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(07/22/04 3:16pm)
After more than 20 years of Metallica, it almost seems like there has been enough of the band. Enough albums, enough drinking, enough touring and especially, enough commercialization. Perhaps these guys ought to take fellow macho man Mark Maguire's advice and burn out instead of fade away from their invisible heavy metal infamy of the 1980s. After Metallica's The Black Album, 1991 would have been the marquee year for the band to leave the limelight. But like Some Kind of Monster — from a cut-rate horror movie — the band seems to never go away. Combining the crunching, repetitive title track from St. Anger, the 8-track album shines with the return to classical Metallica glory with six tracks from the first three albums. Though recorded live in 2003, the band sounds as indestructible as when it composed music in the 1980s.\nDespite the great music from the immortal '80s, the entire album is an advertisement for Metallica's upcoming movie of the same name. Despite a feeling that the musicians sold out long ago, and that the movie is a shameless commercial gimmick, the two trailers actually excited me about maybe seeing the film. It's so easy to consider the men of Metallica as greedy sellouts, but maybe not. Just because the musicians' flame and rage has dimmed considerably from their younger days in the '80s and early '90s, these guys have not yet retired from music, and I can't entirely blame them for that.
(07/22/04 4:00am)
After more than 20 years of Metallica, it almost seems like there has been enough of the band. Enough albums, enough drinking, enough touring and especially, enough commercialization. Perhaps these guys ought to take fellow macho man Mark Maguire's advice and burn out instead of fade away from their invisible heavy metal infamy of the 1980s. After Metallica's The Black Album, 1991 would have been the marquee year for the band to leave the limelight. But like Some Kind of Monster — from a cut-rate horror movie — the band seems to never go away. Combining the crunching, repetitive title track from St. Anger, the 8-track album shines with the return to classical Metallica glory with six tracks from the first three albums. Though recorded live in 2003, the band sounds as indestructible as when it composed music in the 1980s.\nDespite the great music from the immortal '80s, the entire album is an advertisement for Metallica's upcoming movie of the same name. Despite a feeling that the musicians sold out long ago, and that the movie is a shameless commercial gimmick, the two trailers actually excited me about maybe seeing the film. It's so easy to consider the men of Metallica as greedy sellouts, but maybe not. Just because the musicians' flame and rage has dimmed considerably from their younger days in the '80s and early '90s, these guys have not yet retired from music, and I can't entirely blame them for that.
(07/22/04 1:31am)
A program dedicated to the path Marco Polo followed to visit the Far East is coming to Bloomington this weekend. Hosted by the Azerbaijani American Cultural and Education Foundation, the 12th annual "Silk Road Bayrem" is dedicated to exploring the traditions and cultures of the countries along the historic route between Europe and Asia.\nThe Silk Road was traveled for 14 centuries before Polo, the famed Venetian merchant, used it to bring its riches and culture back to Italy.\n"The Silk Road was very important for the trade of silk and herbs," said Shahyar Daneshgar, executive director of the Azerbaijani American Cultural and Education Foundation. "Marco Polo made the passage very famous." \nThe event, which also receives support from several other international organizations on campus, divides its four events between two locations. A roundtable discussion about the music of the Silk Road as well as a film series will be held at the Monroe County Public Library from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. The festival will move across the street to the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., to present cultural and culinary samples of the route and a music and dance presentation from 5 to 9 p.m.\nThe path Polo and other explorers and traders traveled passed through China, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey. The event will showcase these countries through food, dress, artifacts, music and dance. The route introduced cultures from the East to Eastern Europe, resulting in a blend of culture.\n"We concentrate on the Middle East and Far East Cultures, but those who are familiar with Eastern European culture will recognize similarities in what they see at the festival due to mixing of cultures," said Edward J. Lazzerini, assistant director of the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resources Center.\nThe concert Saturday night will feature Salaam, a seven-member group that will play music from the eastern half of the Silk Road. Daneshgar's six-member musical group will represent music from the western half of the route.\nAt the concert, James Yang will play erhu, a two-string instrument from northern China, while his wife, Jenny, will perform a martial arts exhibition with the kun wu sword. This performance will represent both ancient and modern Taiwanese culture.\nDaneshgar said IU's involvement with the festival is appropriate. \n"Indiana University is unique in how it teaches the languages and cultures of all these countries along the Silk Road," Daneshgar said. \nHe said the festival attracts people from across Indiana and many nearby states because many immigrants from the countries represented enjoy seeing programs about their countries. \n"The audience will be basically split in half," said Silk Road percussionist Tim Moore, "between people from these countries and people who just want to learn about these cultures."\n-- Contact staff writer Benjames Derrick at bderrick@indiana.edu.
(07/19/04 1:39am)
IU's School of Education is teaming up with Harmony Education Center to help preschool through 12th grade students across America achieve a better education.\n"This (collaboration) is the clearinghouse for school reform," said School of Education Dean Geraldo M. Gonzalez. "It provides new and different training for initiating innovative processes."\nThe purpose of the program is to enable hundreds of school systems across the nation to prepare students for college or technology-intensive jobs that provide on-the-site training with at least a high school education, he said.\n"Working with IU will be our vehicle to spreading this to all of the school districts in the state," said Harmony Education Center Executive Director Steve Boncheck. \nPart of the collaboration includes professional development, where teachers are educated by coaches on how to carry out processes that will improve student achievement. \nDaniel Baron, director of National Programs at the Harmony school, is also a national facilitator who instructs some of the more than 15,000 coaches across the nation. \n"I train educators to coach their peers in collaborative, working and democratic learning communities," Baron said. "National facilitators provide a rich repertoire of practices for adult learning in the service of children."\nAn important part of professional development is the Critical Friends Group.\n"This is basically like a seminar where the teachers and administrators of a school district sit down and think about critical issues together," said Jesse Goodman, professor of education and director of Harmony's Institute for Research.\nThe Institute for Research explores two avenues of education, Baron said. They closely examine their own programs and progresses, but also study progressive education in the United States and have been published in scholarly journals such as the Harvard Education Review.\nThe Harmony Education Center, 909 E. Second St., is a national school reform organization based in Bloomington. The center teaches classes, but is also the center for the national school reform education organization.\nThe Harmony Education Center has four components -- the preschool-12 progressive school originated in 1974, the Institute for Research founded in 1990, Rhino's Youth Center founded in 1992 and the National School Reform Faculty, which relocated from Brown University in June 2000. Progressive education is the focus of the Harmony Education Center by means of incorporating education that is not offered in a traditional public or private school system.\n"We give what we think of as the 'whole education,'" Boncheck said. "We foster a child's intellectual, social and emotional needs as well as an ecological stewardship."\n-- Contact staff writer Benjames Derrick at bderrick@indiana.edu.
