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(06/07/12 7:24pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Whenever senior Sarah Leavesley would walk into her room, her roommate would be working out in the middle of the floor. The whole place smelled like body odor.It might sound like a horror story, but roommates and the interesting stories that they provide us are part of the college experience. Though most stories are funny and can be laughed at later, they can also be hard to handle. Don’t worry, though. Most situations can be handled with a little adjustment, and we’ve got the tips below.One important tip is to set guidelines and boundaries from the beginning. This sets the tone early and gives you something to fall back on if things go awry. It can also help ease differences.Senior Michelle Ross has these kinds of issues with her roommate. “She lived 3 hours away and didn’t go home much,” Ross said. “When I would come back to school after going home for the weekend, I would find all of my stuff messed with. One big difference and another breaking point for our roommate issues was the religious, alcohol and smoking differences.”At the residence halls, you are required to fill out a roommate agreement form that takes care of this step, but this form must be taken seriously or it won’t help you when conflict arises.It’s also important to keep your emotions in check and remain level-headed. Seeking revenge, like junior Chris Parr, can only escalate the problem.“My freshman roommate would have his computer play music all night,” Parr said. “I asked him several times if it could be turned off or turned down because I couldn’t sleep with it on. He said he would put it on a timer, but he never did, so I deleted his sound drive. The best part is that he thought his brother hacked onto his computer from home and messed with the settings.”Like in any good relationship, communication is key. Keep in mind that it is a two-way street. You have to listen when they talk, and they need to listen when you talk.If things do get really bad, however, use your resources. Junior Kate Olsson had a roommate involved with IUPD.“My roommate ... missed a payment or wasn’t paying for housing or something like that, but RPS representatives and even IUPD would stop during the day asking where she was,” she said.Each floor has a resident assistant and each center has a manager. If things get bad, request a meeting with your RA. He or she can sit in on a discussion with your roommate and help mediate. This is part of the job description. Still, most roommate issues aren’t as serious as you think and can even be funny.Right before she moved out, senior Alicia Smith and her roommate had everything cleaned.“The only thing that was left in the room was all my stuff packed in a pile on the floor,” she said. “My roommate comes in with a 12 pack of ginger ale and was wondering what to do with it. One by one, the cans come rolling out of her arms and onto the floor, where they each begin to explode one by one. Everything got splattered by ginger ale — ceiling, walls, mirror, all my stuff, us, literally everything.”They had to start the cleaning process all over again.Most RAs say roommate issues can be solved by one thing: respect.“Big issues among roommates that cause conflict are shared spaces like fridges and such, different cultures and being sensitive to that, and sleep times and noise levels,” Luke Majors, a McNutt RA, said. “These are some common stories that I hear.”
(06/07/12 7:04pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the famous words of Frank Hubbard, “The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket.” That might be one way to ensure that you are saving money, but these words might be lost on incoming freshman who have never had to care for their own personal finances.So how can a poor college student make it work? We have some tips to help you manage.BUDGETBudgets are one of the most effective ways to plan how and where you are spending your money. Coming up with a plan and dividing your money among the things that you want to spend on is essential. “Budgeting and self-control [are the best ways to keep yourself from overspending],” junior Luke Majors said. “Like knowing that you don’t always need that nice new shirt because you have to pay for books. Personally, I keep a set amount in my saving account in case of emergencies and never touch it.”One suggestion is to split up your money using an envelope system. This means you could have five envelopes and put a category for spending on each — such as food, clothes, fun, books and savings. SAVE ON CLOTHESThose expensive jeans or that new dress can be a drain on your bank account, but there are ways to get around this without breaking the bank.“I shop at Plato’s closet and Goodwill,” senior Sarah Weaver said. “It’s cheap, and they usually have a lot of good stuff.” Clothes that people don’t want or can’t have anymore usually end up at these two stores. Using a little creativity, you can use these clothes to put together that outfit that will get you noticed.EAT CHEAPAll those new restaurants can be tempting. Once you get sick of RPS, you’ll probably want a taste of Bloomington and want to go out to eat. Buying your own groceries can help satisfy this craving and save money.