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(01/11/12 5:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>My pre-journey jitters are growing by day, but my progress with packing seems never-ending. I have six days before I head to the Bahamas and eight days before I depart and excitedly wish everyone “Bon Voyage, here we go.” How does one prepare for a 105-day trip to not one, but 11 different countries? Sandy, a good friend of mine, always told me that preparing for any trip requires much use of the F word — flexibility. I’ve had to pack lightly for everything from beautiful beaches in Singapore to the muggy climate of the Amazon to a night sleeping on China’s Great Wall. Not only have I been forced to become incredibly flexible, but so has everyone helping me prepare. The pharmacy knows me as the Ashley girl who spells her name with an “E” and needs a five-month supply of pretty much everything over-the-counter and not over-the-counter. My parents have enjoyed Googling which international cell phone plan will be most advantageous in, again, not one, but 11 foreign countries. The stack of Amazon.com order boxes, filled with everything from overnight bags to textbooks, has grown at an impressive rate. Although the preparations have made me anxious about how much there is to be done — the independent travel trips, the just-in-case list of medical supplies, the perfect outfits for a night out in Hong Kong — I have come to find that flexibility really is the secret. Preparing for travel may take time and homework, but some things are best done spontaneously. Talking to past Semester at Sea students, I have been told students’ most memorable experiences were traveling through cities, soaking in culture and speaking with locals. Of course, all plans must be taken with caution, but I have come to believe that the best traveler has enough spontaneity so that a perfectly-planned outfit, travel group and extra, just-in-case pack of accessories don’t get in the way of the actual experience. As I am signing up for trips at the first few ports, including an Amazon overnight and a rhythm music workshop in Brazil, I have left at least one full day in each port for a lot of F-ing around (flexibility, of course). With love, from home in Denver, Colo., and only eight days before I set sail.— espitzer@indiana.edu
(01/10/12 3:06am)
Junior Eshley Spitzer decides which items are worth her suit case space Monday at her place of residence. While spending a semester at sea, Spitzer will be visiting eleven countries.
(01/06/12 5:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I fell in love with travel at a young age. From frequent family road trips to youth group excursions, choosing to go abroad wasn’t the hard part. The question was: Where? I knew I would miss Bloomington’s bustling energy, basketball season, Little 500 festivities and even my daily visit to the Indiana Memorial Union Starbucks, but going abroad my junior year was on the priority checklist. Experiencing different cultures, communities and cuisines is one of my greatest passions. My natural indecisiveness only made the decision harder. While most students have a list of three, maybe four possible destinations, I had nine on my “highly considerable” list. Every country in Europe intrigued me. I was interested in every dot on the map. From considering unique delicacies to travel magazines’ famous foreign scenes, my progress was slow. I reached out to my parents, friends, distant relatives and even my hairdresser for pros and cons about each.Finally, I was introduced to a program called “Semester at Sea.” In 105 days, I could stop in 11 countries and land in 15 different ports alongside almost 500 other college students, all while studying with professors from colleges across the country. The more I heard about “Semester At Sea,” the more I felt like Cinderella finding her glass slipper. It was a perfect fit. Preparing to go abroad has been an experience in itself. I have filled out applications for numerous visas, dealt with several international offices, ordered my international cell phone, invested in eight countries’ currencies and even had a yellow fever vaccination after a visit to the international travel doctor, a specialist I never knew existed. In speaking with past sailors of the program, I have been advised to prepare for the most full, fantastic, fun and exhaustive months of my life.After four months of preparation, I am almost ready to set sail. We will board the ship in the Bahamas, sail to ports in South America, continue across the Atlantic to Africa, then through the Indian Ocean, up the Pacific along the coast of Asia and finally back to the “US-of-A.” I am itching to start my adventure semester. I have chosen to go abroad and cannot wait to document the scenes, sounds and surprises I will find along the ride. Leaving my Hoosiers hurts, but I’d love to bring you all along for a taste of my travels. I’ll keep you posted by publishing from port to port and sharing the unexpected with you during the next five months. All I ask (and pray) is that my seasickness stays as settled as yours in Bloomington. With love, from home in Denver, Colo., and 13 days before I set sail.—espitzer@indiana.edu
