall Street Journal study, the average time the football is actually in play on the field is about 11 minutes. And with the sky-high price of Super Bowl advertising, you better believe there will be a lot more commercial time than that on Sunday night. So here’s some rules for refreshment recreation to help you get through what’s sure to be one sluggish telecast. Always remember to drink responsibly. Friends don’t let friends drink too much.Drink every time— Someone mentions the weather— Someone mentions Richard Sherman being called a thug— Peyton Manning DOESN’T say “Omaha” before snapping the ball on a play— You see a commercial you actually think is funny or legitimately appealing— Russell Wilson dodges a tackle and runs for positive yards— Peyton Manning throws an incomplete pass— A member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers takes off or puts on an article of clothing during the halftime show— Every time Hawaii native Bruno Mars shivers in the New Jersey coldTake a shot if— Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers do a weird mash-up— You see a fan in the crowd who isn’t wearing a shirt— Peyton Manning throws an interceptionSONGS WE WANT BRUNO MARS TO SING “Grenade”“Locked Out of Heaven”“Runaway”“Treasure”SONGS WE DON’T WANT BRUNO MARS TO SING “The Lazy Song”“Marry You”“When I Was Your Man”“Young Girls”BEST SUPER BOWL COMMERICALS Britney Spears’ 2001 Pepsi CommercialBetty White’s 2010 Snickers CommercialWendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” Commercial in 1984Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit” featuring Eminem Commercial in 2011WORST SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS Those terrifying E-trade babies that started in 2008Budweiser trying to make “Wassup?” happen in 2000Anytime we were subjected to Danica Patrick in a Go-Daddy.com CommercialGroupon’s horribly offensive Tibet Commercial in 2011
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I can’t live without my phone. I can’t deal with not being connected to everyone I know all the time.The premise of “Her” seems ridiculous — a man falling in love with his computer. Spike Jonze’s film is about our outrageous, silly and crippling need as human beings to be connected constantly.We might balk or scoff at this, a movie so obviously making fun of our senseless devotion to technology. But “Her” is a charming and honest love story that’s relatable in more ways than one.Theodore Twombly, played with subtle nuance and quirky charm by Joaquin Phoenix, is a man who doesn’t know what he wants. He’s separated from his wife Catherine (Rooney Mara), but he is unable to let go, refusing to sign the divorce papers for almost a year.Theodore mostly blames himself for what went wrong with Catherine. He wasn’t ready to commit to his marriage because he hadn’t learned enough about himself and what he wanted before entering into it.When he becomes close with his new artificially intelligent operating system, Samantha, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, she’s eager for him to show her the world. As Theodore helps Samantha learn, he rediscovers the wonder of the world and regains the self-confidence he lost with Catherine.Even though the only physical evidence that Samantha exists is an earpiece and a small tablet device, their love is real. Johansson and Phoenix have more chemistry than most on-screen romances.Like other features from Jonze, especially “Being John Malkovich”, “Her” gets philosophical. But it never gets muddled or confusing. It sticks to relatable post-2000 themes like self-discovery and letting go. Phoenix, an underrated talent, embodies the insecure young adult Theodore.“Her” isn’t perfect. The script is oddly vulgar at times. It’s off-putting and doesn’t need to be there. The not-so-distant future L.A. is mostly believable, but with its bright colors and indie soundtrack, the movie can’t help but feel like an Apple ad occasionally.At the heart of “Her” is its honesty and relatability. It’s a very sincere film from Jonze. In its final scene, Theodore and his platonic friend and neighbor Amy (played by Amy Adams) share a moment of reverence. They’ve been going through many of the same things throughout the film.As the final shot fades to black, we hear a sigh. Without a word, the movie has communicated so much with its final gesture — one that is beautiful, sad and subtle, but above all is wholly and sincerely human.