“Going out gets really expensive really fast, and there are tons of really easy and cheap foods,” senior Joshua Jaffe said.Buying in bulk helps tremendously as well. Each residence hall has a kitchen, so grab a couple of friends and put together a big meal and plan for leftovers.“Buying your own groceries is expensive, but you get a lot more for your money out of it, including lunches for the next day,” sophomore Rita Cripe said. “If you do go out though, try to save at least a little food, so you can have part of another meal or another meal with it. Eating out is really expensive and can add up quickly.”SEE THE FREE ENTERTAINMENTThe entertainment and shows can really make a dent in your savings too, but going to events, shows and programs doesn’t have to hit you where it hurts. “For entertainment costs, cut them by using free stuff IU provides, such as a gym, plenty of space for sports, free shows, etc,” Jaffe said.IU and Bloomington provide many free or discounted student events. There are programs sponsored by the IU Health center, RPS and various other campus organizations. Even the IU Auditorium’s usher corps program is a good idea. If you serve for a few hours as an usher, you can see most shows for free. The IMU also has free movies, comedy and improv shows.6 TIPS TO FOLLOW TO KEEP LINCOLN AND JACKSON YOUR FRIENDS1 Get a job. It’s a resume booster as well as a steady source of funds.2 Check out psychology experiments and the Kinsey Institute for a chance to be a participant. Most pay a small sum.3 Eat for free. Many meeings and programs offer free food at first, and you could find something you’re interested in.4 Check online and in the paper for coupons and specials at local restaurants.5 Ignore impulse shopping. Wait a day or more to make a big purchase.6 Use cash. Having something physical to hold in your hand allows you to easily keep track of how much money you are spending.
(06/07/12 4:10pm)
When is the best time of year to visit your freshman? We break it down here.
(06/14/11 2:16pm)
Want to visit? These are some great times to enjoy IU with your student.
(06/02/11 5:58pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the famous words of Frank Hubbard, “The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket.” That might be one way to ensure that you are saving money, but these words might be lost on incoming freshman who have never had to care for their own personal finances. So how can a poor college student make it work? We have some tips to help you manage.BUDGETBudgets are one of the most effective ways to plan how and where you are spending your money. Coming up with a plan and dividing your money among the things that you want to spend on is essential. “Budgeting and self-control [are the best ways to keep yourself from overspending],” junior Luke Majors said. “Like knowing that you don’t always need that nice new shirt because you have to pay for books. Personally, I keep a set amount in my saving account in case of emergencies and never touch it.”One suggestion is to split up your money using an envelope system. This means you could have five envelopes and put a category for spending on each — such as food, clothes, fun, books and savings. SAVE ON CLOTHESThose expensive jeans or that new dress can be a drain on your bank account, but there are ways to get around this without breaking the bank.“I shop at Plato’s closet and Goodwill,” senior Sarah Weaver said. “It’s cheap, and they usually have a lot of good stuff.” Clothes that people don’t want or can’t have anymore usually end up at these two stores. Using a little creativity, you can use these clothes to put together that outfit that will get you noticed.EAT CHEAPAll those new restaurants can be tempting. Once you get sick of RPS, you’ll probably want a taste of Bloomington and want to go out to eat. Buying your own groceries can help satisfy this craving and save money.“Going out gets really expensive really fast, and there are tons of really easy and cheap foods,” senior Joshua Jaffe said.Buying in bulk helps tremendously as well. Each residence hall has a kitchen, so grab a couple of friends and put together a big meal and plan for leftovers.“Buying your own groceries is expensive, but you get a lot more for your money out of it, including lunches for the next day,” sophomore Rita Cripe said. “If you do go out though, try to save at least a little food, so you can have part of another meal or another meal with it. Eating out is really expensive and can add up quickly.”SEE THE FREE ENTERTAINMENTThe entertainment and shows can really make a dent in your savings too, but going to events, shows and programs doesn’t have to hit you where it hurts. “For entertainment costs, cut them by using free stuff IU provides, such as a gym, plenty of space for sports, free shows, etc,” Jaffe said.IU and Bloomington provide many free or discounted student events. There are programs sponsored by the IU Health center, RPS and various other campus organizations. Even the IU Auditorium’s usher corps program is a good idea. If you serve for a few hours as an usher, you can see most shows for free. The IMU also has free movies, comedy and improv shows.