(12/06/11 11:49pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Only a few years ago, we were peer-pressured into taking the dreaded SAT and ACT college entry exams. Come on, everybody was doing it. Whether you winged it or invested in multiple test-tip textbooks, settling on a score high enough to hopefully reel in some scholarship money from prospective universities is every college-bound student’s goal. How about cheating and getting someone else to take the test for you? What if you are willing to pay big bucks?Five students from Long Island, N.Y., face felony charges for paying other students as much as $3,600 to take the SAT and ACT tests for them. These students, many from respected and prominent families, were hoping to enhance their chances of being accepted to their schools of choice, knowing they would need high standardized test scores to do so. With fake IDs, they were able to have different students take the test for them and land suitable scores.Some students are gifted standardized test takers and can get a significantly high score without breaking a sweat. Others have a harder time proving their strengths through a test that does not reflect their GPAs, work ethic or strengths and talents beyond test taking. We agree that colleges need a fair, easily referenced measure they can use to determine acceptance rates, grant money and scholarships; however, the test certainly does not highlight certain strengths that are essential in determining a student’s success and capabilities. In many instances, studying for the SAT or ACT isn’t focused on mastering math equations and critical reading but instead on learning the test’s tricks that are meant to throw students off course. Many students have justified cheating by saying since the SAT and ACT are not true tests of their abilities or aptitudes, why play by the rules? Cheating to get ahead of peers and fool authorities has become the norm. Whether it’s by cheating on a quiz in class, a final exam or a college entrance exam, our competitive culture has become more comfortable with doing whatever it takes to get a high score, regardless of our actual credibility. Although these students who cheat may be unjustly acquiring scholarship money, stealing opportunities from deserving, honest students, it appears that another story about a standard cheater is no longer notably newsworthy. Ethics has taken a backseat to sheer ambition in the ride to success. We believe the students deserve to have the cheating incident put on their permanent records, subject to consequences determined by their respective colleges. They might be guilty of a misdemeanor but not a felony. Although they are not murderers or dangerous criminals, these students deserve to deal with our society’s standard rule: Once a cheater, always a cheater. They will taste the bitterness in their futures by being known as the students who just couldn’t take the test everyone else does, the honest way.
(11/30/11 4:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a week of gratitude, great food and sufficient sleep, I came home to the same depressing discussion that tends to greet me by the front door on a regular basis. A friend of mine was dishing about her newest boy toy’s faulty features. “Honestly, I just want to find my prince charming,” she said. “Where is he?”I didn’t know how to break it to her, but I think it might be at least a few more weeks and some big dreaming before the frat stars down the street transform into attractive princes living in palaces.Those vicious VHS films taught us to expect our own happily ever after ending, but these fairy-tale fantasies don’t happen on college campuses. No stud rides a steed or transforms from hairy to hottie for an average beauty.Did Disney set us up for disappointment? The ravishing royal chaps aren’t sprouting in the IU arboretum, but there are some Disney lessons we can learn from those paradigm princesses. I don’t advise that you ditch your posse for a friendly fawn and wildlife, but take a few of these dos and don’ts into account the next time you are out and about.Snow White, palest of them all, certainly knew how to work the circle of friends as she buddied up with the Seven Dwarfs. She always had her men’s support, and she knew how to be one of the guys. But sometimes, her good heart let anyone from Sneezy to Grumpy take advantage of her, pushing her very last corset button. Do be a guy’s girl, but don’t let any man take advantage of you. You become less worthy than a poisoned apple.We all have those weekends when we’re a little gone like Sleeping Beauty. It’s fun to go out and play, but Blackout Beauty never made the big screens for a reason. One thing Aurora had right was that she lived on her own time. Any guy worth your worries can wait for you to come around (or out of a coma). If he’s worthy, he’ll wait; don’t rush it.Cinderella is a little smarter than those sisters gave her credit for, “accidently” leaving a shoe behind. It’s a classic move for those of us who’ve got some guts. Don’t be afraid to make a bold, daring move. It might leave a guy unafraid to find his dream girl by going door-to-door.Belle is one to admire. She sticks to her passions and knows how to make a man fall head over heels in love. Be yourself; don’t be afraid to be a nerd who reads novel after novel and openly bursts into song with the townies at the Showalter Fountain.Last but not least, my favorite of the fairest: Jasmine. This exotic beauty was able to lower her standards a little and find, in my opinion, the cutest of the majestic men. Aladdin might have been a “street rat” who didn’t fit her highest standards, but it’s OK to open up to a guy you might not have considered before; sometimes they are the best catches. Yes, Jasmine picked a winner, but she earned some notoriety for being quite the sleaze. Though the turquoise color did wonders for her, it’s best to save some dignity and not flaunt everything you’ve got. Be willing to make some sacrifices for the ultimate prize, but don’t give it all up at once.I’ll say the same thing I said to my sulking friend: one day, the man of your dreams might just sweep you off your feet for a luxurious life full of chirping birds and cheer. But until then, soak up the college campus sun and use these princess pointers.— espitzer@indiana.edu