(07/14/04 11:56pm)
With so many hard rock bands out there, it's difficult to decide what albums to buy. Looking for music that I can relate to, I took the silly route and found a band sporting my first name, which happens to play my kind of music. \nImpressed by three songs from its first album, Saturate, I decided to give Breaking Benjamin's sophomore effort, We Are Not Alone, a try. The band has moved from alternative metal, full of mesmerizing synthesizer samples and sound effects, to a mainstream version of college rock, which concentrates on a straightforward sound of the traditional quartet formula -- bass, guitar, drums and vocals. A step down from heavy metal and a bit happier than grunge, this is an accessible form of hard rock. \nThe record is intermittently creative and enjoyable, yet derivative and short. This is not the best that current rock 'n' roll has to offer, but it's not bad either. Many of the songs follow the formula of hard verses and softer choruses, as well as grooving bridges, hooks and feel-good guitar solos. \nWe Are Not Alone includes an impressive video for "So Cold," the dark and eerie single that opens the album. "So Cold" and "Believe" are the only two songs which remain heavy all the way through, while "Forget It," "Rain" and others show the lighter side of Breaking Benjamin. It's too bad the whole affair wasn't harder.
(07/14/04 11:55pm)
The title may be lame, but the music is steady for this Los Angeles quartet's sophomore release. Overall, the album is slower and more laid back than nü metal, being devoid of eccentric beats, ferocious rhythms and ear-searing vocals. \nTravelling to Chicago to work with Disturbed's producer, Johnny K, Earshot has found the right man for its music. Opening with the pounding "Wait," the band takes the listener on a twisted journey through the hard rock subgenre.\nTrudging through dreary, moody, grungy and basic hard rock, during the middle of the album, Earshot kicks down the door to its moodiest, yet most grooving, smackdown before it slows down toward the end with its saddest songs, "Goodbye" and "Should've Been There." The former is a relatable tongue-lashing about an end to a friendship, while the latter is an emotive guitar and vocal propelled ballad.\nThe album concludes with the fiery "Control," returning to the misery that enshrouds the first eight songs. All that is good about the record is encompassed by alternating motifs of broody anxiety and slashing anger -- both with excellent composition. Two concludes in the shadows of hard feelings.
(07/14/04 4:00am)
With so many hard rock bands out there, it's difficult to decide what albums to buy. Looking for music that I can relate to, I took the silly route and found a band sporting my first name, which happens to play my kind of music. \nImpressed by three songs from its first album, Saturate, I decided to give Breaking Benjamin's sophomore effort, We Are Not Alone, a try. The band has moved from alternative metal, full of mesmerizing synthesizer samples and sound effects, to a mainstream version of college rock, which concentrates on a straightforward sound of the traditional quartet formula -- bass, guitar, drums and vocals. A step down from heavy metal and a bit happier than grunge, this is an accessible form of hard rock. \nThe record is intermittently creative and enjoyable, yet derivative and short. This is not the best that current rock 'n' roll has to offer, but it's not bad either. Many of the songs follow the formula of hard verses and softer choruses, as well as grooving bridges, hooks and feel-good guitar solos. \nWe Are Not Alone includes an impressive video for "So Cold," the dark and eerie single that opens the album. "So Cold" and "Believe" are the only two songs which remain heavy all the way through, while "Forget It," "Rain" and others show the lighter side of Breaking Benjamin. It's too bad the whole affair wasn't harder.
(07/14/04 4:00am)
The title may be lame, but the music is steady for this Los Angeles quartet's sophomore release. Overall, the album is slower and more laid back than nü metal, being devoid of eccentric beats, ferocious rhythms and ear-searing vocals. \nTravelling to Chicago to work with Disturbed's producer, Johnny K, Earshot has found the right man for its music. Opening with the pounding "Wait," the band takes the listener on a twisted journey through the hard rock subgenre.\nTrudging through dreary, moody, grungy and basic hard rock, during the middle of the album, Earshot kicks down the door to its moodiest, yet most grooving, smackdown before it slows down toward the end with its saddest songs, "Goodbye" and "Should've Been There." The former is a relatable tongue-lashing about an end to a friendship, while the latter is an emotive guitar and vocal propelled ballad.\nThe album concludes with the fiery "Control," returning to the misery that enshrouds the first eight songs. All that is good about the record is encompassed by alternating motifs of broody anxiety and slashing anger -- both with excellent composition. Two concludes in the shadows of hard feelings.
