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(02/03/05 5:00am)
People go to bars mainly to socialize with friends over a few casual drinks. The main attraction of a bar, especially bars in college towns such as Bloomington, is its drink deals. It's a known fact that college students have little money, and bars that offer cheap drafts or mixed drinks will get a lot of business. But cheap food is another story. Sure, there's Taco Bell and Wendy's, and pizza places are open as late as 4 a.m. But what if your stomach starts grumbling while out at the bar, and your friends aren't quite ready to leave? Which bars have menus that can satisfy the craving and hush the growling? Which menus have options that are easiest on the wallet? \nPub grub -- small dishes that can be eaten at the bar -- normally includes breadsticks, chicken wings and fries. Many bars serve burgers and sandwiches that come with a side like fries or onion rings. But when students have been spending money all night at the bars, the cheaper the option for food, the better.\nKilroy's on Kirkwood and Kilroy's Sports Bar have similar names but do not serve the same kinds of food on special. Except for their signature stuffed breadsticks, which are 50 cents during happy hour (Monday all night, Tuesday through Friday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and 75 cents regularly, each bar has different deals. \n"They're popular because they're cheap. Two breadsticks fills you up," says senior Ashley Burton. "It's like a pizza in a breadstick."\nKilroy's on Kirkwood's other special is 20 cent chicken wings during happy hour. Their specials are cheaper than their counterpart, Sports, located at 319 N. Walnut St. Kilroy's Sports has the same breadsticks, but from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., people can get two for $1.25. They also offer mini burgers and a single rib for $1.25 between those hours. Some may complain about the slight increase in price from one Kilroy's to the other. However, popcorn and peanuts are provided at Sports for free.\n"Kilroy's and Sports have decent deals on food," says senior Mike Thomas. "But generally, I won't buy an appetizer unless it's on special. I save money when I get mini burgers for $1.25 as opposed to their other food options for around $5."\nNick's, at 423 E. Kirkwood Ave., usually has its kitchen busier at lunchtime than dinnertime. Its specials change daily. Kevin Burkett, manager of Nick's, says its cheapest deal is 25 cent wings all day and night on Mondays. But its most popular deal tends to be on Fridays, when the seafood chowder is $3.25 a cup and $5.25 a bowl, and a fish sandwich and fries is $5.50. \n"Our chef, Gregg Rags, makes the homemade chowder, which has salmon, shrimp and oysters in it," Burkett says. The simple homemade taste of the chowder appears to be what appeals to students. The fish sandwich's popularity can also be easily explained by Burkett: "It's just so delicious."\nAppetizers at Nick's include mozzerella sticks, chicken fingers, bruschetta, breadsticks, wings and fried mushrooms and their prices range from $4.75 to $6.\n"People get our munchie food to help absorb the booze," says Burkett.\nBear's Place also sells a lot of appetizers intended to absorb booze. Located at 1316 E. 3rd St., students generally get appetizers or sit in the front rooms for dinner. Daily specials range from $2 to $6 for lunch and dinner. A "Little Boy," a 1/5 lb. hamburger, is the cheapest for $2 on Sundays, and a wide array of sandwiches and burgers range from $3 to $6\n"Bear's is a good place for a cheap dinner," says Thomas. "The food is good. Even though it's not by the other bars on Kirkwood, it's worth it to go there."\nThe Jungle Room and Uncle Fester's House of Blooze, down the street from Kilroy's on Kirkwood at 1430 E. Kirkwood Ave., have been meshed into one big bar since The Jungle Room came about this past January. The Jungle Room has the food, however, and they boast a different sort of menu. Along with the usual pub grub, students can feast on gourmet cooking and vegan and vegetarian options. \n"We just wanted to accomodate everyone," manager Keenan Gill said.\nThe Jungle Room menu is put together by head chef Doug Talley, the former chef of Truffles (1131 S. College Mall Rd.). It includes an equal number of vegetarian and carniverous entrees, a rarity since bar menus typically just have one or two vegetarian options.\n"Not everyone who goes to the bars is a meat-eater," says Burton. "I love their Boca burgers. I think they taste just like hamburgers." \n"I haven't heard any bad responses at all to the food," Talley says. The average price of an appetizer is $5, so students must not complain about that either.\nThe Bloomington area also includes a few "bar and grill" type places located all around the downtown area. The bar and grills, such as Yogi's Grill and Bar, Scotty's Brewhouse and Upland Brewery, tend to have food that's more expensive than regular bars. Places that are a bit nicer than bar and grills, like Crazy Horse and the Irish Lion, have the same prices and sometimes higher prices than bar and grills. With a college student's income, eating at places like these would most likely be a rare treat, mainly when parents come to town. \n"Yogi's has lunch specials every day. They have different foods on special each day, but each one is $5.50," senior Beth Rohner says. "I'm an art student, so I'm out that way by the McCalla building. When I get a break in classes I'll go over there sometimes. It's mainly burgers and sandwiches, normal lunch stuff."\nScotty's Brewhouse has two regular lunch and dinner specials; 50 cent chicken wings Mondays and 75 cent tacos on Tuesdays for lunch and dinner. Other specials vary week to week.\n"I always get the bow tie pasta salad at Scotty's," says senior Sarah Sheldon. "For me, eating there is worth it, because their food is just as good as it is at places like Malibu Grill."\nMost bars in the Bloomington area serve food and have lunch and dinner specials available. The college students' budget may not be able to afford every special offered, but with the variety of food and prices, there's sure to be something for everyone.