(11/16/11 12:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I saw Conrad Weiner and assumed he was someone else. He was smiling, wearing a red sweater vest and looking as content as though he had just returned from a family fishing trip. As we exchanged a warm greeting, he flashed me a vibrant, contagious smile that left me puzzled. How could this be a man who survived a concentration camp in the Holocaust?As part of last week's “From Hate to Harmony Week," sponsored by the IU Hillel Center, Weiner participated in a series of panel discussions about the relevance of the Holocaust today. During our interview, Weiner managed to relate his personal connection and sense of humor through every shared story.Just before his 4th birthday, Weiner was deported from his hometown of Bucovina, Romania, to a labor camp in Transnistria. Each day, until he was liberated before his 8th birthday, Weiner survived the horrors of the Holocaust.Although he was a small child, there are things Weiner said he will never forget about the daily tortures of the concentration camp.“I remember always being cold and always being hungry,” he said. “I remember the women trying to teach us stories to give us something else to think about. I remember watching thousands sleep together in a barn full of straw, packed like dominos. I remember my mother jumping to reach the top of a cherry tree when the Nazis weren’t looking, trying to get something nourishing to help nurse me back to health.”Weiner shared several stories with me, a combination of his family members’ experiences, personal recollections and information he had researched. He depicted scenes in the labor camp where Jews were shot by drunk Nazis “playing games” to see who could hit the most targets, and he shared the memories of his mother’s stubbornness and determination to keep him alive, no matter the risk.“When I was sick, they told my mother not to let me suffer, to let me die in peace and be done with this nightmare,” Weiner said. “The best thing she did was never listening to them.”After about four years of unimaginable genocide, the Russian army liberated Weiner and his mother, uncle and cousin. With very few countries accepting Jewish immigrants at that time, Weiner and his family had an ambiguous status in Romania until they were finally accepted into the United States.“Uncle Sam was good to me, and I was given another chance,” Weiner said.Serving in the U.S. Army, Weiner had the chance to return to Germany for training in intelligence. What most people would consider a nightmare for a Jewish Holocaust survivor ended up being one of the greatest experiences in Weiner’s life.“I learned that hatred stemmed from brainwashing,” he said. “I made some of my best friends in Germany, friends who called me brother, took me on vacations, hosted me and made me a part of their family. These Germans that I thought I hated, terrible people who hated me, taught me not to hate. Don’t hate anyone. If you hate the oppressor, they win.”After many years of joining the Speaker’s Bureau for Holocaust Education, Weiner’s main message for his audience remains the same: combat hatred.“I want discrimination to be erased, for people to be understanding of every religion and race,” Weiner said. “If adversity doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.”Still smiling, I was amazed by how a man with such a story could be so happy and spirited. Weiner’s outlook on the world, after experiencing the utmost suffering, inspired me in an indescribable way.After an hour of sharing stories, jokes, advice and insights, Weiner recited an Elie Wiesel quote he leaves his audiences with, a perfect ending message. “Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victims. Silence encourages the tormenter, never the tormented.”Weiner’s words were a breath of fresh air and a slap on the head all at once. He reminded me to not sweat the small stuff, to live with purpose by seeking gratitude for life and to actively repair the world by bringing destruction to one basic thing: hatred.— espitzer@indiana.edu
(11/02/11 1:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a week of difficult midterms, back-to-back meetings and unpredictable weather, I was overcome with feelings of anxiety and relief for my sorority’s family weekend. Having my parents come to town evokes mixed emotions. All week, I looked forward to reuniting with a part of home on my own turf, anticipating some parental pampering; yet the comforting conditions came with frustrations. My parents had been to Bloomington several times before, and I needed something to convince them that they were not simply being used for their wallets. How could I make it clear to my dad that he wasn’t just Mr. Cash and prove to him that I was actually doing something credible here in Bloomington? Something worthy of out-of-state tuition?I had already shown my parents the IU School of Journalism and Hutton Honors College, among other key sites. We took a desperately needed detox drive to Lake Monroe to admire our autumn scenery and several circles around