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(11/14/02 5:00am)
Every year moviemakers hold their breath wondering if they will get the nomination for the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Science's Oscar. The actors and screenwriters for "Femme Fatale" won't be.\nThe movie sells itself as a film noir erotic thriller. It is erotic; Rebecca Romijn-Stamos lights up the screen with sensuality. But it lacks in the thriller department. There are plot twists and turns, but they feel like riding a kiddy rollercoaster.\nA bizarre robbery gone extremely array leads Romijn-Stamos' character into hiding from her former partners in crime. From then the movie takes a surreal voyage exploring the possibilities of the road not taken. \nAlong the way she becomes the wife of a U.S. diplomat and crosses paths with the paparazzi with a heart of gold, Antonio Banderas. The plot doesn't fit tightly together and requires many leaps of faith on the part of the viewer. \nThe casting in this movie was not based on acting talent, but more on sex appeal. Not even the supporting characters do a good job selling the legitimacy of the film. The strongest point of the film is the cinematography of Brian De Palma. He does a masterful job of telling the story. Sadly, there is very little story to be told. It almost seems like a waste of De Palma's talent. \nThis is a great movie to rent on those days you feel really lonely and do not want to face the embarrassment of renting a porno. Before renting it, make sure the VCR's fast-forward button is working. You're going need it to get through all the slow bits.
(11/14/02 4:48am)
Every year moviemakers hold their breath wondering if they will get the nomination for the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Science's Oscar. The actors and screenwriters for "Femme Fatale" won't be.\nThe movie sells itself as a film noir erotic thriller. It is erotic; Rebecca Romijn-Stamos lights up the screen with sensuality. But it lacks in the thriller department. There are plot twists and turns, but they feel like riding a kiddy rollercoaster.\nA bizarre robbery gone extremely array leads Romijn-Stamos' character into hiding from her former partners in crime. From then the movie takes a surreal voyage exploring the possibilities of the road not taken. \nAlong the way she becomes the wife of a U.S. diplomat and crosses paths with the paparazzi with a heart of gold, Antonio Banderas. The plot doesn't fit tightly together and requires many leaps of faith on the part of the viewer. \nThe casting in this movie was not based on acting talent, but more on sex appeal. Not even the supporting characters do a good job selling the legitimacy of the film. The strongest point of the film is the cinematography of Brian De Palma. He does a masterful job of telling the story. Sadly, there is very little story to be told. It almost seems like a waste of De Palma's talent. \nThis is a great movie to rent on those days you feel really lonely and do not want to face the embarrassment of renting a porno. Before renting it, make sure the VCR's fast-forward button is working. You're going need it to get through all the slow bits.
(11/12/02 5:12am)
What do you do with a brand new Corvette?\nMichella Taylor, a second year student in the Criminal Justice Associate degree program, has to make that decision.\n"I'm still not sure if I'm keeping the car," Taylor said. "I'll probably sell the car and use the money to get a down payment for a new place."\nTaylor said the new car has brought her a lot of attention.\n"The phone has been ringing off the hook, and people have been coming to see the car," Taylor said. "But other then that everything has stayed the same; I'm going to class, working, and running my household."\nTaylor said she is going to think hard about keeping or selling the Corvette.\n"I'm trying to reserve my final decision, until I can weigh it through and not let anyone else's opinion weigh in on my decision," she said.\nTaylor won the Corvette that IUSA had originally purchased for the 'Vote Hard' campaign. The campaign was designed to increase student registration for the elections held last Tuesday.\nIUSA originally planned to award the car in a lottery of students that registered to vote. Fearing a violation of federal law, they opened up the lottery to all IU students.\nThe move brought some criticism from the IU community.\n"It doesn't make any sense," said senior Justin Sieck. "A whole lot of money was spent and I didn't see it accomplish anything."\nThe money used to pay for the car came from money contributed by MBNA credit cards. None of the money used to purchase the car came form the funds granted IUSA by the University.\nMBNA has a deal with the University providing credit cards to alumni and students. Money raised from alumni use of the card is given to the Alumni Association and money raised from student cards goes to IUSA. \n"I'm very happy that we tried to encourage student participation in the democratic process," said Student Body President Bill Gray.\n"Many more students knew there was an election in November."\nIUSA received praise for its intent to raise student participation in government through promoting voter registration. The right of student government to make its own decisions within the limits of the law was also upheld.\n"It wasn't my idea, but I am supportive of student government pushing voter registration," said Dean of Students Richard McKaig.\n"I respect the right of IUSA to make decisions following the procedures laid down, there was nothing illegal about it"
(10/28/02 4:23am)
Big Red Liquors hosted its 10th Annual Wine festival at the Bloomington Convention Center Thursday night.\n"The event supports the Boys and Girls Club, it's our charity of choice and we have 25 volunteers from there working tonight," said Jason Lester, regional manager of Big Red Liquors.\nGary Panlar, a Big Red store manager, said other than supporting the Boys and Girls Club, the event gets people interested and turned on to wine, and gives them a chance to taste a lot of wine for only $25.\n"This is for anyone who enjoys wine, students, locals and business people," Panlar said.\nThere were 50 booths within the convention center offering a taste from vineyards across the world. Australian, Chilean, French, German, South African and American wines were offered at the festival.\nDavid Meek, assistant vineyard manager of Oliver Winery, said these festivals are an opportunity for wine producers to promote their product and sample the works of others in the industry.\n"We are here to show that Midwestern wine can compete with other types of wine," Meek said. "This is an exciting industry. Running a winery is like playing the stock market, some times you lose big, and some times you win big."\nVisitors to the festival said the event is also a chance for them to expand their wine pallets. \n"There is such a wide variety of wines and distributors," said J.D. Wire, a Bloomington resident. "I like the opportunity to try a lot of different wines and the people seem very knowledgeable about the products."\nAll proceeds of the event went to the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington.