(07/08/04 4:00am)
By associating soft rock with the likes Michael Bolton and Rod Stewart, you might cringe at the mere mention of the genre, but the fact is light rock is popular today with Train, Dave Matthews Band and others leading the passive-aggressive assault. Coming from the small/independent Flameshovel Records out of Chicago, The Race, offers a new batch of the sweet stuff with its third full-length, If You Can, which mixes soft rock with the sounds of emo. \nWith a minimalization of spacey electronic keyboarding and samples, If You Can strays from the spaceship and ventures into a calm prairie. The natural vibe of the easy-sounding guitars, light drumming and soothing vocals paint a peaceful picture not unlike the writers of 19th century romanticism. By creating this spiritual aura (think Tool by way of Coldplay), The Race offers an alternative to the dark romanticism which is so popular in today's gothic heavy metal. Overall, listening to this album is like strolling through a steppe surrounded by serene sounds. \nHowever, The Race also express an upbeat side with the Radiohead-esque "Rose." The band also offers a hip beat in "Sinking Feeling," a melancholy vibe in "The Hours Eat the Flowers" and additional placidity with the concluding "Out Like a Lamb."\nDespite its enchanting feel, the only weakness of this nine-track record is that it barely reaches a half an hour.
(07/08/04 1:07am)
Since 1999 the Independent Studies Program has included IU High School as a means for students to earn their high school degrees from a distance. Students enroll and take classes online taught by both IU professors and high school teachers.\n"The students never enter a classroom and only know their teachers by e-mail," said IU High School Director Dan Bopp.\nAnne Marie Circle is a high school teacher in West Lafayette. With no equivalent program at Purdue, she took on IU High School's part-time work. She teaches pre-calculus and geometry at her high school and business, personal finance and geometry for the distance-learning program.\n"It's nice to work on my own time, but it's rough not interacting with the students," Circle said. "I try to get some grading done every night so that I can keep up." \nPeter Friedericks is a graduate of the program and said he plans to get his college degree from IU this fall. After living in Virginia, Kenya and Nebraska, his family moved to Tanzania in 1995 as Christian missionaries. After finishing the 10th grade in the Haven of Peace Academy, he completed his degree through the IU program based on a suggestion from the director of the academy. He has taken advantage of the dual-credit option.\n"I particularly enjoyed the dual-credit courses because of the way they challenged me," Friedericks said. "I enjoy challenges, because they push me to succeed and to work harder." \nIU has been offering high school classes since 1920, allowing more than just college students a chance to reach their "educational aspirations," Bopp said. \nAs a lawyer, Bopp was asked to consider the legalities of creating a program offering diplomas which was eventually launched in 1999. Now, high school courses from here can be transferred while high school credits can also be transferred to the IUHS program. Most of the students enrolled in the program do not enroll for all of the required 40 semester credits, but rather finish what they started.\n"Most of these students are training athletes or home schooled," Bopp said. "Some are even in jail. They have various backgrounds and transferring credits is not an uncommon occurrence."\nEven though IU High School gives students an opportunity to get a high school education outside of the traditional setting, it is not a G.E.D. certificate.\n"(The G.E.D.) teaches just the basic skills and is given when a standardized test is taken," Bopp said.\nIU High School is accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. In contrast to the General Education Development, a diploma from IUHS is not viewed differently from other diplomas.\n"It is a school that offers its full array of courses at a distance and is modeled after a traditional four-year course of study," said Judy Wertheim, dean of the School of Continuing Studies, which IUHS is a part.\nBecause the program demands so much self discipline to complete classes entirely online without being forced to go to class, and with little instructor interaction, only about half of the enrolled students complete their degree, Bopp said. \nCurrently 102 students have graduated. Once the students complete their degrees they receive an authentic leather-bound diploma sent to them in the mail, Bopp said.\n"(IUHS) assists many people with educational aspirations," Bopp said.\n-- Contact staff writer Benjames Derrick at bjderrick@indiana.edu.
(07/08/04 12:38am)
By associating soft rock with the likes Michael Bolton and Rod Stewart, you might cringe at the mere mention of the genre, but the fact is light rock is popular today with Train, Dave Matthews Band and others leading the passive-aggressive assault. Coming from the small/independent Flameshovel Records out of Chicago, The Race, offers a new batch of the sweet stuff with its third full-length, If You Can, which mixes soft rock with the sounds of emo. \nWith a minimalization of spacey electronic keyboarding and samples, If You Can strays from the spaceship and ventures into a calm prairie. The natural vibe of the easy-sounding guitars, light drumming and soothing vocals paint a peaceful picture not unlike the writers of 19th century romanticism. By creating this spiritual aura (think Tool by way of Coldplay), The Race offers an alternative to the dark romanticism which is so popular in today's gothic heavy metal. Overall, listening to this album is like strolling through a steppe surrounded by serene sounds. \nHowever, The Race also express an upbeat side with the Radiohead-esque "Rose." The band also offers a hip beat in "Sinking Feeling," a melancholy vibe in "The Hours Eat the Flowers" and additional placidity with the concluding "Out Like a Lamb."\nDespite its enchanting feel, the only weakness of this nine-track record is that it barely reaches a half an hour.
(07/01/04 4:00am)
Usually, I tend to enjoy most music I listen to. After reading the arrogant and dirt-slinging press release from Chronic Future, I had a hard time taking this band seriously, and I don't plan on listening to its immature album ever again. Somehow everything on the radio is trash, and this band is amazing! Whoever wrote this pathetic piece of PR thinks this band of teens and twentysomethings can revolutionize the world with its brand of poppy punk, trendy hip-hop and stale rock 'n' roll. Fat chance. \nThough, the blend of genres is slightly unique, it is also incredibly cheesy, formulaic and poorly realized. This stuff is a disgrace to Linkin Park and other rap-metal pioneers who opened doors for the blending of musical genres, which is at its worst in Lines in My Face. The instrumentalists and lead singer are decent, while the MC is terrible. He does not fit in with the music at all, sounding like a crying goat in a herd of sheep. This album also shows how rotten pop-punk has gotten with the "da-dooby-doo" crap of "New York, NY." This album's few saving graces are the rare songs of slightly hard rock 'n' roll devoid of lousy rap.\nIf I were to grade the press release, I would give it an F -- the album is a little better.