campus to capture Bloomington’s culture — that was Friday. With two days left to make the trip worthwhile, my heart was racing. The overwhelming pressure was getting to me.I opened my laptop and was greeted by a Denver Post article informing me that Florida Gov. Rick Scott suggested universities scale back on psychology and political science degrees and focus on “science, technology, engineering and math degrees. ... Those types of degrees that when they get out of school, they can get a job.”Here I am, a psychology and journalism major, watching my four years of fun fly by faster than I can fathom, and Scott is telling me that my degree is a waste of time. I beg to disagree. The idea that college is supposed to act as a factory, spitting out technicians and mathematicians, misses an essential part of a college education’s worth. Not only should we be preparing ourselves to enter the work force, we should be benefiting from the liberal arts education, the cultural events, the speakers and the programs that expand our minds and enrich our understandings.The ability to think critically inspires growth that does not end when we are handed our diplomas. We use the outlets available on a liberal arts campus to become more well-rounded individuals, enhanced additions to the world where the job market no longer caters to a single lifetime career. Boosting creativity and generating passions that will energize us for the rest of our lives is just as much of an asset as being able to master the Pythagorean Theorem. If the math majors aren’t taking advantage of the luxurious opportunities that ooze out of our campus’s classes and events, then they are at just as much of a loss as everyone else here. Family weekend gave me the extra opportunity to remember IU’s greatness. The academic path I have taken at IU, along with the campus opportunities, leaves me feeling like I have done something great.With the opportunities available on campus, no student should feel like less than Charlie in the chocolate factory, given a taste of the world’s sweetest gifts. — espitzer@indiana.edu
(10/04/11 11:39pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Keep calm and carry on.”The popular poster phrase, introduced in 1939 by the British government to strengthen the public’s morale during wartime, has been revitalized to help us through current times of trouble. The economy dwindles, job opportunities plummet, Mother Nature deteriorates, our country loses its prestigious position, Jersey Shore stars make loads of money and the 2012 end-of-the-world conspiracy is the cherry on top. Keep calm and carry on?Here we are, in an age in which good news is a godsend and a surprise nuclear attack seems more dependable then a future of fulfillment. But, somehow, we keep going.I, too, am guilty of imagining an optimistic future. I mentally time travel to the days after graduation, when I have landed an admirably fantastic job with buzz-worthy benefits and a pleasing paycheck. I want a beautiful, mortgage-free home; a nice Jewish husband in my picture-perfect family; and enough leisure time and money to check off all the fun boxes that have accumulated on my bucket list. Believing the future will be even greater than yesterday is a survival tactic we call optimism. We may expect it to wear off as the news floods with negativity, but our idea of the future stays fanciful. It may seem as though too much optimism would keep us from acting rationally to avoid another bad investment.However, optimism motivates us, inspiring us to keep calm, continue to carry on and believe that, somehow, we can bring the changes we see fit to triumph today’s disasters and conquer our childhood dreams. With a dose of optimism, we continue to work hard and play hard, staying motivated to pursue our goals, committed to finding our fairy-tale endings. Even if our ideal future is powered by an illustrative illusion, staying positive blesses us with benefits in the present.In Tali Sharot’s book “The Optimism Bias,” she refers to a 2007 study that illustrated the effect of future optimism. While 70 percent of survey respondents thought families were less successful than in their parents’ days, 76 percent were still optimistic about the future of their own families. How? Our brains have been wired to help us find the silver lining. The human race would never be fit for survival, if we didn’t have a biological tendency to put on a smile and recognize misfortunes as “blessings in disguise” that will ultimately strengthen us and lead to a bigger and better open door.Why stay optimistic? We do so because we are smart. We know we are mortal and that time is ticking, and we are wired to encode positive information and disregard the news that will detract from our potential success. Optimism for the future is simply the key to survival for the fittest. Samuel Johnson was right when he said we triumph hope over experience. The end of the world may be months away, but we pull all-nighters studying for our tests, take loans to pay college bills, predict a blossoming job market just in time for graduation and expect partition that promises world peace ... soon. It is in our best interest to follow our biological instincts and acknowledge the British mandate to keep our cool. What if George Washington became pessimistic while looking at the forecast and never crossed the Delaware? What if Martin Luther King Jr. lost sight of his optimism and never shared his dream?We have made it through history; we are bound to make it through today’s challenges, which even Kanye West agrees can only make us stronger. One thing is for certain: We have limited time left to enjoy the gift of life. We may often feel the fear stemming from a consistently updated news feed of unfortunate events, but the fact that we are still around is evidence that there are enough positive reinforcers encoding themselves into our memories and helping us overcome challenges. There is a reason it worked for the British in 1939 and a reason it should work today. We can’t forget the importance of seeing the glass as half full and rosily running along. — espitzer@indiana.edu