(06/01/11 4:08pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Whenever junior Sarah Leavesley would walk into her room, her roommate would be working out in the middle of the floor. The whole place smelled like body odor.It might sound like a horror story, but roommates and the interesting stories that they provide us are part of the college experience. Though most stories are funny and can be laughed at later, they can also be hard to handle. Don’t worry, though. Most situations can be handled with a little adjustment, and we’ve got the tips below.One important tip is to set guidelines and boundaries from the beginning. This sets the tone early and gives you something to fall back on if things go awry. It can also help ease differences.Junior Michelle Ross has these kinds of issues with her roommate. “She lived 3 hours away and didn’t go home much,” Ross said. “When I would come back to school after going home for the weekend, I would find all of my stuff messed with. One big difference and another breaking point for our roommate issues was the religious, alcohol and smoking differences.”At the residence halls, you are required to fill out a roommate agreement form that takes care of this step, but this form must be taken seriously or it won’t help you when conflict arises.It’s also important to keep your emotions in check and remain level-headed. Seeking revenge, like sophomore Chris Parr, can only escalate the problem.“My freshman roommate would have his computer play music all night,” Parr said. “I asked him several times if it could be turned off or turned down because I couldn’t sleep with it on. He said he would put it on a timer, but he never did, so I deleted his sound drive. The best part is that he thought his brother hacked onto his computer from home and messed with the settings.”Like in any good relationship, communication is key. Keep in mind that it is a two-way street. You have to listen when they talk, and they need to listen when you talk.If things do get really bad, however, use your resources. Sophomore Kate Olsson had a roommate involved with IUPD.“My roommate ... missed a payment or wasn’t paying for housing or something like that, but RPS representatives and even IUPD would stop during the day asking where she was,” she said.Each floor has a resident assistant and each center has a manager. If things get bad, request a meeting with your RA. He or she can sit in on a discussion with your roommate and help mediate. This is part of the job description. Still, most roommate issues aren’t as serious as you think and can even be funny.Right before she moved out, junior Alicia Smith and her roommate had everything cleaned.“The only thing that was left in the room was all my stuff packed in a pile on the floor,” she said. “My roommate comes in with a 12 pack of ginger ale and was wondering what to do with it. One by one, the cans come rolling out of her arms and onto the floor, where they each begin to explode one by one. Everything got splattered by ginger ale — ceiling, walls, mirror, all my stuff, us, literally everything.”They had to start the cleaning process all over again.Most RAs say roommate issues can be solved by one thing: respect.“Big issues among roommates that cause conflict are shared spaces like fridges and such, different cultures and being sensitive to that, and sleep times and noise levels,” Luke Majors, a McNutt RA, said. “These are some common stories that I hear.”
(05/06/11 3:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sony announced Tuesday that its PlayStation data center, which supports its online gaming network, experienced a massive cyberattack. Intruders gained access to the personal data of an estimated 77 million PlayStation users. Sony began investigating unusual activity April 19 and shut down the network April 20.“This is one of the biggest data heists we have ever seen, both in terms of the number of people affected and the wide variety of data that appears to have been compromised,” said Fred Cate, director of the IU Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research. “Even if it turns out credit card data wasn’t stolen, the consequences of this attack are huge.”Sony’s online network is one of its most lucrative services. In its official blog, Sony announced that the disruption was caused by an “external intrusion.” It is unknown who is responsible for the heist, and so far no hacker group has come forward to claim responsibility for the attack. The company suggested that the rogue hacker group Anonymous might be responsible. Anonymous has entered the system before in retribution for Sony’s legal action against one of their hackers, but that attack only brought down the service for a very short time. However, Anonymous reported on its site, “While it could be the case that other Anons have acted by themselves, AnonOps was not related to this incident and does not take responsibility for whatever has happened.” Sony is currently working with the FBI, other authorities and forensic firms to investigate the cyber attacks.During the first attack, the intruders obtained personal information on some 77 million players. While Sony was investigating the breach, it discovered that up to 24 million more accounts were hacked.In this intrusion, it has been shown that about 23,400 financial records from an outdated 2007 database involving players outside the U.S. may have been stolen.It is still unclear whether or not intruders obtained credit card information.PlayStation spokesman Patrick Seybold also said that while user passwords had not been encrypted, they were transformed using a simpler function called a hash that did not leave them exposed as clear text.“Password data is very revealing,” Cate said. “Many people reuse the same passwords and reset-questions across most, if not all, sites they use.”