(10/24/02 6:21am)
Until recently anyone connected to the Internet could access IU students' phone numbers and e-mail. That, however, has been temporally halted.\nBecause of the aging machines hosting the student query system, officials in the University Information Technology Services office have limited accesses to the service to only on-campus computers.\nThe response came out of fear that hackers could use the query system as a port of entry into the entire system and then be able to access more sensitive information on the computer, such as student identification numbers and addresses. So access to the system from off campus computers has been curtailed.\n"The computer that supports that service is old, very complex and there are security problems that can't be repaired," said Mark Bruhn, IU's chief information technology officer.\n"This machine was visible to the Internet," he said. "There are security problems that the data that supports the query functions would be compromised."\nThe problems on the machine did not arise suddenly, but "have accrued and are now a high risk problem," Bruhn said.\nThe query service is supported by a computer that supports Computer Accounts Management Functions. All the account information for any computer account used at IU is stored on the machine.\n"If we tried to repair the problem the entire system would break," Bruhn said. \nThe Office of Information Technology is trying to finds ways to allow the restoration of the system, allowing non-university accounts to access information on e-mail address and phone numbers. Their goal is to have the system running normally within a few weeks.\nThe computer that supports the Account Management Function was scheduled for complete replacement in the upcoming spring. The address book was scheduled for a complete overhaul this coming March. \nThe system has both its critics and admirers, and students have concerns about the information that can be accessed via the system.\n"It is kind of unsettling that anyone can look you up and find you online," said Kelly Cantwell, a sophomore. "It's good that classmates can get you down, but I don't like it that creditors and solicitors could look you up."\nCantwell suggested changes that could be made to the system.\n"It is useful for people who go to school here, so a system where you type in a password to access the information would be better than what they have now," he said.\nSome students are supportive of the information not being available off campus. \n"It's a good thing that access has been limited to only the computers on campus," freshman Mary Parilac said. "As long as it discloses a phone number and not your address, I don't see anything wrong with that"
(10/21/02 3:06pm)
The Sample Gates hosted IU's 44th annual Homecoming pep rally Friday evening.\nThe rally concluded at the end of the annual homecoming parade and featured performances by the IU cheerleading squad, the Redsteppers and the IU Marching Hundred, among others.\nDuring the rally, head football coach Gerry DiNardo and senior safety Joe Gonzales talked to the crowd. Several players on the football team were also introduced. The master of ceremonies was IU athletics announcer Chuck Crabb. \nCrabb introduced notable IU personalities such as outgoing IU President Myles Brand, Chancellor Sharon Brehm and Dean of Students Richard McKaig.\nThe rally also saw the coronation of the Homecoming Court with senior Megan Richards named as queen and senior Pat Miller named king.\nThe rally was organized by the Student Athletic Board and the IU Student Alumni Association. Betsy Warburton, the director of homecoming for the SAB, said the events of the week are a "great way to get people involved in the weekend, and it is also a great way for people to get to know Coach DiNardo."\nWarburton said they began working on the rally over the summer. \n"The past few weeks have been really busy," she said.\nWith the backing of the athletic department, the SAB added a bonfire this year at Dunn Meadow, which started after the pep rally. The tradition of the bonfire was originally planned to start at last year's homecoming, but was scrapped after Sept. 11.\nHomecoming is a great way to build support for the football team, and the coaches and players see it as a time to thank people for their support of the football program.\n"What we are trying to do is build a team people are proud to support," Dinardo said. "With the student population I'm involved with on a regular basis, we are trying to build a championship team."\nIt is also a way for former and current players to bond and build bridges.\n"It is a chance for everyone to come back to IU," said senior safety Joe Gonzales. "At the stadium we have had the old players coming back and it is good to see that around."\nHomecoming is not only for the football team, but also a chance for the students and alumni to celebrate the University. \n"Homecoming is a great way to show school spirit, especially for the football program," McKaig said. "It is about pride, tradition and joy in your school."\nChancellor Brehm echoed McKaig's sentiment. \n"Homecoming is a great way to build the IU community and family," she said.\nMany returning alumni considered homecoming a bridge back to their college years. Mark Rousseau, an IU graduate of the class of 1962, said his undergraduate years were some of the best of his life.\n"It's great to come back and be an undergraduate for three or four days," Rousseau said.