(02/02/05 6:05am)
People go to bars mainly to socialize with friends over a few casual drinks. The main attraction of a bar, especially bars in college towns such as Bloomington, is its drink deals. It's a known fact that college students have little money, and bars that offer cheap drafts or mixed drinks will get a lot of business. But cheap food is another story. Sure, there's Taco Bell and Wendy's, and pizza places are open as late as 4 a.m. But what if your stomach starts grumbling while out at the bar, and your friends aren't quite ready to leave? Which bars have menus that can satisfy the craving and hush the growling? Which menus have options that are easiest on the wallet? \nPub grub -- small dishes that can be eaten at the bar -- normally includes breadsticks, chicken wings and fries. Many bars serve burgers and sandwiches that come with a side like fries or onion rings. But when students have been spending money all night at the bars, the cheaper the option for food, the better.\nKilroy's on Kirkwood and Kilroy's Sports Bar have similar names but do not serve the same kinds of food on special. Except for their signature stuffed breadsticks, which are 50 cents during happy hour (Monday all night, Tuesday through Friday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and 75 cents regularly, each bar has different deals. \n"They're popular because they're cheap. Two breadsticks fills you up," says senior Ashley Burton. "It's like a pizza in a breadstick."\nKilroy's on Kirkwood's other special is 20 cent chicken wings during happy hour. Their specials are cheaper than their counterpart, Sports, located at 319 N. Walnut St. Kilroy's Sports has the same breadsticks, but from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., people can get two for $1.25. They also offer mini burgers and a single rib for $1.25 between those hours. Some may complain about the slight increase in price from one Kilroy's to the other. However, popcorn and peanuts are provided at Sports for free.\n"Kilroy's and Sports have decent deals on food," says senior Mike Thomas. "But generally, I won't buy an appetizer unless it's on special. I save money when I get mini burgers for $1.25 as opposed to their other food options for around $5."\nNick's, at 423 E. Kirkwood Ave., usually has its kitchen busier at lunchtime than dinnertime. Its specials change daily. Kevin Burkett, manager of Nick's, says its cheapest deal is 25 cent wings all day and night on Mondays. But its most popular deal tends to be on Fridays, when the seafood chowder is $3.25 a cup and $5.25 a bowl, and a fish sandwich and fries is $5.50. \n"Our chef, Gregg Rags, makes the homemade chowder, which has salmon, shrimp and oysters in it," Burkett says. The simple homemade taste of the chowder appears to be what appeals to students. The fish sandwich's popularity can also be easily explained by Burkett: "It's just so delicious."\nAppetizers at Nick's include mozzerella sticks, chicken fingers, bruschetta, breadsticks, wings and fried mushrooms and their prices range from $4.75 to $6.\n"People get our munchie food to help absorb the booze," says Burkett.\nBear's Place also sells a lot of appetizers intended to absorb booze. Located at 1316 E. 3rd St., students generally get appetizers or sit in the front rooms for dinner. Daily specials range from $2 to $6 for lunch and dinner. A "Little Boy," a 1/5 lb. hamburger, is the cheapest for $2 on Sundays, and a wide array of sandwiches and burgers range from $3 to $6\n"Bear's is a good place for a cheap dinner," says Thomas. "The food is good. Even though it's not by the other bars on Kirkwood, it's worth it to go there."\nThe Jungle Room and Uncle Fester's House of Blooze, down the street from Kilroy's on Kirkwood at 1430 E. Kirkwood Ave., have been meshed into one big bar since The Jungle Room came about this past January. The Jungle Room has the food, however, and they boast a different sort of menu. Along with the usual pub grub, students can feast on gourmet cooking and vegan and vegetarian options. \n"We just wanted to accomodate everyone," manager Keenan Gill said.\nThe Jungle Room menu is put together by head chef Doug Talley, the former chef of Truffles (1131 S. College Mall Rd.). It includes an equal number of vegetarian and carniverous entrees, a rarity since bar menus typically just have one or two vegetarian options.\n"Not everyone who goes to the bars is a meat-eater," says Burton. "I love their Boca burgers. I think they taste just like hamburgers." \n"I haven't heard any bad responses at all to the food," Talley says. The average price of an appetizer is $5, so students must not complain about that either.\nThe Bloomington area also includes a few "bar and grill" type places located all around the downtown area. The bar and grills, such as Yogi's Grill and Bar, Scotty's Brewhouse and Upland Brewery, tend to have food that's more expensive than regular bars. Places that are a bit nicer than bar and grills, like Crazy Horse and the Irish Lion, have the same prices and sometimes higher prices than bar and grills. With a college student's income, eating at places like these would most likely be a rare treat, mainly when parents come to town. \n"Yogi's has lunch specials every day. They have different foods on special each day, but each one is $5.50," senior Beth Rohner says. "I'm an art student, so I'm out that way by the McCalla building. When I get a break in classes I'll go over there sometimes. It's mainly burgers and sandwiches, normal lunch stuff."\nScotty's Brewhouse has two regular lunch and dinner specials; 50 cent chicken wings Mondays and 75 cent tacos on Tuesdays for lunch and dinner. Other specials vary week to week.\n"I always get the bow tie pasta salad at Scotty's," says senior Sarah Sheldon. "For me, eating there is worth it, because their food is just as good as it is at places like Malibu Grill."\nMost bars in the Bloomington area serve food and have lunch and dinner specials available. The college students' budget may not be able to afford every special offered, but with the variety of food and prices, there's sure to be something for everyone.
(05/05/03 5:33am)
The IU Writer's Conference has provided classes and workshops for beginning and experienced writers since 1940. \nThe week of June 22 to 27 marks the 63rd year of the IUWC and the second writing conference under the direction of Amy Locklin. Locklin said she is excited about the writer's conference this year because the teachers attending are diverse.\n"The group of authors are different from each other in ethnicity, gender, writing styles and location," Locklin said. "We're trying to appeal to a broader range of people."\nLocklin also is working on making the IUWC serve a bigger purpose. \n"In the past, (the IUWC workshops) were supplementary," Locklin said. "We want to focus on allowing work to develop."\nThis year's conference is bigger, offering five classes, and more diverse. People from all over the United States, two from Africa and one person from Lima, Peru, will gather in Bloomington to hear constructive criticism about their writing. \nThe classes and workshops offered, taught by experienced writers, are a good place to develop one's work, and there are different topics to choose from. The workshops are more general, teaching poetry, creative non-fiction and fiction, and the classes have more specific topics, which include Writing the Ten-Minute Play, Point-of-View Across Genres, Everyday Poetry: Daily Life in Poetry and Poetry in our Daily Lives, Setting as a Central Character, and "Inventing the Truth": Discussions about the Creation of Creative Nonfiction. \nLocklin picked the teachers of classes and workshops based on their experience and how different their writings are from the others.' Each author writes "very different stories in very different ways," she said.\nOne of the teachers is A. Loudermilk, who teaches creative writing classes at IU under his real name, Thomas Jones. His poetry and essays have appeared in many publications, including The Mississippi Review, Cider Press Review and The Journal of Consumer Culture. Loudermilk said his workshop will look at public and private poetry, and how one can find poetry in everyday life.