(04/29/11 3:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Three IU Maurer School of Law faculty members and one adjunct professor have received teaching awards. The law school recognizes professors annually and the winners were chosen by a student committee who made their recommendations to the dean. Kevin Brown Brown is the recipient of the Leon H. Wallace Teaching Award. He teaches criminal law, law and education and torts at the Maurer School of Law. He has a B.S. in accounting from the Kelley School of Business (1978) and a law degree from Yale University (1982).He has been a faculty member of the law school since 1987. His research primarily deals with race, law and education. Brown steps outside of the classroom by inviting students to go with him to India for a conference that addresses the issues covered in his class.“I feel humbled to receive this great honor,” Brown said. “I am dedicated to teaching students, and the law students are an exceptional group of individuals.”Daniel ConkleConkle is the recipient of the Trustees Teaching Award. At the Maurer School of Law, he teaches Constitutional Law I and II and Seminar in Law and Religion. He has a B.A. in political science from Ohio State University (1976) and a law degree from OSU (1979).He has been a law school faculty member since 1983. His research is focused on constitutional law and theory, religious liberty and the role of religion in American law, politics and public life.“I love to teach, and I enjoy seeing students learn,” Conkle said.Conkle has been honored with the Leon H. Wallace Teaching Award and the Gavel Award twice.Donna NagyNagy is the recipient of the Trustees Teaching Award. She teaches securities litigation and enforcement, corporations and securities regulation at the Maurer School of Law. She has a B.A. from Vassar College (1986) and a law degree from New York University Law School (1989). She joined the law school faculty in 2006. Nancy VaidikJudge Vaidik is the recipient of the Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award. She is an adjunct faculty member at the Maurer School of Law and teaches trial advocacy.She has both a B.S. in political science and psychology (1977) with high distinction and a law degree from Valparaiso University (1980). She was an adjunct professor of law at Valparaiso University, but now, in addition to teaching at IU, she is a visiting professor of law at the College of Law of England and Wales. She currently serves on the Indiana Court of Appeals.She founded the Porter County Sexual Assault Recovery Project, which is a shelter for women who are victims of abuse. “I love to teach and think of new ways to get students enthusiastic about learning,” Vaidik said. “I challenge my students to become better lawyers through interactive learning, emphasizing ethics and to improve daily.”
(04/21/11 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The School of Informatics and Computing has been nominated for a Webby Award. The school’s website was nominated in the School/University category, along with four other finalists. Sites from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Victoria (British Columbia) and the School of Visual Arts (New York). The Webby Awards are awarded by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences for excellence on the Internet, with categories for online videos, comedies, advertising and other awards. The 15th annual Webby Awards features 68 categories and received more than 10,000 submissions, of which only 340 were selected to be nominees. Each category has a winner and a People’s Voice Award.“This nomination is huge, and it is a reward for the effort that was put into this project,” said Ashley Callahan, a web developer for IU’s internal marketing and design firm, the Office of Creative Services.The informatics school’s site was designed through a joint partnership with the school and creative services. Creative services won a Webby Award in 2007 for the website “10 Ways IU is Red Hot.”“This was a collaborative project from the very beginning,” said Rebecca Salerno, director of creative services. The school’s last website was created more than 10 years ago.“We wanted a site that would represent what our school represents ... which is diversity, impactful and forward-thinking,” School of Informatics and Computing Director of Planning James Shea said.The site was a project that Shea assigned to Salerno, who managed the team that built the site. The School hired creative services and started work on the new website in November 2008 and collected data until February 2009, Salerno said.“We started with collecting data, a lot of data,” Salerno said. Stakeholder research included interviewing administrators, faculty members and professors within the school. Informatics students interviewed past, current and prospective users. They even created focus groups at the high school level.Salerno took this data and quickly started work on the new website after their proposal was approved in April 2009. Heather Beery, who organizes all the information that appears on the website and determines what appears on the website, said one of the reasons why the site was so successful was that it was a collaborative project from the beginning.“We took the research, and we all brainstormed how this site was going to work,” Beery said. “We needed this site to reflect their wants and meet their needs. After all, this site is representing a technology-based school.”The official launch date for the website was July 2009. Calhoun said she is pleased with the website and has received great feedback both externally and internally.“This website really stands out, and it is different from any of our competitors’ websites,” Salerno said. “Our website has cool features and up-to-date technologies that breaks away from the same-ness.”The website tries to be interactive to prospective students and give them a taste of what it is like to be a part of this school, and it also features social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.The website boasts discovery and cloud features as well. It allows the site to exhibit large amounts of information, videos, activities and projects about the school.“With these features, this information is manageable and allows the user to interact and experience instead of simply just navigating,” Shea said.The school constantly strives to be technologically ahead, hip, different and forward-thinking, Shea said. “Being nominated for a Webby is a distinguished honor and is an affirmation that we are on the right track,” Shea said, “especially when our competition includes MIT, Colorado and Victoria.”