(10/07/02 6:16am)
Runners and walkers from the campus and the Bloomington community gathered Saturday to remember missing IU student Jill Behrman and raise money for student scholarships and charity. \nAbout 1,500 people participated in the annual 5K Jill Behrman Run for the Endzone, which is organized by the Division of Recreational Sports. It is held in honor of Jill Behrman, who disappeared from Bloomington while riding her bike May 31, 2000.\nSaturday's race raised approximately $10,000 to be distributed between the Jill Behrman Emerging Leader Scholarship and Jill's House, a home for cancer patients receiving care at the IU Proton Therapy Facility.\nEric and Marilyn Behrman, Jill's parents, and Brian Behrman, Jill's brother, started the racers off at 10:15 a.m. at the Mellencamp Pavilion.\n"(The event) is a fun day for students and the community," Eric Behrman said. "All of us come together and raise money for Jill's House and the scholarships".\nSeveral fraternities, sororities and Bloomington businesses and organizations participated this year. The Bloomington South High School Girls' Soccer team, Delta Upsilon, Kappa Delta, the IU Alumni Association, the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Briscoe and Forest Residential Halls all had big teams in the race. The IUAA sent 60 participants while SPEA had 57 representatives, according to a statement.\nJoanne Orrange, the Division of Recreational Sports' Assistant Director for Special Events, said the event was also a great way "to raise awareness of safety issues and implement all the components of wellness."\nThere was a Health and Wellness fair where runners and the community could visit over 30 vendors. The vendors provided services such as health screenings, safety training, free massages and children's activities. The Dew Daddies provided live entertainment.\nAbout 200 volunteers helped organize and coordinate the events that went along with the run. \n"It's personal," volunteer Stacey Martindale, a senior, said. "I went to high school with Jill; it's the least I could do to show support for her and her family." \nNot all the volunteers knew Jill, but still decided to show support for her and her family. \n"It's a good cause and good way to get to know more people in the Bloomington community," senior Melissa Whiteman said. "If Jill was still here she would be doing this with us."\nBrian Behrman, Jill's brother and an IU graduate, said his family appreciates all the support they have received.\n"The experience has been amazing, the total amount of support," he said. "There are so many people here I recognize and so many more I don't -- people taking time off to come support my sister." \nThe race, which is also an intramural event, draws a competitive crowd.\nRobert Comingone came in first place in the Overall Men's category with a time of 17 minutes, 18 seconds. Crossing the finish line second was Andreas Maher, with a time of 17 minutes, 21 seconds.\nGraduate student Kimberly Vest, was the winner of the Overall Women's category, running the course in 20 minutes, 21 seconds. Second place was junior Christie Terrell, with a time of 20 minutes, 33 seconds.\n"This is an awesome race," Terrell said. "There are so many people so it is nice to know you beat so many."\nNot all the runners were there for the competition.\n"(The course) is only 3.1 miles," Orrange said. "Participants don't have to be the best runners to participate and still be involved"
(10/07/02 4:38am)
The legacy of Jill Behrman was remembered through both athletics and music Saturday.\nIn conjunction with the Jill Behrman Run to the End Zone, a music festival was held at Dunn Meadow to raise money for Jill's House, a temporary home for cancer patients undergoing Proton Therapy at IU. \nThe bands that performed included Laborius Clef, Three Minute Mile, Run of the Mill, Blue Moon Revue and Johnzo West. \nProceeds for the charity were raised by asking those in the audience to give donations along with sponsorship. All the bands played for free.\nOrganizers of the event said they were pleased with the way in which the concert ran. \n"The concert has been really good, the weather has been good and there has been a really good turnout so far," said senior Brain Balta, Union Board's Live From Bloomington director. \nThe events were organized for Saturday to coincide with the events earlier that day at the Mellencamp Pavilion. \n"We are trying to raise some money along with the Jill Behrman Run to the Endzone," Balta said.\nDavid Hosei, a junior residential assistant at Forest and main organizer for the event, said the event helped raise awareness about cancer and personal safety.\n"It started as a way to raise money for the Jill House and support a friend going through cancer," he said. "Our goal was to try and make a positive impact on the lives of IU students."\nThe music festival followed a "Battle of the Bands" format. Each band's performance was judged by a panel composed of representatives of several campus organizations and local businesses, including Union Board and Karma Records. \nBlue Moon Review emerged as the winner, a Bloomington-based funk band.\nJustin Leone, bassist of Three Minute Mile and former IU student, said the event was something they couldn't refuse to be a part of. \n"This is a great event," he said. "We have done stuff with the Jill House before. Plus when we heard the line up it was nothing we could turn down."\nLeone said the festival was one of the better musical events that happen in Bloomington.\n"It's for a good cause and you can't get better than that," he said.\nDean of Students Richard McKaig, was also in attendance at the concert.\n"Too often people focus on the negatives," he said. "This event shows IU students at their best, trying to help others"
(08/29/02 4:00am)