(07/01/04 3:56am)
Usually, I tend to enjoy most music I listen to. After reading the arrogant and dirt-slinging press release from Chronic Future, I had a hard time taking this band seriously, and I don't plan on listening to its immature album ever again. Somehow everything on the radio is trash, and this band is amazing! Whoever wrote this pathetic piece of PR thinks this band of teens and twentysomethings can revolutionize the world with its brand of poppy punk, trendy hip-hop and stale rock 'n' roll. Fat chance. \nThough, the blend of genres is slightly unique, it is also incredibly cheesy, formulaic and poorly realized. This stuff is a disgrace to Linkin Park and other rap-metal pioneers who opened doors for the blending of musical genres, which is at its worst in Lines in My Face. The instrumentalists and lead singer are decent, while the MC is terrible. He does not fit in with the music at all, sounding like a crying goat in a herd of sheep. This album also shows how rotten pop-punk has gotten with the "da-dooby-doo" crap of "New York, NY." This album's few saving graces are the rare songs of slightly hard rock 'n' roll devoid of lousy rap.\nIf I were to grade the press release, I would give it an F -- the album is a little better.
(06/24/04 4:00am)
Bloomington may have a bumping music scene, but it also hosts a lively writing community driven by academia and plenty of creative people willing to write down their thoughts through various facets of literati. Through poetry and short fiction magazines, as well as live poetry readings, local minds bent on the written word get their 15 minutes of fame.\nMagazines\nArea publications for local writers include Labyrinth, sponsored by Indiana University's Honors College, and Canvas, sponsored by the IU Union Board, creative magazines geared towards students. Both publications run poetry, essays and short fiction, as well as visual art and photography. \nCanvas reaches publication once in the fall and once in the spring semester as an insert in the Indiana Daily Student.\n"Canvas gives students the opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas and writing talent with the IU community," says IU Student Director Mary Hansell. "Canvas does not only affect those published, but also those in the community that will read the magazine, because they will be reading the thoughts and ideas of another person."\nPublished yearly, Labyrinth comes out every April and can be picked up at the Honors College at 326 N. Jordan Ave. A volunteer, self-selected staff runs the publication, and all of the work comes from undergraduates, this, according to Edward Guber, faculty advisor to Labyrinth. \nAnother local literary magazine, Bathtub Gin, runs independently and supports itself by charging for advertisements and by being sold at area bookstores. Its submissions are open to the public, giving IU English professors and other ambitious Bloomington writers an opportunity for publication. \nFounded in 1997 and published by Pathwise Press, Bathtub Gin's founder, editor Christopher Harter, arranged worldwide distribution for the magazine by Empty Mirror Books. Issues are distributed throughout America, as well as specific locations in India, Armenia, Japan and other countries. \n"For local writers (outside of IU), Bathtub Gin is about the only place to see their work in these parts," says Harter. "It is their stage, concert, gallery, etc."\nIssue 14 includes Joe Kerschbaum, Hiromi Yoshida and Andrew Kenower, who Harter considers some of Bloomington's best writers. Bathtub Gin is currently accepting submissions for Issues 15 and 16 until Sept. 15.\nIn addition to local magazines showcasing the talent of local authors, the Indiana Review gives Bloomington residents a concise view of the nation's best authors. Indiana Review is a biannual not-for-profit literary journal edited by IU students with partial support from of the Department of English. It is published by NcNaughton & Gunn, Inc. and is distributed by Ingram Periodicals. With submissions from all over the world, it reaches a national audience at popular bookstores including Barnes & Noble and Borders Books. \nMany students buy and subscribe to the two issues each year, and it is common for professors of introductory creative writing courses to use it as assigned reading. Despite the connection to IU, the Indiana Review has a policy of not accepting work from any student, staff or anyone else currently or recently affiliated with Indiana University. Book reviews are the exception.\n"It would represent a conflict of interest, as possible nepotism could arise, and we'd like to avoid those kinds of situations," says editor Esther Lee.\nLee is assisted by associate editor Grady Jaynes, as well as poetry editor Kyle Dargan and fiction editor Will Boast. All four are students in the three year creative writing program, and are thus seeking their Masters of Fine Arts degrees from IU. \nIndiana Review's latest issue, released in May, is a special edition devoted to the theme of being stuck between cultures. It features essays, fiction, interviews, graphic arts, poetry, reviews and comics.\nArea authors \nTwo area authors are successful enough to be writing full-time. Both Stuart Sayger and Douglass Wissing received their bachelor degrees at Indiana University. Sayger is an independent comic book writer working from his home in Indianapolis, and Wissing is an independent non-fiction writer basing his operations out of his home in Bloomington.\nSayger has been writing comic books for years after earning his degree in journalism. His black and white comic debut, "Girl Crazy," was a one shot issue done completely by him; he created, wrote, penciled and inked it. "Girl Crazy" was published in September 2000 by the COMIC GIANT and reached the shelves of local comic book shop Vintage Phoenix. Currently, Sayger is working on a horror comic series, "Shiver in the Dark." Again, he does this comic solo, and this time, he is also the colorist. Sayger has had to work hard to get the series published and distributed by Diamond Comics Distributors, which takes the comic all over North America, to Europe and as far away as Australia. \n"My comic books come out sporadically, but summer is the comic book convention season, and I want to have my books ready for them," says Sayger, who is set to release Issue Three of "Shiver in the Dark" at Vintage Phoenix this July for $2.95. \n"This series is a traditional story about the forces of evil out to get this young girl who just got to college. Instead of killing her, they work to recruit her into their legion," says Sayger. "It is nightmarish horror with a lot of intangible aspects to it." \nSayger plans to come to Vintage Phoenix to sign his comic books this August.\nUnlike Sayger, who finds himself in comics, Wissing is a successful writer who just completed his third full-length book, "Pioneer in Tibet: The Life and Perils of Dr. Albert Shelton." It has had success, \nselling out quickly, says Amanda Bibb-Crane, an employee of Book Corner. Wissing has a booksigning lecture called "Indiana and Tibet: A Century of Connection" scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 18, at 10 a.m. in the Monroe County Library on East Kirkwood. \n"I consider myself a nonfiction writer and a world traveler," says Wissing. "I like to concentrate on the interplay between humans and their environment."