(09/20/11 11:47pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The time will come on Friday, gotta get down on Friday.Friday marks the day that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will ask for full United Nation status for Palestinian statehood and independence through a unilateral declaration.Unilateralism is what Abbas is presenting as the path to peace in the Middle East.However, just as it would be in any other city, state, country or continent in the world, the path to peace requires a partner — in this case, one that is ready to recognize Israel through negotiation.From before the day it was established, Israel proved that it was ready to work toward peace. Even before Israel was declared as a state, the U.N. proposed a partition plan to split the territory that would be known as Israel into two separate states: Israel and Palestine. Israel accepted the partition, but Palestine rejected it, refusing to recognize the state of Israel. Since the day it was established, Israel has fought seven wars for self-defense, faced countless terrorist attacks, made several sacrifices including evacuations with no counter offer, and has tried to find a peaceful solution while defending its right to exist among its neighbors. The country managed to accomplish this — twice — with Egypt and Jordan, states that were willing to recognize Israel’s right to exist and defend itself. However, despite repeated efforts, Israel has failed to find a partner on the Palestinian side and has instead found violence and a stern unwillingness for negotiations or compromise.In 1993, the Oslo Accords created hope for a potential Palestinian peace partner for Israel. The newly established Palestinian Authority agreed to recognize Israel and move forward in peace. Israel began to turn over administration of the territories where 98 percent of Palestinians lived and pulled out of those areas.The agreement to recognize Israel was short lived, however, and immediately after Israel left the territories, violence erupted from the West Bank, marking the beginning of the second Intifada in 2000.Facing countless terrorist attacks between 2000 and 2005, Israelis living in Jewish settlements along the borders of Gaza and the West Bank were forced to leave their homes. Israel withdrew from Gaza and was still met by daily rocket attacks fired from the area. Children in Sderot still, to this day, have been conditioned to run to the nearest bomb shelter after hearing the alarm that means a rocket will strike in 15 seconds. What Israel hoped would be recognized as a gesture of goodwill to Palestine instead became a launching pad for violence.The Oslo Accords are only one example of the many times that Israel has tried making negotiations but has failed to find a peace partner willing to simply recognize Israel.Nothing concrete can be gained by the U.N.’s unilateral move in acknowledging the statehood of Palestine. Since when are borders decided by a signed slip of paper instead of cooperation between two parties?How does the Palestinian Authority expect the Unilateral Declaration of Statehood to be supported when it pursues an association with Hamas, a terrorist organization that has called for the complete destruction of Israel and even the destruction of the United States? The peace process may finally move forward once Israel is recognized as a state and has a negotiating partner that is not run by a terrorist organization whose ultimate goal is to destroy the state and its people. Lasting negotiations require partnership. Thus, the Palestinian Authority must start acting as a responsible partner and not a unilateral entity that takes all of Israel’s concessions and offers nothing in return. Incitement, violence and failure to recognize Israel must cease before a two-state solution is plausible.As Friday approaches and the U.N. unilateral vote arrives, expect the United States to do everything it can to get the peace talks back on a constructive path, even if that means vetoing the Palestinian’s unilateral declaration of statehood in the Security Council. We must continue to support achieving peace through lasting cooperation between responsible parties.— Espitzer@indiana.edu