Fire and brimstone is not just the domain of Southern Baptist preachers. Before Rob Zombie, before Marilyn Manson, before the antics of all sorts of rockers, there was Black Sabbath. Sabbath is the origin of heavy metal. If James Brown is the Godfather of Soul, Sabbath is the Godfather of all of today's big metal bands, from Korn to Metallica to Def Leppard.\nToo bad the band is known today primarily for an MTV show that has everyone marveling about how normal Ozzy Osbourne (given name John) is. What do people think, that he is from Mars or something? Before MTV got its hands on him, Ozzy was the front man of Black Sabbath, the band that turned a simple thing like rock and roll into an onslaught of metal, the band your parents were afraid to admit they liked.\nThe double CD release of Past Lives, a live greatest hits album, takes the band back to the days before MTV. It takes us to the era of the rock festival -- an era of rebellion. There is no new material, just a very rare version of "Megalomania," but how many of the MTV generations of Osbourne fans know the songs that shocked the '70s at its roots? \nBecause it is a live album, Past Lives has a strange power. It has the power that comes from playing in front of supporting fans, the power of a band on top, the power and ferocity of music. \nThe riffs throughout the CD are breakneck. What else would you expect from a band that once promoted its tours by saying it was "louder than Zeppelin?" Past Lives captures Sabbath at its inglorious height.
(08/29/02 2:03am)
Fire and brimstone is not just the domain of Southern Baptist preachers. Before Rob Zombie, before Marilyn Manson, before the antics of all sorts of rockers, there was Black Sabbath. Sabbath is the origin of heavy metal. If James Brown is the Godfather of Soul, Sabbath is the Godfather of all of today's big metal bands, from Korn to Metallica to Def Leppard.\nToo bad the band is known today primarily for an MTV show that has everyone marveling about how normal Ozzy Osbourne (given name John) is. What do people think, that he is from Mars or something? Before MTV got its hands on him, Ozzy was the front man of Black Sabbath, the band that turned a simple thing like rock and roll into an onslaught of metal, the band your parents were afraid to admit they liked.\nThe double CD release of Past Lives, a live greatest hits album, takes the band back to the days before MTV. It takes us to the era of the rock festival -- an era of rebellion. There is no new material, just a very rare version of "Megalomania," but how many of the MTV generations of Osbourne fans know the songs that shocked the '70s at its roots? \nBecause it is a live album, Past Lives has a strange power. It has the power that comes from playing in front of supporting fans, the power of a band on top, the power and ferocity of music. \nThe riffs throughout the CD are breakneck. What else would you expect from a band that once promoted its tours by saying it was "louder than Zeppelin?" Past Lives captures Sabbath at its inglorious height.
(08/28/02 6:46am)
Every year new students travel to IU to go through an orientation of the campus, college life and the community of Bloomington.\n"Any new students need help getting used to campus, even the ones from Bloomington," said Richard McKaig, dean of students.\nStudents come not only from Indiana and across the country, but also from around the world. International students made up more than 10 percent of student population last spring, according to the Office of Registrar's Web site.\n"IU proclaims itself a world-class University; we are living in a world that seems a lot smaller," McKaig said. "It puts every IU student at a great advantage, interacting with foreign students."\nInternational student orientation varies from the traditional student orientation because of the special needs of foreign students. \n"The overall goal of the orientation program is to integrate the international students at IU into the University environment and the city of Bloomington," said Christopher Viers, director of international services.\nHelping international students become familiar with their new surroundings is just part of their orientation.\n"There is an extra duty to help foreign students get occupied, on some of the little things, currency, grading, maintaining their diet and all the other details that students from other cultures need to take care of so they can concentrate on being students," McKaig said.\nA challenge for the staff of the Leo R. Dowling International Center and the Office of International Services is making sure the incoming international students receive adequate housing.\n"The biggest stress is identifying an appropriate new living space," Viers said. "After taking care of housing, the most important thing is to get through international student orientation and University Division orientation, and that can be very stressful."\nMany international students have a \nharder time registering for the classes they need because they arrive so late in the year.\n"Most students can get into elective classes, but most of the required classes are already filled up because they register so late," said Gonzalo Isidro-Bruno, coordinator of the Leo R. Dowling International Center.\nThe most popular majors for international students mirror those of the student body as a whole. \n"A large number want to go the School of Business, after that a lot go to SPEA and the School of Music," Isidro-Bruno said. "There are a lot of performers from many countries." \nMany of the students and parents going through orientation find themselves rather disoriented when it comes to finding the right buildings.\n"The campus is so big and the locations of the events make it easy to get lost. The distance between sessions does not help," said Renato Alvim, a Portuguese language and literature graduate student from Brazil.\nSoli Ilavia, father of two incoming freshmen from India, agreed the buildings are spread out, but said "everyone has been very helpful."\n"It has been a wonderful first experience; it is a beautiful campus," Ilavia's wife, Crystal, said.