\nFor his third book, he uses his bachelor degrees in history and political science to tell the "history" of Dr. Shelton's pioneering adventures in Tibet, which where based on his Scotch-Irish roots in America. After living on the Scotland-England border and being treated like the Irish, who were on a foreign isle, the Scotch-Irish were relegated to low-class status in British society. This standing caused them to be sent to pioneer the rugged western expanses of the new American colonies. They were forced to fight "the injuns," as Shelton experienced frontier violence similar to that of Daniel Boone's era, according to Wissing. Dr. Shelton represents a long line of westerners traveling to a strange land and dealing with exotic people.\nWissing started writing during his business career writing advertisements for his company. He enjoyed it so much that he decided to take a risk after his son graduated from IU. In 1994, he traveled the world and then started writing full time from Bloomington. Wissing's first two books were more informational such as "Guidebook to Indiana: Traveling the Ohio River Scenic Route" and "Scenic Drives Indiana."\nYou can visit his Web site at www.douglaswissing.com.\nPoetry on the mic\nNot only do local authors express themselves through the written word, they also read their works aloud and entertain others in live acts during open mic nights and poetry slams. Open mics are non-competitive events, giving poets an evening of relaxed poetic speech. \nUncle Fester's, 430 E. Kirkwood Ave. (323-1159), hosts free open mics on most Mondays starting at 10:30 p.m. The Runcible Spoon, 412 E. 6 St. (334-3997), also hosts free open mics on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. \nPoetry slams, on the other hand, are a competitive version of open mics. During the regular academic year, the IU Union Board occasionally hosts poetry slams at the Indiana Memorial Union on the weekends as a free form of entertainment for students. \nNot only during the summer semester, but all year long, the Matrix poetry slams at Gallery West Espresso, 702 West 5 St., several blocks west of campus, can be enjoyed by all. \nMatrix is a not-for-profit organization which provides many outlets for creativity in Bloomington, including open mic poetry reading and open receptions at visual art galleries. You can find out more at www.matrixmag.com.\nDuring the most recent poetry slam this past Friday, Gallery West Manager Lacy Davis, had only positive comments about the experience.\n"The show is awesome. It's usually standing room only," says Davis. "They keep you on your toes!"\nPeople generally start signing up at around 7:30 p.m. for the slam, and there are several rounds during which all of the contestants get to recite or act out one poem with a three minute time limit. The winner is chosen after the final round and receives a cash reward based on the entry fees of $1 from all the contestants. \nAccording to Davis, most of the writers create their poetry on the spot, but some write it down and memorize it. Much of what is said is controversial, so the show is not for children. \nA consistent poetry slammer is T.J. Bloomfield, a baker at Gallery West.\n"His stuff is off the wall!" says Davis.\nBloomfield does impromptu poetry and recites his written work about many issues including domestic violence. Some of his poems have been published, including "The Epic of the Psychedelic Warrior," which often gets rave reviews from the crowds he entertains. As a competitor and observer, he enjoys the entire poetry slam experience.\n"(Slams) are fast-paced and really interesting," says Bloomfield. \nAll in all, Bloomington is a diverse college town with educational opportunities and lots of loud, boisterous fun on and off campus. As an IU student and Bloomington resident, you would be amiss to ignore the local writing scene. Adding to the independent music and theater communities, those that follow the printed and spoken word add an artistic niche to the town. Reading or writing with these authors in their element may fill a void that cannot be fulfilled by Wednesday night binge drinking or "The exciting conclusion of 'American Idol!"
(06/24/04 1:54am)
While the campaigns for the White House are heating up, local elections have more important implications for IU students. \nGubernatorial candidates (incumbent Democratic governor) Joe Kernan and Republican candidate Mitch Daniels both say education is one of the more important issues for getting elected.\n"Education is one of the cornerstones to economic revitalization of Indiana," said Marc Lotter, press secretary for Mitch Daniels. "We want Indiana to have good-paying jobs matching the skills acquired by a college education so that our students do not leave the state."\nKernan and Daniels have similar ideas on higher education.\n"Gov. Kernan has worked hard to convince statewide universities to keep tuition increases to a maximum of 4 percent," said Terry Burns, communications director for the Indiana State Democratic Party. "He has a limited ability to affect tuition rates, but he has expressed his ideas to the General Assembly who decide higher education funding."\nGov. Kernan has been successful at limiting tuition increases. The IU board of trustees approved a 4 percent tuition increase for all resident students returning to IU next year. By barely meeting Kernan's suggestions, many students will be pinching pennies in order to continue their college education. Many students are not able to solely rely on their parents to pay for tuition and other college necessities like food and rent.\n"Some of my friends may have to drop out and come back because their loans will be too high," senior Sarah O'Brien said.\nInternational students attending IU will also be affected. \n"Tuition increases may not affect wealthy Americans very much, but they are hard for international and (lower-class) citizens," said international student and sophomore Francisco Scifres.\nThe hardship on Indiana's economy due to graduating students leaving to other states is apparent at IU. It is important for businesses to have available young workers, but it is just as important for new graduates to have a place to start their careers.\n"Where I find a job, it really depends on the market," said graduate student Jose Najar, who is working toward his Ph.D. in history.\nBoth candidates have visions for lower education, with specific similarities such as trying to offer full-day kindergarten. Besides education, both Kernan and Daniels find Indiana jobs a need to reform state government. The Democratic platform is broad, including issues like civil rights and diversity, transportation and infrastructure and Opportunity Indiana -- where the state government works to support local companies by purchasing products and services from them. \nThe Republican platform focuses on the three common issues, which include efforts to combat government fraud and corruption, health care that focuses on obesity and exercise and cheap medicine for the poor and elderly.\n-- Contact staff writer Benjames Derrick at bderrick@indiana.edu .