\n"Teaching for just half a semester, it's hard to experiment," he said. "Instructors are responsible to teach a specific skill set. (This summer it will be) exciting to focus on something so specific." \nAnother author joining Loudermilk this summer is Achy Obejas. She graduated from IU with a degree in journalism and has written the books "Memory Mambo," "Days of Awe" and a collection of short stories called "We Came All the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This?" She has written for the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune and teaches at the University of Chicago. She will be one of three teaching a fiction class at the IUWC. \n"Journalism is public and urgent; fiction is more personal and reflective," Obejas said. "(I teach others to write better fiction) by careful critique, lots of revision, lots of specific readings and encouragement." \nLocklin, whose stories have received honors from the Associated Writing Program and the Academy of American Poets and teaches writing classes at IU, will be teaching the Point of View Across Genres class. \n"I want students to understand that point of view genres influence work of their own," she said. "They can make a fresh approach to writing."\nAlthough there technically aren't mistakes in creative writing, Loudermilk said things can be done to hinder one's improvement.\n"One can be 'trapped by his own mastery,'" he said, "when he doesn't take risks." \nFailing to experiment or tell stories in new ways also stops improvement, Locklin said.\n"Developing a style without considering all the possibilities (is a mistake in writing)," she said. \nThere are scholarships offered to those who submit manuscripts. A panel of anonymous judges award the scholarships to the people with original works showing masterful form, newness of vision and flair. The top two scholarship winners in fiction will be nominated for the Best New American Voices competition. Winners will be published in their 2004 anthology. Scholarship applications were due May 1, but others can register for the conference up until the day of classes. Students can also receive graduate and undergraduate credit for participating in the conference.\nLocklin's expectations of the IUWC are high, particularly because a diverse range of people will be in attendance and teaching classes. She said she hopes everyone who attends gets more than just supplementary criticism.\n"I hope students exit (the IUWC) with a greater sense of possibility," Locklin said. "(They could find) a more complex sense of possibility, and a satiated feeling, knowing they have such a range of options"
(02/21/03 6:22am)
The men's tennis team will look to add to a season- opening eight game winning streak this weekend when they travel to Nashville, Tenn., to battle Vanderbilt. The Hoosiers are trying to keep their confidence up before they walk onto the court to play against a team ranked No. 28. \nBut interim coach Matt Pledger said he isn't nervous about this weekend's match. Pledger's squad has already defeated No. 41 Northwestern and No. 27 Notre Dame on the road.\n"Playing on the road always makes it difficult," Pledger said. "(But) I feel we can go in there and do what we've been doing, and surprise them."\nSophomore Ryan Recht said he is optimistic about the weekend. "We're a very strong team," Recht said. "We've had good road wins so far."\nFreshman John Stone said he is confident the team will regain the form it displayed in its previous upset wins. \n"I have faith in our coaching and in our players to beat Vanderbilt," Stone said. "We are the underdog, and we already beat the 27th ranked team."\nStone said the team is now improving with each meet, something that was missing from the fall season.\n"I think we have a completely better attitude," Stone said. "(In the fall) it didn't seem like we were getting any better. Now, even though we're 8-0, we still have so much more room for improvement."\nRecht said the team has been correcting the problems that plagued them in the fall. \n"We've been focusing on problems we were having first semester," Recht said. "We've been focusing on our weaknesses and making them strengths."\nPledger has been a big influence in the team's change in attitude, Stone said. \n"He is unbelievably positive," Stone said. "(Pledger) brings a lot to the table because he just came off the pro tour. He knows what he's talking about."\nStone said the team's strategy so far has been concentrating on winning the doubles point to lower the pressure on the singles players. But that may be difficult this weekend as Vanderbilt has not lost a doubles point yet. Pledger said he still thinks his team can log another win. \n"I think we can go down this weekend and pull off another upset," he said.\nThe match begins at 1 p.m. Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.
(02/06/03 5:41am)
The Indiana Drug Abuse Resistance Education program will continue to educate students about drug awareness, despite studies indicating the program is ineffective.\nIn 1998, the University of Illinois at Chicago did a study that found DARE had no effect on students' drug use when they reached high school. In 1999, a University of Kentucky study found that DARE had no effect on student's drug use 10 years after completing the program. According to the Chicago Tribune, just last month a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study concluded that DARE was ineffective, and "not a very good use of taxpayer money."\n"In order to fund programs like DARE, they must be research-based," said Matt Hassel, chief of police in Marshall County. Hassel was the president of DARE in 1993 and has been teaching DARE for 13 years. "(Robert Wood Johnson) researched the new DARE program, and in fact, it was proven that it helps students."\nThe Illinois program has run into such problems as cuts in funding and a decrease in its effectiveness.\nIndiana DARE officers have experienced a few cuts in funding, but not as much as Illinois. In addition to money from town taxpayers and sponsors, the Robert Wood Johnson foundation, based in Camden, New Jersey, has donated $13.5 million to the DARE program. The money will be used to revamp the middle school and high school DARE curriculum. \n"Illinois is dropping the DARE program because of problems in the economy," said DARE instructor and past president of DARE Lewis Corya, "not because of problems in the DARE program."\nCorya said that in light of layoffs of police officers, DARE officers have been pulled only to stabilize their police force, not because the program is in trouble. \n"(The government) is searching for a scapegoat," Corya said. "We're pinching along, but just because of the economy."\nJeffrey Merrill, professor of psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, told the Chicago Tribune that he believes DARE will survive because of the officers' loyalty to the program.\n"They bring such excitement and dedication to the program that most local programs have become self-sustaining," Merrill said.\nIn response to the studies that say DARE is no longer an effective program, Corya disagrees. "TV glorifies the use of drugs and alcohol. If (a child's) family life isn't stable, if their parents aren't there to watch over them, this factors into drug and alcohol use. But this program can make kids well-educated about drugs. Kids who have graduated high school have come back and said I've made a difference in their lives because of DARE."\n"The DARE program is very effective," Hassel added. "I feel that the new program will be even better."\nIllinois' DARE programs are funded through the state budget. Indiana's programs receive very little money from state funds, getting the majority of their money through the town DARE is being taught in. In addition, sponsors donate money to the programs.\nAccording to the Chicago Tribune, Governor George Ryan cut $1.5 million in state funding that would normally pay for DARE student workbooks and officer training. The Illinois State Police DARE training center informed police officers that due to the recent cut in funds, they would no longer be able to provide supplies used to teach DARE.