(08/01/02 12:59am)
We can make it. The wait is almost over.\nReal football is less then a month away. No longer do we have to watch the development league in Europe or the arena brand of the game. \nSoon enough the leaves will start to change colors, the air will get crisper and the shorts and sandals will be gone in favor of warmer clothing. But more importantly, we will all be in the troughs of football.\nFootball is the only sport that I count the days till kick-off, well other than the World Cup, but that only happens every four years. All the other sports I pick up in midstream; there is no need to get excited about them until well after their start date.\nWho cares anyway what happens in the first 100 games of baseball and regular season basketball doesn't quite cut it. That is, all regular season basketball not coached by a certain Mike Davis.\nCollege football kicks of Thursday, Aug. 22. Virginia and Colorado State meet in an ACC/Mountain West Conference clash. My money is riding on the Rams beating up on the Squires.\nI can't wait for IU's first home game either. I need to thank the Athletic Department for adding a 12th game to our season. No longer do we start the season by playing three of four our first games on the road. \nCoach DiNardo gets to showcase his new team -- all three phases of the team -- against a tiny Division 1-AA school. The team also gets to show off the new retro uniforms. They better be good considering this will be the fourth time in five years IU has changed the team's look.\nThen there is the hard-to-mistake atmosphere of a Big Ten game on a Saturday in the fall. The thrill and hassle of waking up a little earlier than usual in the morning to get the best spot across the field for tailgating is hard to pass up.\nMmm, the smell of charcoal grills, stale beer and the sound of Buck Suhr on the radio giving play-by-play so no "real" IU fan can give up the serious task of tailgating to go watch the game in person. \nOn Thursday, Sept. 5, the NFL kicks of the season when my San Fransisco 49ers take on the New York Giants in the season's first game. I can't wait for that either. \nBreathe in and out; calm down. Football season is almost finally here. It is time for big catches, big runs and big hits. And I can't wait.\nFinally -- maybe the most important thing actually -- there will be something other than baseball on television.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
There is a war in the Middle East that affects most of our lives in a direct way. And many might not even realize it.\nThe problems in the Middle East have been around since before Christ's time on earth, and it is very optimistic to think that in the next few weeks and months we will find a quick fix.\nBut why should regular Joes in Bloomington be concerned with a bunch of crazy Palestinians and Israelis running around trying to blow one another up?\nFirst, let me warn you, this is going to sound bad, and I am expecting many angry e-mails.\nIn a society overly concerned with the bottom line, one of the major reasons for Joe/Jane Bloomington to be concerned about the problem in the Middle East is the price of gas they put in their car's gas tank. \nThe violence going on the in Middle East now is going to affect most of the world's oil-producing countries. The instability in the region is going to drive up the price of oil on Wall Street. \nAccording to GNI Touch Research, an English-based Web site that monitors oil markets around the world, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah said there would be no stability in oil prices as long as Israel continues to attack Palestinian authority leaders and facilities. \nPresident George W. Bush's policy of "let them work it out" will take money out of your pocket in the long run as gas prices increase. Did you really think Republicans were all about putting money back into the pockets of American citizens?\nEnough of politics. My main point is that what happens in far away Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East is going to affect the way we all live in Bloomington. It is imperative to understand many of the issues affecting this town.\nThe world has become increasingly interconnected since World War II, and that trend is not going to reverse anytime soon. \nOur society needs to change its mindset and look out past the borders of the United States, because we no longer live on an isolated land mass.\nThe civil war in Colombia (which no one seems to know about) affects coffee prices all over the world. The violence in the Middle East keeps the markets volatile, and thousands of jobs have been lost in the United States from a crash in the economies off the Pacific Rim.\nDon't be one of those people in the dark. Read the World section of the IDS or watch CNN's news broadcast. You'll be surprised at what you learn. (Like why you paid $1.71 for gas last night.) \nAnd will someone please take the guns away from baby Yasser and baby Ariel. (If you know who I am talking about kudos to you, if not you are in serious trouble.)