(02/22/11 4:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU recently publicized that it has invested in one of the newest fields of health care — personalized medicine.The newly created IU Institute of Personalized Medicine will be awarded $11.25 million in funding from a joint partnership of the IU Department of Medicine, IU-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana Physician Scientist Initiative and the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center. A Lilly Endowment grant will provide another $60 million.The institute’s members were appointed from various departments, including the IU Schools of Medicine, Informatics and Computing and Nursing. Dr. David A. Flockhart, MD, Ph.D., formally the Chief of Clinical Pharmacology at the IU School of Medicine, was named the institute’s director.The institute will research and work with several diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and pediatric illnesses while trying to create drugs that can adapt to and accommodate each patient This approach would replace the “one-size-fits-all” prescriptions used now.Often, a patient’s reaction and diseases can cause his particular prescriptions to become less effective because of specific, genetic reasons. “Pharmaceutical companies make drugs that are ‘blockbusters’ that have standard doses for everyone and often don’t treat individual patients,” Flockhart said. “Take Plavix for example, which is used to (stop) blood from clotting, such as immediately after a surgery. Some patients do not respond to this drug for genetic reasons.”This individualized approach to medication stems from recent advances in genetic and genomic research. Using the genetic code, researchers are beginning to understand the minute differences in patients’ metabolisms and how that can influence their responsiveness to drugs. With these “personalized” drugs and treatments, Flockhart said, treatments should take less time and cost less money, while resulting in a faster patient recovery time.“We’re unique in that we have the Indiana BioBank, which will greatly facilitate research and provide our researchers with real samples and comprehensive medical records,” said Anne T. Nguyen, director of Indiana’s only BioBank and program director for the Institute. The Indiana BioBank is a facility that collects and stores tissue and other body samples for research purposes. The samples are collected from a diverse range of patients at centers all over the state. These samples are analyzed and then added to a medical record that is made available to researchers via state-of-the-art software, database and communication systems.“We hope that this system will provide the tools that will catalyze collaboration and research and improve patient treatment,” Nguyen said.No other state has an equivalent system to the institute and the IU Health Network, Flockhart said. He described the partnership as “a system in which clinical care, research opportunities and educational involvement all simultaneously happen in one place.”Flockhart will serve as the director for five years. During that time he said he is determined for the institute to outlive the experimental stage and become a permanent part of the IU Health Network. To accomplish this goal, he said he hopes to secure external funding and collaboration with industry and partnerships with philanthropic resources.“It’s a really unique institute unlike any other in the U.S.,” Flockhart said. “We hope it will catalyze new clinical research and give doctors better drugs and a more stratified approach to medicine.”