(02/03/03 5:34am)
The IU men's tennis team continued their undefeated streak Saturday afternoon, beating North Carolina State 7-0 to improve to 4-0 on the year.\n"This has been an awesome start for the team," interim coach Matthew Pledger said in a statement. "The guys work so hard in practice and it has really been paying off. They do anything that is asked of them, I can't say it enough how proud I am of them."\nThis is the fourth match this season the Hoosiers have won. They swept all three doubles matches. Senior Zach Held and sophomore Ryan Recht defeated R.J. Murray and Val Bamada 8-1 at the No. 1 doubles position. Freshman Viktor Libal and senior Petr Novotny played the No. 2 doubles position and defeated Jon Davis and Rehmam Esmail 8-4. The No. 3 duo of freshman John Stone and sophomore Jakub Praibis beat Will Shaw and Jirou Nakajima 8-4.\n"We have started off this season great," Praibis said in a press release. "The guys are feeling very confident and trust themselves more and more each match. Coach Pledger has done a great job with us. He can really relate with us since he was just recently a player himself."\nThe Hoosiers also took all six singles matches. Praibis played the No. 1 singles match against Murray. Praibis defeated Murray 6-3, 6-2. Libal played No. 2 and defeated Bamada, 6-4, 7-6. Novotny played No. 3 and defeated Shaw, 6-1, 6-1. Held defeated Rehmam Esmail, 6-3, 7-6 and Recht defeated Jon Davis, 6-3, 6-2. Sophomore Jullien Vulliez defeated Nakajima in the No. 6 position in three sets, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2.\n"Although it may seem that these are easy wins, they are not," Pledger said in a statement. "We are playing really good teams. These guys are just playing really good tennis. I am shocked that we came away with a 7-0 victory today."\nThe Hoosiers will return to their home courts Friday at 5:30 p.m. to take on Louisville. After that weekend homestand, the Hoosiers will begin an eight-match road trip against Northwestern in Evanston, Ill.
(01/31/03 5:53am)
The Hoosiers' fast success and 3-0 start so far this season has surprised even themselves. After stunning both Notre Dame and Middle Tennessee State this past weekend, the men's tennis team's confidence level must be high.\n"We knew we had a very good chance of beating them," sophomore Ryan Recht said of the team's matches against Notre Dame and Middle Tennessee State. "We went in with the intention of winning."\nInterim coach Matthew Pledger said this weekend's match against North Carolina State could be difficult, if only because the team doesn't really know what to expect.\n"They have a new coach and a young team," Pledger said. "We could come in and surprise them."\nNorth Carolina State's team has a total of seven players, including two freshmen new to the team.\nThe Hoosiers will be ready regardless of who their opponent is, Recht said.\n"We're going to prepare well this week, and take them very seriously," Recht said.\nThe team shouldn't get too confident based on their fast start, as some of their victories were close, and nagging injuries are beginning to mount, Pledger said. The team is preparing for a spring schedule in which seven of 22 dual matches are against teams ranked in the national top 30. \n"(In our match) against Tennessee, it seemed like we blew them up, but it was much closer than the scores indicated," Pledger said. "The guys have been sore from our practices (in preparation for Tennessee), so we're taking it easy for now."\nThe match against North Carolina State will be at 11 a.m. this Saturday. After Saturday's match, the Hoosiers will be back in action at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 at the IU Tennis Center when they host No. 46 Louisville.
(01/27/03 5:56am)
IU defeated No. 27 Notre Dame in a close match of the season this weekend. Notre Dame held a 3-2 lead after winning two of three doubles matches and claiming the doubles point, but IU won four of the six singles matches, upsetting the Fighting Irish 4-3.\n"This was a great day for IU tennis," interim head coach Matthew Pledger said. "Everyone contributed to the win. The guys have really come together."\nThe doubles action took place first, and Notre Dame provided tough competition. Senior Zach Held and sophomore Ryan Recht started out in the No. 1 doubles position, falling to Brent D'Amico and Eric Scott 8-5. Freshman Viktor Libal and senior Petr Novotny played No. 2 doubles, and were defeated by Luis Haddock and Brian Farrell 8-1. The No. 3 doubles players, freshman John Stone and sophomore Jakub Praibis, defeated Paul McNaughton and Nicolas Lopez-Acevedo 8-6, even after IU had already lost the doubles point.\n"Notre Dame came out on fire in doubles play today," Pledger said. "I was pleased with John and Jakub's fight. They knew that the point was already lost, but they continued to fight and really set the tone for singles play."\nThe singles play proved to be challenging but ended in the Hoosiers' favor. Libal played his second dual match of his college career at No. 1 singles against Haddock, ranked No. 72 nationally. Libal lost 6-4, 6-2.\nMatthew Scott, another nationally ranked player on the Notre Dame team, lost to Praibus. Praibus defeated the No. 119 nationally ranked player 6-1, 7-6.\nAt No. 3 singles, Notre Dame won a close match. D'Amico defeated Novotny 7-5, 6-4.\nAt the No. 4 singles position, Held made a good example of himself for the team. He lost his first set to Farrell but came back in his next two 6-2, 6-3, for the final victory.\n"Zach didn't let the loss get him down," Pledger said. "He played smart after losing his first set. He used his opponent's weakness to his advantage."\nRecht defeated Eric Langenkamp 6-4, 7-5, while Jullien Vuilliez defeated Patrick Buchanan in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.\nIU returned home on Sunday to take on No. 37 Middle Tennessee State. The Hoosiers swept every match on the day on their way to a 7-0 victory. The win was IU's second straight over a ranked opponent.\n"To beat a team like Middle Tennessee State, 7-0, when they are ranked 37th in the country is an unbelievable accomplishment for these guys," Plegder said in a press release. "The guys have been coming in day in and day out and putting their work in. I have seen the guys' improvements and their confidence getting better and better. I couldn't be any more proud of these guys"
(01/27/03 5:46am)
IU defeated No. 27 Notre Dame in a close match of the season this weekend. Notre Dame held a 3-2 lead after winning two of three doubles matches and claiming the doubles point, but IU won four of the six singles matches, upsetting the Fighting Irish 4-3.\n"This was a great day for IU tennis," interim head coach Matthew Pledger said. "Everyone contributed to the win. The guys have really come together."\nThe doubles action took place first, and Notre Dame provided tough competition. Senior Zach Held and sophomore Ryan Recht started out in the No. 1 doubles position, falling to Brent D'Amico and Eric Scott 8-5. Freshman Viktor Libal and senior Petr Novotny played No. 2 doubles, and were defeated by Luis Haddock and Brian Farrell 8-1. The No. 3 doubles players, freshman John Stone and sophomore Jakub Praibis, defeated Paul McNaughton and Nicolas Lopez-Acevedo 8-6, even after IU had already lost the doubles point.\n"Notre Dame came out on fire in doubles play today," Pledger said. "I was pleased with John and Jakub's fight. They knew that the point was already lost, but they continued to fight and really set the tone for singles play."\nThe singles play proved to be challenging but ended in the Hoosiers' favor. Libal played his second dual match of his college career at No. 1 singles against Haddock, ranked No. 72 nationally. Libal lost 6-4, 6-2.\nMatthew Scott, another nationally ranked player on the Notre Dame team, lost to Praibus. Praibus defeated the No. 119 nationally ranked player 6-1, 7-6.\nAt No. 3 singles, Notre Dame won a close match. D'Amico defeated Novotny 7-5, 6-4.\nAt the No. 4 singles position, Held made a good example of himself for the team. He lost his first set to Farrell but came back in his next two 6-2, 6-3, for the final victory.\n"Zach didn't let the loss get him down," Pledger said. "He played smart after losing his first set. He used his opponent's weakness to his advantage."\nRecht defeated Eric Langenkamp 6-4, 7-5, while Jullien Vuilliez defeated Patrick Buchanan in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.\nIU returned home on Sunday to take on No. 37 Middle Tennessee State. The Hoosiers swept every match on the day on their way to a 7-0 victory. The win was IU's second straight over a ranked opponent.\n"To beat a team like Middle Tennessee State, 7-0, when they are ranked 37th in the country is an unbelievable accomplishment for these guys," Plegder said in a press release. "The guys have been coming in day in and day out and putting their work in. I have seen the guys' improvements and their confidence getting better and better. I couldn't be any more proud of these guys"