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Waking up to the news that the United States had just lost a major battle in the war on terrorism thrust many around the nation and the world in a state of shock.\nWe may never know the motivation of the attackers, but we can assume this: The hijackers were smart and highly motivated. They were not simple brutes but sophisticated terrorists who covered their tracks well.\nAuthor Tom Clancy in his works makes the argument that the world of a terrorist behaves in accordance with Darwinian principles. Only the careless terrorist cells have been taken out by authorities in Europe and the Middle East. The ones that still survive are highly skilled and highly motivated.\nThe hijackers have survived and learned from this evolutionary process. So have many others who pose a threat to both civilian and military targets around the world.\nMany Americans fail to realize that the threat of terror is a daily threat in most of the world. Great Britain has had to deal with sectarian violence of Northern Ireland spilling over in to the streets of London. Madrid faces Basque separatists, and in Africa, landless farmers now maraud. And these are only a few of the hot spots around the world where terror is a daily force.\nTerrorists have long targeted the United States. Proponents of terror have attacked the United States during the embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya, the attack of military personal Beirut, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.\nBusiness executives and engineers from the United States and Europe are routinely kidnapped in many developing economies.\nLet us not forget the U.S.-grown terror personified by Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing.\nIn my last column I urged readers to pay more attention to events happening outside the borders the United States. I then explained some of the reasons why this is necessary.\nI forgot to mention that many people around the world see the United States as "the Great Satan" and see it as their responsibility to bring this American devil to its knees.\nWhat appears to have happened in New York Tuesday is that a group of radicals took a shot at bringing the nation to its knees. Let us hope that they have failed.\nThe world now faces an old enemy with an evil and ugly face. Terrorists who have honed their skills in Europe and the Middle East have come to American shores. The hijackers' dedication leads me to believe this might only be the tip of the iceberg.\nOur prayers go out to all the victims of the attacks and their families and our gratitude to all the relief workers digging through the rubble to help the victims of the crime.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
We have seen the worst and the best of humanity in the wake of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. The terrorism has bought this nation together in a sense unity and purpose which hasn't been seen since the heyday of World War II.\nIt is sad to see that is takes an event of this magnitude for people to rally around one another and their nation. But it is reassuring to see that when times are hard and people are put to the test, they do come through. \nNot enough can be said of the bravery and humanity of the firefighters and policemen in New York and Washington. The way they have handled themselves in the wake of this tragedy is exemplary.\nIt is said that there is no truer love than when a man lays down his life for a friend. \nThen what great power moves the men and women in uniform to lay down their lives for strangers that may or may not approve of them?\nI've stopped thinking that a police officer's duties were limited to busting parties and giving out speeding tickets. Firefighters must be the most patient people in the world, running around from false alarm to false alarm to ensure they are in the right place when they are truly needed.\nBoth groups are true pillars of society who take their oath of service and protection to heart. Everyone should try in the next few weeks go out of their way to thank a firefighter or cop for the service they perform for us on a daily basis and the heroism they portray in times of dire straits.\nUnfortunately, there is also evil in the world that we live in. The killers who orchestrated the attacks are the bane of humanity. They were people with a hate so great and mindless they were willing to kill themselves and innocent people to give this hate a face of terror. \nBlind hate toward the diversity of humanity has always been one of the greatest sources of evil on this planet. But the attackers were not the only evil displayed in the last two weeks. The people who targeted innocent and usually defenseless people for reprisal of the attack can be placed in category close to that of the attackers. There were very few people involved in the terrorist attacks and only a few more people condone the attack. \nPeople of the Islamic faith are as horrified by the attack just as Christians, Jews and people of other faiths are. Harassing fellow students because they look like they are from the same country as someone evil is despicable. It is almost like punishing all Italians or all Germans for the sins of Hitler.\nAs we begin to put the pieces of our lives back together, let us remember what type of person we want to be remembered as. Are you willing to do what is right and needed to help a fellow person? Or are you going to be a person of hatred, spreading fear and terror among our fellow human beings?
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Every year, thousands of college seniors graduate from public colleges and universities across Indiana. State officials want to keep as many of these graduates within the state to avoid the "brain drain" problem that has plagued Indiana for the past few years.\nThe ongoing effort to retain college graduates has included programs such as Indiana First that highlight the opportunities for recent college graduates within the state. \nBut the state has continually tried to find new ways to deal with the exodus of recent graduates from Indiana. \nThe State Commission for Higher Education unveiled a new tool in the campaign to keep graduates within the state Tuesday. It is an annual magazine titled GRAD: Real World Indiana.\nThe magazine is for free and is also available online at www.GradInd.com . The object of the publication is to highlight job opportunities, growing industries and postgraduate options inside Indiana.\nThe magazine also contains information intended to help graduates with the transition from college to the working world. \n"This magazine provides answers to a lot of questions that I know I was struggling with as graduation approached," Tarl Vaughn, a member of GRAD's editorial advisory board, said.