(04/27/10 12:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A Bloomington research company has reached an exclusive agreement to manufacture a new molecular research device for the U.S. government.PartTec, a local physics research and manufacturing company, announced this month that it reached an exclusive licensing agreement with the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee to develop and apply new neutron detector technologies. The agreement will help alleviate the worldwide shortage of helium-3 by providing a new kind of neutron detector that does not use the dwindling substance. Neutron detectors are devices that locate neutrons in different molecular experiments.“Helium-3-powered neutron detectors were the detectors of choice, but now that the helium-3 supply in the world is almost gone, alternatives are being heavily sought out,” PartTec CEO Herschel Workman said. According to Oak Ridge, helium-3 is the byproduct of the radioactive decay of tritium, a hydrogen isotope, that the U.S. has accumulated from the refurbishment and dismantling of its nuclear stockpiles. That supply is running out, and current helium-3 production can’t keep up with the demand for it.Because the licensing agreement is confidential, Workman said he could disclose only a few details about how the new detector works, but he said it uses circuitry software and electromagnetic technologies instead of helium-3. “These new detectors are among the top three alternatives in the world,” Workman said.PartTec is moving to mass produce these new neutron detectors and has been in talks with Asian and European laboratories. Workman said PartTec has the “exclusive worldwide right” to manufacture and sell the new technology.“This will create jobs and the need for more collaboration with grad students, professors and also the availability of internships and volunteer work,” Workman said. PartTec is based in Bloomington, but its manufacturing center is in Linton. The company got its start here at the IU Cyclotron Facility and still continues to collaborate with the facility. Today, PartTec is primarily involved in the research, development and manufacture of detectors and instruments used in molecular research. “We build delicate and sensitive detectors and built all of the detectors for the Spallation Neutron Source at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory,” Workman said.The Spallation Neutron Source program is an accelerator-based neutron source for which neutron-scattering research primarily takes place. Neutron scattering is a type of research in which neutron beams are fired into materials at very high speeds to study the material’s behaviors, properties and characteristics at the molecular level. This is where the neutron detectors are used. They detect the neutrons deflected off the material and report the results back to the researchers.Oak Ridge is home of the world’s largest pulsed, or man-made, neutrons used for research, and it was originally built as part of the secret Manhattan Project during the 1940s. Oak Ridge is the Department of Energy’s largest science and energy laboratory. “We have had an ongoing partnership for about five years, where PartTec supplies detectors for our research,” said Gregory Flickinger, Oak Ridge senior commercialization manager.Besides the mass production of these new detectors, Oak Ridge and PartTec are expecting more advancements and applications for their detectors in areas such as security and research.“These detectors will allow for more research and studies to be done, which leads to more discoveries too that are made in such areas such as the medical, pharmaceutics and other scientific fields,” Flickinger said.
(04/11/10 11:37pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The mission of global fair trade is simple, yet ambitious: to contribute to global economic development and poverty relief through education and promotion of products that adhere to fair trade principles.Fair Trade Bloomington’s goal centers on supporting and representing the artisans and producers of goods and commodities, by promoting responsible environmental practices, safe and healthy work conditions and by making sure a fair price is established. “We want to make sure that more of the profit goes to the producers of the product, such as coffee, and less goes to the middle man,” said sophomore Jessica Malczewski, Fair Trade Bloomington director of outreach.The local chapter, like the global movement, strives to obtain these goals. “Here in Bloomington we have a fair trade items store called the Global Gift store,” Fair Trade Bloomington President Mary Embry said. “They sell coffee, chocolate and handmade crafts that are all eco-friendly and fair-priced.” In addition to Global Gifts, Fair Trade Bloomington partners with other organizations to help promote fair trade items sold in local retail stores. Fair Trade Bloomington’s current goals include gaining more support in the community and extending its influence. “Everyone can have a part and a chance to work on local and global initiatives,” said junior Gabrielle Cheikh, an advocate for community engagement through the Office of Service-Learning. “To IU students, fair trade has plenty to offer. We have people from all walks of life with different interests and studies.”Sophomore Megan Wiedeback, Fair Trade Bloomington project leader, said anyone can get involved in Fair Trade festivities, regardless of experience.“We need people to be involved and volunteer for this cause,” Wiedeback said. “Fair trade here in Bloomington is still in its infancy stage, and we need a lot of support to get it going.” Malczewski said Fair Trade Bloomington will grow into a huge group where strong ties will be forged.While still developing, Fair Trade Bloomington is looking toward future programs. The groups plans on sponsoring a student trip to areas directly impacted by the global fair trade, including Africa. “We are trying to get involved in projects that require going overseas to help the fair trade process right at the source,” Wiedeback said.The global Fair Trade Organization and its Bloomington extension now work with the The Village Experience, a socially proactive company that organizes trips to developing countries for educational and philanthropic purposes. “Village experience is where students can do fair trade work and help promote free markets overseas in areas such as East Africa, which is a great experience,” Embry said.This summer, two Bloomington representatives will be traveling to Kenya and Uganda through this program.“We want to connect to a fair trade-producing community and sell their goods through our own local Global Gifts store,” Wiedeback said.