(06/24/04 1:41am)
Continuing its tradition of fostering creativity and writing technique since 1940, the IU Writers' Conference will be holding its 64th annual conference starting Sunday. \nNational writers will visit Bloomington for the conference, which will be held in the Indiana Memorial Union through July 2. It will feature poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. \nIn the past the IUWC has attracted writers such as Kurt Vonnegut. This year there will be nine guest writers alongside IU Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing Alyce Miller. This will be her third Writers' Conference.\n"It is truly one of the best conferences in the country, and it generates a good deal of national attention," Miller said.\nOf these nine, only Li-Young Lee is not affiliated with a college or university. Lee won the Delmore Schwartz Memorial Poetry Award for his book, "The City in Which I Love You." These 10 writers each will teach four classes or six workshops -- three on poetry and three on fiction. Miller will teach fiction workshops.\nRegistration begins Sunday, and is followed by an optional dinner with the 10 authors. Readings will serve as the evening entertainment starting at 8 p.m., said IUWC intern Mary Anne Sommer. \nThe work will commence the following day. Presentation, panels, outings, readings and receptions will accompany the workshops and classes. The poetry and fiction workshops will run from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. The final meeting on Friday will conclude by noon.\nThe four classes will not conflict with the workshops. Class titles include, "The Novelist on the Ground: Researching, Conceptualizing and Structuring Your Novel," which will be taught every day from 9 to 9:50 a.m.; "New Shadows: The Art of Inventive Poetic Imitation," which will be taught from 10 to 10:50 a.m.; "That Scary World, Out There (In Here): Conjuring Political Fiction," which will be taught from 11 to 11:50 a.m., and "Poetic Strategies of Subversion," which will be taught from 1 to 1:50 p.m. All classes will run Monday through Thursday. \nThere is a $50 application fee, and the combined cost for classes, panels, outings, presentations, readings and receptions is $350. After having a manuscript of fiction or poetry accepted, attending a workshop will cost an extra $150. \nFor an extra tuition fee of $200, two credits can be earned on the undergraduate or graduate level at IU. The credits can also be transferred to other universities. A revision of the manuscript, along with the original, due by Aug, 1, determines the grade. The credits can be transferred to other schools. To alleviate the high costs of the event, scholarships are available to those with the most impressive manuscripts.\nJodie Canada said they were happy to have a scholarship.\nThe conference will also have a table where they sell books of the 10 teaching authors. \n"This makes us unique among bookstores in town," Canada said. "We order them in especially for the conference. We try to get the older and more obscure books."\n-- Contact staff writer Benjames Derrick at bderrick@indiana.edu.
(06/24/04 12:15am)
Bloomington may have a bumping music scene, but it also hosts a lively writing community driven by academia and plenty of creative people willing to write down their thoughts through various facets of literati. Through poetry and short fiction magazines, as well as live poetry readings, local minds bent on the written word get their 15 minutes of fame.\nMagazines\nArea publications for local writers include Labyrinth, sponsored by Indiana University's Honors College, and Canvas, sponsored by the IU Union Board, creative magazines geared towards students. Both publications run poetry, essays and short fiction, as well as visual art and photography. \nCanvas reaches publication once in the fall and once in the spring semester as an insert in the Indiana Daily Student.\n"Canvas gives students the opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas and writing talent with the IU community," says IU Student Director Mary Hansell. "Canvas does not only affect those published, but also those in the community that will read the magazine, because they will be reading the thoughts and ideas of another person."\nPublished yearly, Labyrinth comes out every April and can be picked up at the Honors College at 326 N. Jordan Ave. A volunteer, self-selected staff runs the publication, and all of the work comes from undergraduates, this, according to Edward Guber, faculty advisor to Labyrinth. \nAnother local literary magazine, Bathtub Gin, runs independently and supports itself by charging for advertisements and by being sold at area bookstores. Its submissions are open to the public, giving IU English professors and other ambitious Bloomington writers an opportunity for publication. \nFounded in 1997 and published by Pathwise Press, Bathtub Gin's founder, editor Christopher Harter, arranged worldwide distribution for the magazine by Empty Mirror Books. Issues are distributed throughout America, as well as specific locations in India, Armenia, Japan and other countries. \n"For local writers (outside of IU), Bathtub Gin is about the only place to see their work in these parts," says Harter. "It is their stage, concert, gallery, etc."\nIssue 14 includes Joe Kerschbaum, Hiromi Yoshida and Andrew Kenower, who Harter considers some of Bloomington's best writers. Bathtub Gin is currently accepting submissions for Issues 15 and 16 until Sept. 15.\nIn addition to local magazines showcasing the talent of local authors, the Indiana Review gives Bloomington residents a concise view of the nation's best authors. Indiana Review is a biannual not-for-profit literary journal edited by IU students with partial support from of the Department of English. It is published by NcNaughton & Gunn, Inc. and is distributed by Ingram Periodicals. With submissions from all over the world, it reaches a national audience at popular bookstores including Barnes & Noble and Borders Books. \nMany students buy and subscribe to the two issues each year, and it is common for professors of introductory creative writing courses to use it as assigned reading. Despite the connection to IU, the Indiana Review has a policy of not accepting work from any student, staff or anyone else currently or recently affiliated with Indiana University. Book reviews are the exception.\n"It would represent a conflict of interest, as possible nepotism could arise, and we'd like to avoid those kinds of situations," says editor Esther Lee.