\nThe commission for higher education will mail 100,000 copies of the magazine to college juniors and seniors, with the assistance of institutions of higher learning throughout the state. \nThere are 15 state-run, four-year universities within the state, including IU and Purdue University. There are also 23 two-year Ivy Tech institutions throughout the state. \nThe state doesn't keep authoritative records of exactly how many recent graduates leave Indiana.\nBut recent study by the Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute found that 36 percent of Indiana residents left the state after receiving their college degree.\nThe study, based on three surveys conducted from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, found that 89 percent of students who came to Indiana for college from another state also left after they got their degree.\nBut Dean of Students Richard McKaig said many new graduates feel most at home in big cities, where job and dating opportunities abound. And, McKaig said, most shy away from Indianapolis, the state's largest metropolitan area.\n"It seems most of the students I talk with seem to be migrating to larger cities, the Atlantas, the Chicagos, or other urban centers if they are not going to grad schools," he said. "Indianapolis is often not mentioned as one of the urban areas they mention." \nMcKaig said many decide to leave the state to pursue careers in high-tech industries, such as computer programming, that have flourished in some urban centers in recent years. \nState Commissioner of Higher Education Stan Jones said that many graduates simply aren't aware of the employment opportunities in Indiana. And the magazine should enlighten many, Jones said.\n"This publication is an example of our commitment to help Indiana's college students by providing them with comprehensive information, so they can make informed decisions about there future," he said.\nThe magazine features contributions from the Indianapolis Business Journal, Lumina Foundation, the Indiana Information Technology Association and the Indiana Department of Commerce. \nCheryl Orr, a senior associate of communications at the commission, said the magazine "is one of the strategies to keep the best and the brightest in the state and avoid the brain drain." \n"The goal of the magazine is linking students with Indiana employers and graduate schools," she said. "It is a good tool for communicating with our students"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Bloomington has always been known as a scholarly town with a range of stores that suit the atmosphere. Caveat Emptor, 112 N. Walnut St., has been such a store for more than 30 years. \nCaveat Emptor specializes in used and rare books and has found a niche in Bloomington buying and selling old books. \nThe store's name is Latin for "buyer beware" and was adopted in the early 1960s. \n"Thirty years ago, the name seemed like a good idea… now that we are known all over Indiana, it seems rather foolish to change to some thing more dignified," Janis Starcs, the store's manager and a partner, said. \nStarcs, who arrived in Bloomington as a freshman at IU 36 years ago, founded the store with three other partners in the 1960s. \nThe store has moved three times before finding its current location in the downtown square opposite the Monroe County Courthouse. \nCaveat Emptor is an independent bookstore with none of the hard sells that the bigger chain bookstores carry, such as coffee shops, sofas to lounge on and discounted bestsellers.\n The books are stacked on shelves throughout the width and breadth of the store, sometimes nine shelves high. \nStarcs is an avid classical music listener, so there is always music playing in the store. \nCaveat Emptor has not changed much since it was first founded, even with the rush of other booksellers to make themselves viable in the new e-commerce economy, Starcs said. \n The store does not have a Web site and does not plan on getting one in the near future, Starcs said. It is a simply run operation with only one full-time employee and two part-time employees.\n The books are arranged by genres such as African-American literature, African literature, modern literature and 17th, 18th, 19th century literature.\nThe store's largest customer base consists of IU faculty and students. \n"Most of my customers are students," Starcs said. "I couldn't have all this literature in other languages or the scientific books if it wasn't for the University."\nThe store does have regular customers who have browsed and shopped there year after year, Starcs said.\nCaveat Emptor does have a niche cantering to customers selling books that are out of print and not available at other bookstores. \nJane Rae Dillon, a buyer for the IU Bookstore, said she visits Starcs' store to "look for older hardback biographies and exotic language dictionaries... or if I want a hardback that is already in print as a paperback, such as a book by Hemingway"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
I hate to say this, but Tom Green's movie, "Road Trip," had a point: Road trips are a lot of fun and can be some of the best times you share with your friends while in college. \nI have done my fair share of road tripping in my years at college, and I fancy myself somewhat of an expert. I will share the knowledge I have gained over the years so more of my fellow students can experience this integral part of the college experience.\nI urge everyone who reads this column to consider going on a weekend road trip before the end of the semester. Here are the do's and don'ts of having the best adventures on your trip. \nFirst things first -- whatever you do, don't get arrested. Jail sucks, and worst of all you might be having to make a road trip back for court dates and maybe even a little bit of forced community service time. Which is definitely not that much fun.\nNow here are the other secrets to having a great time out on the open road and at the places you stop to visit.\nTravel light; most trips are only for the weekend, so there is no need to take a suitcase. The more stuff that is taken on the trip the greater the chance that something will be lost. \nEveryone needs to try leaving home for the weekend with just a toothbrush and the shirt on his or her back. Take into consideration the climate of the destination when choosing the wardrobe, though.\nTravel heavy with friends; it is always good to have friends sharing in the fun -- that is how memories are made. Also, the more people on the trip, the lower the expenses are if everyone pitches in for gas.\nCell phones are key on trips. They keep everyone in contact, give more flexibility in making group decisions and the parents can find out what it going on.