(01/21/03 5:50am)
The men's tennis team swept Murray State this past weekend, winning every match they played. \n"This is a great, positive start for our season," interim coach Matthew Pledger said. "I am proud of the guys, especially with all of the changes that have been going on. The whole week in practice, they were excited and positive about the season."\nTheir hard work and upbeat attitudes paid off. Senior Zach Held and sophomore Ryan Recht played the No. 1 doubles position and defeated Murray State's Adam Maskill and Masimba Muskwe 9-7. Senior Petr Novotny and freshman Viktor Libel played No. 2 doubles and defeated Thiago Gondim and Richemn Mourad 8-5. \nThe No. 3 doubles duo of sophomore Jakub Praibis and freshman John Stone easily defeated Zakaria Bahri and Craig Jacobs 8-2. \nThe Hoosiers won nearly all their singles matches in straight sets. Libel started off the season, defeating Thiago Gowdin 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles. \n"I wasn't very nervous," Libel said. "I stayed focused throughout the match, started off well, and continued to serve well throughout the sets. I feel that this will give me confidence for the rest of the season."\nPraibus played the No. 2 singles position and defeated Muskwe 6-2, 6-0. Novotny stepped out onto the courts for the first time as a Hoosier playing the No. 3 singles position. Novotny defeated Bahri 6-3, 6-3.\nHeld, one of the more experienced players on the team, played a tough match at the No. 4 position. Held defeated Adam Maskill in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. \n"Adam Maskill is a great player and gave Zach a run," Pledger said. "Zach battled and got his game together, playing more aggressive in his third set than in his first two. I was really proud of his effort, as I was with all the guys on the team today."\nRecht played No. 5 singles, defeating Mourad 6-2, 6-1. Sophomore Jullien Vulliez took on Jacobs, defeating him 6-0, 6-1. \n"A good start is important for any team," Libel said. "We just need to make sure we are ready for the competition ahead of us." \nThe competition coming up next for the Hoosiers is Notre Dame on Friday. The action will start at 4 p.m. in South Bend.
(01/17/03 6:22am)
The men's tennis team will host Murray State this Saturday at 10 a.m., but will do so without coach Ken Hydinger. Hydinger recently requested an administrative leave. Assistant coach Matthew Pledger will take over all coaching duties until Hydinger returns July 1.\n"This is something we have done by coach's request," Interim Athletic Director Terry Clapacs said in a statement. "I support that, and the well-being of our coaches is paramount to Indiana University." \nHydinger said in a press release he is grateful to the University for the leave.\n"I am very appreciative of Mr. Clapac's understanding," Hydinger said. "I very much look forward to getting back into things in July."\nThe team will begin their season without Hydinger Saturday when senior Zach Held will return from injury. He has fully recovered from his rotator cuff injury and will be playing number one doubles with sophomore Ryan Recht. \n"(Held) worked real hard to get to this point," Recht said. "His shoulder's 100 percent better."\nHeld added that he is "more excited than nervous" for this weekend's match.\nSenior Petr Novotny and freshman Viktor Libel will play number two doubles this weekend, and freshman John Stone and sophomore Jakub Praibus will play number three doubles. The singles line-up has Libel at number one, Praibus at number two, and Novotny at number three.\n"(Murray State's) one and two singles and one doubles are very strong," Recht said. "We're going to be relaxed and focused, and feel out our opponent."\nRecht said the Hoosiers are confident that they'll do well this weekend.\nFollowing Saturday's match, the team will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 24, when they take on Notre Dame in South Bend.
(12/05/02 5:30am)
In September of this year, Boston University's Chancellor John Silber created an uproar on campus: He ordered the prestigious East coast school to drop their support group for homosexuals. \nSilber's reason wasn't discrimination; he thought it was inappropriate to get involved with the University students' sexual orientations. Even though his reason for canceling the group doesn't seem hostile, it might send the wrong message to BU students. It suggests homosexuals don't deserve a support group, or a place they can go to meet others like themselves. \nIU, however, has filled the need for support groups on campus. There are over 15 support groups for homosexual, bisexual and transgender students. Heterosexual students aren't restricted from some of the groups like ALLY, which encourages students from all sexual orientations to support each other and have fun.\nThere are even support groups specific to schools within the University, such as the Gay-Straight Business Alliance in the Kelley School of Business.\nThe mission of these groups is to educate people about issues as well as socialize and get to know people for who they are.
(11/14/02 6:06am)
Men's tennis coach Ken Hydinger announced the hiring of new assistant coach Matthew Pledger on Monday. \n"Matthew (Pledger) will bring a wide variety of things to our program," Hydinger said. "He has played professionally and he knows what the next level is like. He'll have high expectations."\nPledger previously was a head tennis professional and ran a Junior Development program at Middletown Tennis Club in Middletown, Ohio. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Fitness Management and a minor in business. Pledger had many athletic accomplishments in college, including being named to the All-South Eastern Conference tennis team twice and earning First Team All-American honors in 1997. He also earned Academic All-South Eastern Conference twice.\nPledger toured professionally from 1997-2000, competing on the ATP tour, the Challenger Circuit, and the Futures Circuit. During this time he acquired a doubles ranking of 256 and a singles ranking of 653 worldwide.\n"This is something I've been interested in since college," Pledger said about his new job. "I really loved the team aspect and I look forward to working with all the guys."\nPledger met the team Monday and is eager to start coaching.\n"I'm looking to have a good season. We have a lot of talented guys," Pledger said. "I think we can surprise a lot of teams out there."\nThe Hoosiers have been without an assistant coach since Mark Keil was dismissed from the position earlier in the year. Keil, who was hired on Aug. 5, was fired in October after being arrested and charged with residential entry.\nHydinger said he looks forward to working with Pledger for a number of reasons. \n"Starting off, he is a good character guy with an outstanding work ethic," he said. "Number two, he brings professional experience and can bring great exposure to the highest level of tennis. Three, he is a guy that has improved greatly as a player, so he has that conviction of the properties that make players improve. He is excited about being here, so he is going to help at all aspects of the program."\nPledger will get his first chance to see the team play when the Hoosiers conclude their fall season in the Big Ten Singles Championship this weekend in Minnesota, Minn.