\nLee is assisted by associate editor Grady Jaynes, as well as poetry editor Kyle Dargan and fiction editor Will Boast. All four are students in the three year creative writing program, and are thus seeking their Masters of Fine Arts degrees from IU. \nIndiana Review's latest issue, released in May, is a special edition devoted to the theme of being stuck between cultures. It features essays, fiction, interviews, graphic arts, poetry, reviews and comics.\nArea authors \nTwo area authors are successful enough to be writing full-time. Both Stuart Sayger and Douglass Wissing received their bachelor degrees at Indiana University. Sayger is an independent comic book writer working from his home in Indianapolis, and Wissing is an independent non-fiction writer basing his operations out of his home in Bloomington.\nSayger has been writing comic books for years after earning his degree in journalism. His black and white comic debut, "Girl Crazy," was a one shot issue done completely by him; he created, wrote, penciled and inked it. "Girl Crazy" was published in September 2000 by the COMIC GIANT and reached the shelves of local comic book shop Vintage Phoenix. Currently, Sayger is working on a horror comic series, "Shiver in the Dark." Again, he does this comic solo, and this time, he is also the colorist. Sayger has had to work hard to get the series published and distributed by Diamond Comics Distributors, which takes the comic all over North America, to Europe and as far away as Australia. \n"My comic books come out sporadically, but summer is the comic book convention season, and I want to have my books ready for them," says Sayger, who is set to release Issue Three of "Shiver in the Dark" at Vintage Phoenix this July for $2.95. \n"This series is a traditional story about the forces of evil out to get this young girl who just got to college. Instead of killing her, they work to recruit her into their legion," says Sayger. "It is nightmarish horror with a lot of intangible aspects to it." \nSayger plans to come to Vintage Phoenix to sign his comic books this August.\nUnlike Sayger, who finds himself in comics, Wissing is a successful writer who just completed his third full-length book, "Pioneer in Tibet: The Life and Perils of Dr. Albert Shelton." It has had success, \nselling out quickly, says Amanda Bibb-Crane, an employee of Book Corner. Wissing has a booksigning lecture called "Indiana and Tibet: A Century of Connection" scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 18, at 10 a.m. in the Monroe County Library on East Kirkwood. \n"I consider myself a nonfiction writer and a world traveler," says Wissing. "I like to concentrate on the interplay between humans and their environment."\nFor his third book, he uses his bachelor degrees in history and political science to tell the "history" of Dr. Shelton's pioneering adventures in Tibet, which where based on his Scotch-Irish roots in America. After living on the Scotland-England border and being treated like the Irish, who were on a foreign isle, the Scotch-Irish were relegated to low-class status in British society. This standing caused them to be sent to pioneer the rugged western expanses of the new American colonies. They were forced to fight "the injuns," as Shelton experienced frontier violence similar to that of Daniel Boone's era, according to Wissing. Dr. Shelton represents a long line of westerners traveling to a strange land and dealing with exotic people.\nWissing started writing during his business career writing advertisements for his company. He enjoyed it so much that he decided to take a risk after his son graduated from IU. In 1994, he traveled the world and then started writing full time from Bloomington. Wissing's first two books were more informational such as "Guidebook to Indiana: Traveling the Ohio River Scenic Route" and "Scenic Drives Indiana."\nYou can visit his Web site at www.douglaswissing.com.\nPoetry on the mic\nNot only do local authors express themselves through the written word, they also read their works aloud and entertain others in live acts during open mic nights and poetry slams. Open mics are non-competitive events, giving poets an evening of relaxed poetic speech. \nUncle Fester's, 430 E. Kirkwood Ave. (323-1159), hosts free open mics on most Mondays starting at 10:30 p.m. The Runcible Spoon, 412 E. 6 St. (334-3997), also hosts free open mics on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. \nPoetry slams, on the other hand, are a competitive version of open mics. During the regular academic year, the IU Union Board occasionally hosts poetry slams at the Indiana Memorial Union on the weekends as a free form of entertainment for students. \nNot only during the summer semester, but all year long, the Matrix poetry slams at Gallery West Espresso, 702 West 5 St., several blocks west of campus, can be enjoyed by all. \nMatrix is a not-for-profit organization which provides many outlets for creativity in Bloomington, including open mic poetry reading and open receptions at visual art galleries. You can find out more at www.matrixmag.com.\nDuring the most recent poetry slam this past Friday, Gallery West Manager Lacy Davis, had only positive comments about the experience.\n"The show is awesome. It's usually standing room only," says Davis. "They keep you on your toes!"\nPeople generally start signing up at around 7:30 p.m. for the slam, and there are several rounds during which all of the contestants get to recite or act out one poem with a three minute time limit. The winner is chosen after the final round and receives a cash reward based on the entry fees of $1 from all the contestants. \nAccording to Davis, most of the writers create their poetry on the spot, but some write it down and memorize it. Much of what is said is controversial, so the show is not for children. \nA consistent poetry slammer is T.J. Bloomfield, a baker at Gallery West.\n"His stuff is off the wall!" says Davis.\nBloomfield does impromptu poetry and recites his written work about many issues including domestic violence. Some of his poems have been published, including "The Epic of the Psychedelic Warrior," which often gets rave reviews from the crowds he entertains. As a competitor and observer, he enjoys the entire poetry slam experience.\n"(Slams) are fast-paced and really interesting," says Bloomfield. \nAll in all, Bloomington is a diverse college town with educational opportunities and lots of loud, boisterous fun on and off campus. As an IU student and Bloomington resident, you would be amiss to ignore the local writing scene. Adding to the independent music and theater communities, those that follow the printed and spoken word add an artistic niche to the town. Reading or writing with these authors in their element may fill a void that cannot be fulfilled by Wednesday night binge drinking or "The exciting conclusion of 'American Idol!"