(09/07/11 1:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Seemed we got the job done.Party all day, party all night. We were greeted by red cup remnants and barbecue residue scattered along our route to class Tuesday after Labor Day. Five minutes behind and two aspirin later, we were counting down to tailgate time.It took until only 11:01 p.m. Monday for curiosity to get the best of a friend, who invoked the trivial question, “what did we celebrate?”It’s more than a few hot dogs, Heinekens and hangovers. Labor Day is the day we honor the American worker.When 10,000 laborers marched in Union Square on Sept. 5, 1882, employed union workers came together to celebrate the working man, the holiday we now know as our first long weekend on the academic calendar.Determined to jump start the American economy, labor workers in the late 1800s worked 12-hour days at minimum wage in conditions our generation wouldn’t consider. With the idea of work breaks and job perks eliminated, they never lost the determination to make do in dismal economic times and somehow support their families. There is no arguing that these American workers needed a day to enjoy a round of Sink the Biz and receive an appreciation card. Today, you can’t ignore the deficit if you tried. Even if you ran from the news headlines, you can’t help but feel it in your lighter wallets, your parents’ finances or even your friends’ sacrifices. Scrimmaging on job searches and struggling with spending, the American workers are back to signing waivers in order to make do.Living la vida loca in our wonderful college bubble, it’s hard to remember what awaits us on the outside. If you are lucky enough to snag a job, the benefits won’t be as dreamy in today’s mad-money world as earning a college degree promised they would be.Labor Day serves a purpose. It is an office conference call for all, a reminder on our desks and a highlighted note in our reading. Work may be laborious, but a position is a privilege. The days of high demand for workers have dwindled, reminding us to never take an offer for granted.If you are employed, give yourself a pat on the back. If you are living the college student dream, don’t forget why you go to class. If you are waiting for the perfect offer, drop the superiority and start at the bottom of the ladder. Don’t forget the workers who were driven by determination, dodging the doozies to ultimately earn the prize. Don’t disregard today’s workforce, sacrificing the glamorous benefits to keep their spot on the invite list. Forget the pity and acknowledge your average worker with a little more respect.Take a day off to celebrate summer and soak up the fun, but not at the expense of forgetting why we take off for the workers. In the real world, the lucky ones on payroll can’t simply plan their schedule so they can sleep past noon.We can only hope that our IU diplomas will stand out among all the others and admit us to the workforce. Take those aspirin, along with a seat in class, and pick up some determination so that you will one day once again have the privilege of taking Labor Day off. — Espitzer@indiana.edu
(05/02/11 2:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Anyone enjoying a beautiful afternoon at the Sample Gates was in for an unexpected surprise at precisely 12:07 p.m. Friday. Pedestrians were caught off guard when “Firework” by Katy Perry started playing and more than 100 students joined in a choreographed dance.Dustin Stephan, a dance instructor in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, combined his beginning hip-hop class, two beginning social dance classes and one intermediate social dance class to put together the flash mob. “It was my goal to give a performance opportunity to my students that they wouldn’t normally be involved in,” Stephan said. “I had seen a couple of really great flash mobs online and wanted to stage something similar for the IU campus, give the opportunity for people to witness something here at Indiana University that they might not see otherwise.”Stephan added choreography from the classes into the flash mob dance that was related to the concepts and steps that he taught in the classroom. He said he hoped that having a flash mob at the Sample Gates would be a good way to give his students an opportunity to perform that was far from ordinary.“For me, a flash mob breaks the barrier of what is considered traditional performance and blurs the lines between spectator and performer,” Stephan said. “In this digital age of mass media, creative approaches to performance are needed to vie for an engaging audience.”Participants danced to a medley of four songs including “Firework” by Katy Perry, “Opposites Attract” by Michael Jackson and Paula Abdul, “Till the World Ends” by Britney Spears and “This is Indiana” by Brice Fox and Daniel Weber.Pedestrians, such as senior Nimrod Ginsburg, were pleasantly surprised.“I had no idea what was happening but more and more people kept joining and it was crazy,” Ginsburg said. “I’ve never seen something like this before, only on ‘Modern Family.’”Dancers, including senior Michelle Crain, were very excited for the highly anticipated performance.“We have been practicing ever since late February for this. We were really excited for it to finally happen,” Crain said. “It was really thrilling. I didn’t expect this many people and we never practiced it with so many people so this was awesome.”Some dancers, including sophomore Taryn Rosenberg, were glad to add their participation in the flash mob to their list of memorable experiences at IU.“I got to cross it off my bucket list,” Rosenberg said. “It was so exciting to see how people gathered and our hard work really paid off.” Some audience members, like sophomore Alyssa Lapin, were let in on the secret.“I came to watch my best friend. She has been practicing at home for weeks and it was really exciting to see the real-life performance,” Lapin said. “It was honestly so much bigger than I expected.”Stephan said he was happy all the effort led to the successful final performance.“It was exciting for me to see so many spectators congregate around the mob and enjoy the students’ work,” Stephan said. “I’m extremely proud of all of the work the students put in to create such an amazing performance.”