(10/31/02 6:15am)
The men's tennis team is composed mainly of sophomores, with one senior and two freshmen. With lone senior Zach Held's shoulder injury still keeping him from playing until the Big Ten Singles Championships, the team has been looking for new leaders to step up. \nRyan Recht has been filling that role.\nHe isn't the oldest on the team, but he has quickly become one of its leaders. Although Recht is only a sophomore, his game is built around confidence, and he's been able to help instill it in other members of the team. \nDuring the weekend in the ITA Regionals, the doubles team of Recht and freshman John Stone made it further than the rest of their teammates, to round 16. The only Big Ten team they played among the 48, they outlasted was Iowa. They lost to Northern Illinois, who ended up making it to the finals.\nAlthough Recht and Stone didn't get as far as they would have liked, they knew what went wrong in the match they lost to Northern Illinois. Recht downplayed how much the loss meant.\n"They jumped on us on an off-day," Recht said.\nRecht added that Stone, who was Held's replacement as a doubles partner, has done a good job of keeping up with the other players in knowing what's supposed to get done in practice and on the court.\n"For a freshman, he did alright," Recht said. "I tell him what to expect. He's a quick learner."\nStone said Recht's influence had a positive result on his play.\n"I never know what to expect. I always ask (Recht)," Stone said. "Matches here are intense. High school practices weren't serious and we could goof around. I can't do that here."\nRecht also played in the singles qualifying draw in the ITA Regionals. \n"He had a lot of break points in his match," coach Ken Hydinger said. "He wasn't playing bad, he just didn't win big points."\nThe outcome of the weekend's tournament hasn't fazed Recht. He still has set high expectations for himself for the rest of the season. \n"I'd like to play high in the lineup. I'd like to play number one doubles and improve my singles game for the Big Ten Singles Championships," Recht said. "I need to work on becoming more consistent."\nFor now, Hydinger said the doubles lineup is not settled, and the singles positions still need to be sorted out. \nThe Hoosiers next tournament will be the Big Ten Singles Championships starting on Nov. 16.
(10/17/02 5:36am)
Playing for the IU men's tennis team is a family tradition for senior Zach Held. Both of Held's older brothers played tennis at IU; the oldest played here 12 years ago. But, it wasn't always that clear-cut of a choice for Held, as he opted to go to the University of Michigan for his freshman year before transferring.\n"I was doing my own thing," Held said. "I wanted to break the mold."\nHeld finished his freshman season at Michigan with an 11-11 record in singles and an 11-10 record in doubles competition. He was defeated in singles and doubles in the Regional rounds of the NCAA tournament that year. After that, Held decided that IU was a better fit for him, and followed his brothers' footsteps by transferring to IU for his sophomore year. Held credited the influence of his brothers on developing his attitude on and off the court.\n"They are responsible for molding me," Held said. "They are always congenial to people, they show leadership…they rubbed off on me."\nCoach Ken Hydinger said Held is a leader on the court and knows what he's talking about when it comes to tennis. \n"He plays hard and plays every point," Hydinger said. "He keeps his energy going."\nHeld's game has been improving since his freshman year. He predominantly played from the backcourt during his first two years, but since then he said he has greatly improved his volleys. By playing more at the net, Held has more control of the point and can finish quickly, he said. \n"Each year one more piece is put in place," Held said. "This year I can put it all together."\nDuring Held's sophomore season he mostly played in the fifth singles position, and posted a 16-14 overall record. This past season, Held moved up to the third and fourth singles positions and had a 11-21 record. He compiled a 14-14 record at the number two doubles position and played with recent graduate Milan Rakvica and sophomore Ryan Recht. Recht said Held has a positive presence whenever he steps on the court. \n"His character is real good on the court," Recht said. "The presence he gives and the way he acts around his teammates puts off a good feeling."\nHydinger said Held's strong character and work ethic have been apparent throughout his career at IU. Hydinger recalled the Hoosiers' first big match against Notre Dame during Held's sophomore year. The crowd was hanging over the fence, and those near the back in the bleachers stood or strained their eyes to see the action as the heated rivalry between IU and Notre Dame was apparent. Held lost the first set, but came back in the second. And when Hydinger approached him before the tie-breaker started, he remembered Held wasn't pessimistic or complaining of fatigue. Instead, he was smiling and jumping up and down to keep his feet from becoming sluggish.\n"He kept saying 'this is great, this is great,'" Hydinger said.\nHeld said he saw it as an opportunity to prove his mettle. \n"I wanted to prove to the team I could come through," Held said, adding that he won that match 7-5 in a tiebreaker.\nAfter finishing this year at IU, Held plans to go to dental school. He said he would also like to travel around the world and see places he won't be able to see once he's settled into his life.\n"(Held) has a maturity, a sense of what it takes to make a team," Hydinger said. "He's a great leader"
(10/08/02 5:23am)
Jakub Praibis came all the way from Litomerice, Czech Republic, but acts as though coming to IU to play for the tennis team was no big deal. \n"My parents made me come," the 20-year-old sophomore said. "It's hard for me not to be at home, but it's possible (to deal with)."\nBefore coming to IU, Praibis had logged some pretty big accomplishments on the court. In 2001, Praibis took fifth place in the Czech Republic Championships and first in the Region Championships. He was ranked the No. 1 player in the region, and No. 62 in the Czech Republic. Last year, as a freshman, Praibis had a 15-5 singles record and a 5-2 Big Ten singles record. He fluctuated between the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds in singles due to injuries on the team. During the Big Ten tournament, he pulled his groin muscle, and although he was serving at around 70 percent speed, he never complained.\n"(Praibis) is a player, period," coach Ken Hydinger said. "He has a good demeanor, good concentration and is never negative or overconfident."\nPraibis has been playing tennis ever since he was four years old. Hydinger said his experience in the sport shows strongly in his play.\n"He is the picture of a guy going to work everyday," Hydinger said. "He's not a complainer, he's not a talker, he just works hard. He gets down to business."\nHydinger added that physical aspects of his game help him excel at tennis. He said Praibis is quick on the court, and has very consistent, solid strokes as well as good control of the ball when playing. Hydinger said that even though Praibis stands at 5-11 and 148 pounds, he can hit some "big shots," with his forehand especially.\n"Jakub is an intelligent, quiet guy," Hydinger said. "Last year, he was a very mature freshman."\nPraibis enjoys writing, so he decided to major in journalism. But, he said he is still considering other options.\n"Right now, I'm thinking about switching my major to arts," Praibis said. "I hope it will be more creative. However, I'm still thinking about writing for a magazine in the future."\nPraibis's position on the team this year isn't for sure yet, but it Praibis hopes to have a future playing in a top position for the team.