(06/10/04 1:29am)
Last June, homeless people who lived at Shelters Inc. weren't the only ones hitting hard times as the shelter closed down. However, The Community Kitchen of Monroe County gave the shelter a helping hand as it temporarily housed it's neighbors residents.\nAs a result of the shutdown, the Emergency Housing Work Group was formed to find an organization to take over and permanently operate the building after The Community Kitchen's tenure. The group found a replacement to fill the shelter's void.\nMartha's House is a homeless shelter within the Perry Township territory which begins south of Third Street. Julio Alanso, current director of public works for Bloomington and former Community Kitchen executive director and Emergency Housing Group Member, said Perry Township gave the Community Kitchen a six-month extension to keep the shelter open while the new sponsor was found. \nThe Emergency Housing Work Group disbanded in late September and Martha's House officially took over Jan. 1.\nPerry Township chartered Martha's House about two years ago in order to support Bloomington's homeless. But, the building has been dormant since the handover in September. Perry Township currently owns the building and appointed the committee for Martha's House, which is responsible for operating the shelter.\nDespite the change in power, Salvation Army and Martha's House Board of Directors member Steven Koehler, said the building will be used as an emergency shelter meant to keep people out of the cold and off of the streets after the loss of their home.\nMartha's House has also acquired two other family shelters, but doesn't intend to get any transitional housing to help people find a permanent home, unlike Shelters Inc.\nJody Tobias, the executive director of Martha's House, said all other properties owned by Shelter's Inc. were obtained by other organizations. \nMartha's House plans on opening the two other family shelters by next spring, but are looking for funding to carry out the plan. In total, the two shelters will hold up to three families while the current building houses 22 male and six females.\nMartha's House rules state that the occupants have to be legal adults, free of alcohol and illegal drugs and free of outstanding warrants. Owen and Monroe County resdients are eligible for a 30-day stay after an interview is conducted and can stay at the facility from 4:15 p.m. to 7:45 a.m.\nTeenagers as young as 16 may be garnered "emancipated adults" and may be taken in, but there are other places in town specializing in caring for teenagers.\nMartha's House needs to resolve some financial issues with Perry Township before it can carry out its expansion.\n"We have paid about 90 percent of the costs for both the Community Kitchen and Martha's House running the shelter," said Perry Township Trustee Dan Combs. "But Martha's House is expected to take over the majority of the expenses soon. Our grant streams for them run out on July 1." \nSome grants are lined up to get through the first half of 2006, but more money is needed to keep Martha's House afloat.\n"Grants are crazy," Tobias said. "They have tricky timing. Fundraising is key; it's what we need to concentrate on most now,"\nThe young organization presently has no Web site but plans on having an online auction soon. They have recieved help from INPIRG's Hunger and Homeless campaign, which raised $372.45.\n-- Contact staff writer Benjames Derrick at bderrick@indiana.edu.
(06/03/04 4:00am)
New Found Glory strikes back with its barrage of lighthearted and superficial but nonetheless entertaining pop-punk on Catalyst, the group's fourth full-length album. The band shows glimmers of real punk mixed with hard rock, but there's hardly anything rebellious unless you include "No News Is Good News," which complains about the advertising overload in our society. \nThe band has little to say, favoring style over substance with silly yet fun bubblegum, especially noticeable in "Failure's Not Flattering." NFG also sound sappy, most prevalently in "I Don't Wanna Know," while showing a side of hard rock in "Over the Head, Below The Knees" and a relaxed feel with "Ending in Tragedy," all of which display minimal artistry. Bonus cuts following the album's closer, "Who Am I," provide comic relief. \nDespite being shallow, the record has its moments. Some are defined by semi-substantial hard rock riffs with a twinge of emotion, while much of the lighthearted material is mildly entertaining. This album makes for some good dance music if you're in the mood for spazzy rock 'n' roll.\nThough the band plays well together, it suffers under the weight of Jordan Pundik's weak, whiny vocals, which lend NFG a distinctly immature sound. As such, don't be surprised if you visit home between summer sessions and find your kid sibling jamming to New Found Glory.
(06/03/04 1:57am)
New Found Glory strikes back with its barrage of lighthearted and superficial but nonetheless entertaining pop-punk on Catalyst, the group's fourth full-length album. The band shows glimmers of real punk mixed with hard rock, but there's hardly anything rebellious unless you include "No News Is Good News," which complains about the advertising overload in our society. \nThe band has little to say, favoring style over substance with silly yet fun bubblegum, especially noticeable in "Failure's Not Flattering." NFG also sound sappy, most prevalently in "I Don't Wanna Know," while showing a side of hard rock in "Over the Head, Below The Knees" and a relaxed feel with "Ending in Tragedy," all of which display minimal artistry. Bonus cuts following the album's closer, "Who Am I," provide comic relief. \nDespite being shallow, the record has its moments. Some are defined by semi-substantial hard rock riffs with a twinge of emotion, while much of the lighthearted material is mildly entertaining. This album makes for some good dance music if you're in the mood for spazzy rock 'n' roll.\nThough the band plays well together, it suffers under the weight of Jordan Pundik's weak, whiny vocals, which lend NFG a distinctly immature sound. As such, don't be surprised if you visit home between summer sessions and find your kid sibling jamming to New Found Glory.