(04/29/11 2:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The “Driving Change: Greening the Automotive Workforce” conference exploring the current issues and evolving transformations in the auto industry will take place in Michigan on May 3 and 4. The Indiana Business Research Center at the Kelley School of Business will present research findings at the conference.Research presentations, tours of General Motors facilities and production sites and examinations of energy-efficient vehicles will be included in the conference.An 18-month study led by the U.S. Department of Labor will be unveiled at the event. The study was compiled by the IBRC in cooperation with Labor Market Information offices in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, the Center for Automotive Research and Case Western Reserve University.“Michigan, Ohio and Indiana have seen half of their auto sector jobs disappear over the past decade, and many of those won’t be returning,” said Jerry Conover, director of the IBRC. “The jobs that will be in demand will require different sets of skills and knowledge to make and sell the vehicles tomorrow’s consumers will want. This study clarifies what occupations will be in demand and how today’s workers can make the transition to those jobs.”Event directors said they hope to interest a diverse group of attendees from both the public and private sector workforces and lead them in training programs with economic development educators and employment sectors.“The conference should be useful to anyone who needs to prepare for the transitions in the industry,” Conover said.Since the researchers who conducted the study said they believe the auto industry will never be as big as it used to be, speakers will examine the industry’s future.“We’re seeing new hires, as well as an effort to infuse green skills to incumbent workers throughout the industry — and beyond,” said Kristin Dziczek, director of the Labor and Industry Group at CAR.The conference is meant to provide attendees with information that will help them prepare for the changes the industry will face while also grasping the tools needed to find jobs inside and outside the industry, Dziczek said. Anyone, including manufacturers, government relations specialists, economic developers, college developers and government official, is encouraged to take part in the conference.Registration for the weekend is $200 and is still open. For more information, visit online at www.drivingworkforcechange.com.
(04/22/11 2:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the midst of a back-to-back campus tour, Jamie Tworkowski, creator of the nonprofit organization To Write Love On Her Arms, took to the stage, wearing the word “Love” across his sweatshirt.Tworkowski and musician Ryan O’Neal presented music and personal stories from the stage of Alumni Hall.“It’s a privilege to be here, and it means just as much that you want to be here to talk about the things we sometimes don’t talk about,” Tworkowski said. “It’s fun to talk about this thing that happened almost by accident five years ago when trying to help a friend.”Tworkowski invited O’Neal to perform several songs for the crowd as a start to his lecture.“Music has a unique ability to remind us that we are alive, operating with a sense of urgency and passion. Music allows for honesty and reflection,” Tworkowski said.After performing four songs featuring vocals, piano, ukulele and some participation from the crowd, O’Neal thanked students for coming to the event.“Performing with Jamie is one of my favorite things to do with my music. It’s such a wonderful thing to play music for people as wonderful and genuine as you are.” O’Neal said.A short video introduced the organization, which is dedicated to helping those who suffer from depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide attempts. Made to help people find help, support and love, the organization was founded after Tworkowski lost a friend to suicide and watched a different friend struggle through addiction.Sharing his personal journey, Tworkowski explained that his organization began by selling T-shirts to help fund a friend’s recovery process. When bands, including Switchfoot and Anberlin, wore shirts at concerts to help spread the message, Tworkowski’s organization took off.When the T-shirts became popular, TWLOHA began receiving messages from those in need of help and it began an online network.Tworkowski and his team in Florida have responded to more than 100,600 messages and donated more than $500,000 to treatment and recovery organizations. “This is not a black, white or emo conversation. This is a part of the human experience. When you hear the words suicide or addiction, we relate in different ways, but we can all relate to the idea of pain,” Tworkowski said.“Two out of three people struggling with depression don’t get help and have to deal with it alone, and that should never happen. Our stories deserve other characters and we need other people, even if that means sharing something we might not like about ourselves.”Chris Meno, a counselor from IU Counseling and Psychological Services, shared information about CAPS and suicide prevention. She spoke about the importance of being honest and using resources to get through college, encouraging students not to feel alone and seek help. Local organizations provided information on suicide prevention, and merchandise was available for students. Tworkowski and O’Neil stayed to talk and meet with students.After sharing his personal story and the success of his organization, Tworkowski finished by sharing a quote by Paul Young about the power of having a community in hard times. “You can have an impressive number of Facebook friends, but you deserve the people that can walk through your story with you,” Tworkowski said.“We each have a story that is priceless, sacred and incredibly unique that will never be replicated or replaced.”