(02/01/10 3:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Some artistic visions stop with a painting.For three IU alumni, one vision started a community within a room.The Collaboration Room is an arts workshop located at 101 E. Sixth St., where all are invited to take part in artistic projects and activities.The organization helps artists, including students, with drawing, printing, sewing, stop animation. It also offers circuit-bending groups and classes. Founder Matthew Searle, volunteer Matisse Giddings and Web designer John Berry met at Berry’s IU thesis exhibition.“We discovered we have similar interests in how art can shape an individual and impact a community,” Berry said. Berry said the project fell into place after he met Searle.“He asked if I would be interested in joining the project and renting a studio in the space, and it took off from there,” Berry said. Thus the Collaboration Room was born in March 2009.Searle said the Collaboration Room has so much for the IU student body.“It offers a sense of community and experience with opportunities to devise projects and see them through with help,” he said.Programs for individuals and groups, Searle said, are both designed to tailor to specific wants and needs.“Most students don’t have access to studio space to make art,” Berry said. “Most art classes are expensive. The Collaboration Room is a place to get your hands dirty with art and ideas, a place to try things out and get more people interacting with and making art.”The workshop has walk-in hours from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays, and personal project time is available by appointment.“You get to volunteer in a unique arts environment,” Giddings said.Searle and Giddings said they would like to see the Collaboration Room become an established arts resource in the community.“We want to connect people with similar interests, bring in new participants and share art resources,” Searle said.Giddings said current programs are centered around the “big heart-holiday,” or Valentine’s Day, and will include singing telegraphs, bike deliveries, couples workshops and portraits with an unique twist.“The Collaboration room is volunteer-based and needs more collaboration,” Berry said.
(01/29/10 12:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There’s a new option for anyone who’s interested in sailing and seafaring adventures, but doesn’t possess maritime skills. Texas native Robert Patrick, along with co-founder Marco Grasso, a seasoned sailor from Italy, have created a Web site to help users create their dream trips. “Vagabond-sailing.com is a social network designed to connect people on their voyages, coordinate travel, plan adventures and allow the average person to have awesome sailing adventures like the ones I had always dreamed of having myself,” Patrick said. Grasso and Patrick met through a Web site called Couchsurfing.com, which connects travelers with the local communities, allowing them to get in touch with a local resident of the place they want to visit. Residents even allow travelers to sleep on their couch – or floor or guest room – to cut on cost and to help create friendships. “We spent some time at my house in Rome,” Grasso said. “We enjoyed each other’s company immediately and became good friends, a friendship that has lasted since then.”Using inspiration and influence by their experiences with Couchsurfing.com, Grasso and Patrick decided to venture out and create their own online networking destination.“Vagabond Sailing is the first online community to connect people through hands-on, group sailing trips” Grasso said. The company got its start as a Facebook group. Once a survey confirmed that the level of interest was positive, Grasso and Patrick began building their Web site.“The members on the Web site are at 100 and growing, and the Facebook group is approaching 500 members,” Patrick said.Currently the Web site has two voyages planned for July 2010, including a trip to Mediterranean Sea near Barcelona. For new users, the co-founders said they suggest that a new profile should be as detailed as possible. “One aim of the site is indeed to make people know each other before getting on board,” Grasso said. “Afterwards, start to look for a trip or group that fits your needs.”Freshman Elizabeth Forsythe said she navigated the site’s collection of information for people who are interested in boats, boating, voyages and making friends at sea. “Personally, I’m not interested in sailing unless it involves Captain Jack Sparrow, but I could see how the site would be useful for those who are interested beyond a piracy standpoint,” Forsythe said. Aside from Forsythe, college students across the nation have used Vagabond Sailing to plan oceanic excursions. “We want to see the community grow and eventually expand sailing operations into the Caribbean,” Patrick said. “To accomplish this we plan to build a Vagabond Sailing Fleet using non-profit grant funding.”Patrick said he and Marco want to see the Web site continue to expand and attract more users from different countries.