\nAlso, go in more than one car. If one of them gets a flat or breaks down, the situation will not be as dire. \nLiving in Bloomington has the great advantage that seven of the 11 other Big Ten schools are within a seven-hour drive (Iowa and Penn State are close to 10 hours away each, but if time is not your greatest concern then that is not really a problem.) Another great thing about other Big Ten schools is that most of them are wet campuses. \n Thinking of going to other schools, there are some specific great college weekends that are less then seven hours away from IU. \n There is "Hash Bash" at the University of Michigan, and Halloween at Ohio State University or Wisconsin are always a good time. Everyone has to experience going to a Notre Dame Football game; every game up there is Homecoming. Then there is that Little 500 thing at IU. I don't think anyone really wants to miss that. It is also the event you invite all your new friends to come to IU for.\nMay you have green lights and blue skies.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Because most of the media coverage has been focused on the terrorist attacks, many Americans have not noticed that the situation in the Middle East has gotten progressively worse since the events of Sept. 11. The number of killings have risen on both the Palestinian side and the Israeli side, and no one outside the region seems to notice. \nNow, members of the cabinet on both sides seem to be the targets of attacks. Israeli cabinet member Rechavam Zeevi was shot in the head and the neck Wednesday, in an attempt to end a cease-fire between the Israelis and Palestinians, CNN reports. The media and public perceptions have become so engrossed in the attack and the new threat of anthrax that they have forgotten about the conflict which sparked both. \nWe fail to realize whether they get Osama bin Laden or not, terrorism will still persist. Bin Laden is not the source of terror, just the form it takes at present. Going after him is a knee-jerk reaction. The problem of terrorism will not be fixed, only changed.\nEveryone has been quick to jump on the "War Against Terrorism" bandwagon. But in their haste to bomb bin Laden, politicians are forgetting to fight another battle. The world will not be a safe place until this battle is fought and won.\nThe battle I am referring to is the battle for peace in the Middle East. For the past decade, the peace process has been chasing it's own tail and not moving forward in any substantive ways.\nIn the past decade, the standard of living in Palestine and Iraq has fallen to abysmal levels. As this happens, resentment for Israel and her biggest backer, the United States, rises among desolated Arab communities.\nAs long as there is no peace in the Middle East, it will be a breeding ground for hate-mongers and anarchists such as bin Laden.\nGrowing up in any slum in the world is hard, but in the West Bank and Gaza, there is a strange type of violence. A violence of one of the world's best-trained armies against stone-throwing youth.\nThe only crime committed by the stone-throwing youth is being born on land someone else wants.\nThe volatility in the Middle East, especially in Palestine, is fuel for the fire of terrorism.\nI am not saying that some policy of the Israeli government is the reason why New York has a new skyline. What I am saying is that the American support for a brute Israeli government makes the United States a target for those that have only known violence in their life and want the rest of humanity to share their pain.\nIf the war on terror is to be won, the escalating violence between Palestine and Israel has to stop.\nWhen a war is fought, everyone says they are searching for a peaceful and lasting solution. May I suggest the way to this peace and solution is moving forward in the Mideast peace process and bringing everyone involved to an understanding.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Steve Dillon debated last Wednesday at IU Law School in Indianapolis for the change in anti-drug laws and policies.\n Dillon has been a player in the Indiana Chapter of the Libertarian Party for years. He has run for Monroe County judge and Indiana governor on the Libertarian party ticket. \nSince 1985, he has run for nine elected offices, once as a Republican and eight times as a Libertarian.\nHe is considered by some to be one of the champions of Libertarian causes in the state of Indiana. \nDillon said he believes "in personal liberty and freedom, and taking power always from the federal government." \nLibertarians believe in small government and sovereignty of the individual, according to the group's Web site. They are both liberal and conservative -- conservative in the fiscal realm and liberal on social issues.\nHe added that a person should have the right to "swing their fist in any direction as long as you don't hit any one on the nose."\nDillon graduated from Purdue in 1972 with honors and lettered on the debate team. He then graduated from IU Law School in 1975, where he was a classmate of former Vice President Dan Quayle. \nDillon said his average day is spent defending clients in criminal alcohol and drug cases. He had five laws declared unconstitutional, including laws against drug paraphernalia and returned the write-in vote to Indiana after it was removed from the ballot.\n"My biggest issue is trying to help the criminal justice system, which I am involved in by lobbing the state bar association, and lobby for reform on criminal laws," he said.\nIn a case that caught the attention of many in the country, Dillon defended Hilda Clark on charges of practicing medicine without a license. Clark was an alternative healer in Bloomington who faced incarceration if found guilty in trial.\nDillon was able to have the case thrown out on procedural issues. \nDillon is also the chairman of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, and chairman for the Indiana Chapter of NORML. He has been involved in that organization since 1973.\nAs far as international politics are concerned, he said that "the war would be happening in Afghanistan now and there would be free trade with Cuba" if the Libertarian Party was in power now.\n According to Erin Hollinden, press secretary and vice president of IU College Libertarians, Steve Dillon is a "constitutionalist who believes in both the letter and spirit of the law, because he's strong on supporting civil liberties, and because he takes a "healing" approach to rehabilitation of criminals and restitution of victims."\n Those were the reasons that he was considered the best Libertarian candidate for the position of Monroe County judge last year. \nThe goals of Dillon and the Monroe County Libertarian party are to increase visibility and education about Libertarian "small government" solutions, to run and elect candidates for political openings and to build Libertarian Party membership and grassroots activism among Monroe County residents, according to Hollinden.