(10/01/02 5:05am)
The Bloomington Police Department has come under fire in the last month because of a letter received from the IU Student Association, accusing police officers of using "unfair" tactics when patrolling. \nBut BPD officers have responded, saying their actions are not unreasonable.\nBPD Sergeant William Parker said discretion is used when making arrests for public intoxication. \n"If a person is intoxicated, they aren't in control of their faculties. They are injurious to peace and order," Parker said. \nHe added that citations are not issued for public intoxication, only arrests because it is a misdemeanor offense. \n"A person who is publicly intoxicated could be dangerous, therefore, arrests are usually made as opposed to citations," Parker said. "People usually get citations for illegal consumption because it doesn't solve the problem to be taken into custody." \nHe added that no one can be given a warning for public intoxication; warnings are issued for less serious offenses such as traffic violations.\nBPD Sergeant Randy Williamson said officers don't specifically look for publicly intoxicated students unless a complaint has been made about loud noise or fights.\nWilliamson said that with a small patrol force of 7 to 10 officers for Monroe County, they don't have time to sit outside bars to make arrests. \n"If you bring attention to yourself, we'll give you all the attention you want," he said. \nWilliamson said if an officer on duty sees a person walking who is stumbling and appears to be intoxicated, they might stop the person. It's the same as if the officer stops a driver who is swerving, or goes to the scene of a car accident. \nAccording to the Bloomington Police blotter, the majority of arrests made for public intoxication are not people walking home, but people driving in cars who get in accidents, Williamson said.\nParker and Williamson said they agreed students have the right to feel safe and will not get stopped unless officers witness obnoxious activity.\nSome students are paranoid because they have heard stories that officers had stopped students under perfectly normal circumstances. \nSophomore Matt Roemer said he was talking to a friend outside after walking home from a party when two officers started asking them questions. This led to the officers giving both students a breathalizer. \nRoemer said he and his friend were not making loud noises or drawing attention to themselves in any way. \n"They asked these questions without real good reason," Roemer said. "I felt that was very unfair." \nRoemer said he also thought it was unfair that some of his friends were stopped after walking home from a bar. \n"It's a major hassle to try to find a ride when you can just walk home," Roemer said. "That's pretty ridiculous if you can't do that."\nIUSA vice president Judd Arnold said IUSA was addressing the problem students have with BPD.\n"The reason for our letter (to the BPD) is the perception among students is that there's a problem," Arnold said. "The reality is if students are choosing to drive instead of walk, that's a problem."\nParker said he didn't understand the logic of that argument.\n"If you're too impaired to walk without attracting the attention of an officer, what makes them think they are able to drive?" Parker said.\nIUSA president Bill Gray and treasurer Blair Greenburg will go on a "ride-along" with the BPD this weekend, Arnold said. He said their goal is to have the BPD set up solid criteria that they look for when making arrests for public intoxication.\nAt a meeting last week, no definite agreements were made on the issues discussed, Arnold said.\n"Everyone acknowledged where everyone was coming from," he said. "There has been progress, but we have a long way to go"
(09/27/02 5:46am)
The Little 500 Fall Cycling Series will kick-off this Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Bill Armstrong Stadium, with the Cyclocross event. This is the first of three events coordinated by the IU Student Foundation which are aimed at building interest in the Little 500. \nCyclocross is an obstacle course which, in addition to riding, forces participants to carry their bikes, jump over hay bales and run up and down stadium stairs. Those who aren't afraid of the possibility of getting injured say it's a fun way to start getting excited about Little 5.\n"The series wasn't always competitive," said Alex Ihnen, assistant director of the IUSF and Little 500 coordinator. "Many riders don't compete because they don't want to show their competition how good they are. It's more exciting to keep (their talent) contained."\nThe winners of the individual events, which are the Cyclocross, the Biatholon, and the Individual Time Trials, will receive medals. The first place male and female winners of the entire Fall Cycling Series will receive a $250 scholarship from Bicycle Garage Inc. and second place male and female winners receive IU Cycling Club jerseys. Two men's or women's Little 500 bikes go to the overall male and female teams.\nTo get far in Cyclocross, riders need to be quick at dismounting and mounting their bikes, due to the number of times they'll have to jump over hay bales and climb the stadium stairs. Riders compete in two-person teams in the 12-lap race, alternating laps with their partner.\n"There's very little strategy involved," Ihnen said. "Teams who weren't considered great at riding did real well."\nInjuries have played a major part in this event in past years. \n"We were worried because three years before, it got pretty ugly," Ihnen said. "We hesitated to bring it back. But last year's event was really safe." \nSeniors Analisa Dziedziejko and Jane Terfler of Phi Mu, who won the female division of Cyclocross last year, weren't afraid of falling and hurting themselves. They finished last year with a time of 36:32, narrowly defeating the second place winners, Ilia Smith and Mavourneen Ryan of Athena, who had a time of 36:34.\n"I've fallen numerous times, it's something you have to experience when riding," Dziedziejko said. She added that Cyclocross is a good experience for riders interested in Little 500. \n"We were all nervous (last year before racing), but it's part of the race," she said. "You learn to work as a team."\nThis year, more teams are expected to participate; Only four women's teams competed last year, far less than the men's 18-team turnout.\n"There was mainly friendly competition last year, and I hope there will be more team participation this year," Dziedziejko said. \nSenior Jenn Wangerin will participate in IU's Cyclocross for the first time this year. Although Wangerin has been involved in the Little 500 race since her freshman year, she is anxious to participate in Cyclocross this year. \n"Last year....this wasn't a high priority," Wangerin said. "Now that it's the off-season, it sounds fun." She added that the scholarship was a "big incentive."\nThe next events in the Fall Cycling Series are the Biatholon, on Oct. 9 at the IU Fieldhouse next to Assembly Hall, and the Individual Time Trials, on Oct. 13 at Monroe State Forest.\nPeople can register for Cyclocross until 5:50 on Sat. Sept. 28, the day of the event. The entry fee is $10 for one event or $20 for all three events. Bikes will be provided free of charge to those who need them.
(09/13/02 4:48am)
Did you know houses can be built out of straw bales? Do you know how to collect solar energy?\nThe answers to these questions can be found at the fourth annual Simply Living fair this weekend at Third Street Park. The fair's theme is "an Exploration of Sustainable Living" and features over 40 workshops, 20 vendors, live music and a children's tent. \n"I came up with the idea for the fair after going to an energy fair in Wisconsin," organizer Christine Glaser said. "I suggested the idea. It seemed like something worthwhile to bring people together for two days." \nThe fair will teach how to live simply, just as its title suggests. There will be a variety of workshops offered, including The Edible Lawn, Deep Relaxation and Worms in Your Basement!, a worm composting workshop.\nThis year's keynote speaker is author, activist and psychologist Chellis Glendinning, Ph.D. She will be speaking at 7 p.m., Friday in the John Waldron Arts Center about the connections between social issues, personal wellness and the natural world. \n"Our mission is to support multi-dimensional sustainability," said Jeff Brown, presenter and marketing manager for Bloomingfoods. "(Sustainability) is broadly defined. One of its elements is no more or no less important than other elements."\nThere are different tracks covering different elements of sustainablilty in the fair: home; food; green economics; and eco-spirit. Many of the workshops fall into these categories; each workshop within the same track shows a different way to live sustainably.\n"People can learn something consciously healthy from the workshops," Brown said. \nBrown said in the home track, for example, there will be a workshop called Solar Home Design, where Steve Conard will present a way of storing, distributing and controlling the solar energy in living spaces.\n"Building and designing solar, energy-efficient green homes and conventional homes has been my vocation," Conard said in the Simply Living program and resource guide. "It's my goal that more people recognize the practicality and the necessity of building earth-friendly home environments."\nAnother workszhop in the home track is Feng Shui and the Healthy Home, which focuses on one's personal environment, not the outdoor environment. This workshop's goal is to "allow the most auspicious flow of energy" in one's home. \nWorkshops must be registered for, but the vendor's tent is free. Locally-aimed businesses, businesses related to the workshops and local activists will be there. \nLike the workshops, the vendors will all be promoting sustainable living in different ways. Some of these are Amnesty International, an organization whose aim is to protect the rights of people around the world who suffer from government intimidation and imprisonment; Linnea's Greenhouse, a plant store which only uses organic fertilizer; and Heartherapy, a psychotherapy organization which focuses on the integration of spirit with home and community.Bloomingfoods will also be in the vendor's tent, and will be providing food for the fair.\n"We got great feedback from last year's fair," said Marcia Veldman, community events coordinator for the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation department. "There aren't many opportunities like this, and people of a wide variety of ages came." \nStudents came to the fair last year to volunteer, partake in workshops and listen to the live bands, she said. Families often come to spend time together while learning about the importance of living simply.\n"The purpose of a children's tent was so their parents could partake in workshops," Glaser said. "But they do a lot of activities which help them learn about the environment." \nChildren ages 3-12 can partake in nature experiments, make paper and musical instruments, play games and listen to stories. Through all the activities planned, they can learn about solar energy, animal adaptations and ecosystems.\nGlaser said she believes people will leave the fair with a new appreciation for the world around them. "There's something in their own life they can do to make a difference," she said.\nBrown agreed.\n"This is a great opportunity for students to expose themselves to learning they can't find in the university," Brown said. "It's hands-on learning, and it teaches you something you can do in your own home."\nGlaser said the fair is made for everyone to enjoy.\n"We try to make it so people who are beginners can gain knowledge, and so that people who are experienced can have a good time as well," she said.\nSimply living\n• When: Sept. 13-15\n• Where: Third \nStreet Park\n• How Much: $10 for one day, $15 for two days, childreen $3 for one day, $5 for two days.\nKey note speaker\n• Who: Chellins Glendinning\n• When: Sept. 13 \nat 7 p.m.\n• Where: John Waldon Arts Center\n• How Much: Free\n• More Info:www.simplycsl.org
(09/10/02 3:29am)
You know the saying, "The clothes make the man?" It's almost the same with people and cell phones. Cell phones can make a person feel important and look cool. But some users want to show this in blunt ways. Now, I'm not intending to insult every cell phone user because then I would have hate mail from nearly everyone who reads this column. But there are certain types of people who just feel the need to show everyone that because they have a cell phone they are important. \nFirst, there is the "drama queen." You all know you've seen her, walking down the street talking as loud as she possibly can into her phone. The reason she's talking so loud is that she wants everyone to hear her conversation. She wants everyone to know how important it is that she's holding a conversation with the person on the other end, and it can't possibly wait until she's in her car or at home. She'll even talk on the phone in the main floor of the library, even though people around her are studying. A "drama queen's" conversation with the other person isn't just a normal conversation, though. It is typically a conversation re-telling a night at a party, or a break-up -- really anything that forces her to stay on the phone for a long time. She might have a life, but she wants everyone around her to know about it. The "drama queen" is typically female, but I have observed many males talking loudly into their cell phones about their friends' party the other night, and passers-by can't help but overhear.\nThen there is the "bond trader." Very often in the downtown areas of big cities, businessmen will be walking in suits and ties, briefcases in hand, cell phones glued to their ears, as they bark out commands like, "Sell! Sell!" The businessman typically talks to the person on the other end of the phone about stocks or his company while in the presence of others, and sometimes he will raise his voice to emphasize whatever point he is trying to make. He's been known to try to impress women with his knowledge of stocks, bonds, etc. To do this, he'll sit close enough to the women so they can hear his conversation, which he'll litter with big business words. In some cases, he'll pretend to talk to someone on the other line, as I observed when a young man was talking on his cell phone for a while, closing a business deal of some sort, when all of a sudden, his cell phone actually rang. \nLast is the "accessorizer." This person spends more time playing snake on her cell phone than talking on it. Typically a young person, she has all sorts of cell phone covers to match her outfits or her mood. She is the first to have her phone ring to the tune of "Oops, I did it again," and she switches it to different songs when other people copy her. The "accessorizer" is different from the "drama queen" and the "bond trader" because she opts to get attention from others by the look and sound of her cell phone, rather than her conversations on it. \nThese people may be showing off subconsciously, but there's no need. They just need to mature and use a cell phone without other intents. \nSuch as matching its cover to one's nail polish.