(04/18/11 3:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU students are one step closer to being a part of the heat for the 2012 presidential election. The University has submitted an application to sponsor a presidential debate on campus, making it one of 12 schools to apply for the debate. If chosen, IU may be host to either a presidential or vice presidential debate in the IU Auditorium.Officials from the Presidential Debate Student Coalition and IU Student Association, including Union Board and the Residence Halls Association, were leaders in submitting the application. Leaders said IU students will be able to learn from the debates and be a bigger part of the political process.“Hosting a presidential debate means hosting the eyes of the entire country on Indiana University,” said Riley Voss, director of debates and issues for Union Board. “For students, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of the election process in a way that stretches so much further than casting a vote at the polls ... They’ll have the opportunity to participate in academic programming initiatives leading up to the debate that will better construct the political foundations of many first-time voters.”Voss said a mix of encouragement and passion for politics is what got him on board.“I came to realize how monumental something like this would be to not only the students but the historical outlook of Bloomington and the University itself, and that really sparked the creativity and drive that has been carried out by the rest of the student coalition,” Voss said. IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said he agreed that bringing a presidential debate to Bloomington would be an incredible educational opportunity for students, faculty and the entire community.“From internships with media, political and planning organizations to specially designed course curriculum focused on the political process, the debate experience will extend to every boundary of our University and beyond,” Booher said.Voss said IU is the perfect location for a presidential debate.“IU has one of the most diverse populations of students from very broad backgrounds. We’re exactly the type of community a presidential candidate is looking to reach out to,” Voss said.Booher also said bringing the debate would be a wonderful economic opportunity.Voss said the committee hopes to have better luck for 2012 after they submitted an application in 2008.“It’s an opportunity that no student, faculty member or administrator will ever forget,” Voss said.Freshman Zach Russo said having a presidential debate on campus would be an effective way to get students involved.“Students are going to feel more connected to the candidates and be more involved if they are at the debate,” Russo said. “Students will be able to focus solely on what the candidates are saying without any distractions. It’s not very often that you have the opportunity to see a debate like that.”The Commission on Presidential Debates will send officials to visit the sites during summer 2011. Four sites will be chosen and announced in the fall, along with two backup locations.Students are encouraged to get involved and join the efforts in sponsoring the debate. Anyone interested in getting involved is encouraged to email Voss at rpvoss@indiana.edu or debates@indiana.edu.
(04/07/11 2:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Hungry from a long day of fasting, more than 70 students gathered in the Forest Quad dining hall to celebrate the end of the Fast-A-Thon that took place Tuesday as a part of Islam Awareness Week.The Fast-A-Thon, put on by the Muslim Student Union, was created to raise awareness about Islam and its customs and to support the homeless community in Bloomington through donations to the Community Kitchen of Monroe County. Fast-A-Thon in previous years has been during the month of Ramadan, but this year, the MSU decided to have it during Islam Awareness Week.“This is our real big event of the year. It gives students a chance to understand a spiritual Islamic custom, and it raises humanitarian awareness of the insanely high poverty levels in Monroe County,” said Taufik Chhotani, vice president for the Muslim Student Union.After a brief introduction, Hassan Lachheb, an associate professor in the religious studies department, led attendees in a hymn prayer and spoke on the importance of fasting in Islam.“Fasting is a spiritual practice. When we fast, we eliminate our bodily needs and have our spirituality strengthened. It allows us to see the world clearly and see how we can contribute to the goodness of the world,” Lachheb said. “When more than 40 million kids in North America are underfed, you cannot fathom that feeling unless you put yourself in that situation. Fasting raises awareness that we have to do something for the people around us.”The Muslim Student Union hoped to reach out to non-Muslim IU students and help them experience fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam.“This is the number one opportunity for us to invite non-Muslims to get to know us and experience what fasting feels like,” said sophomore and MSU member Minahil Tariq. “It means a lot to us that others are interested and want to know more about Islam and give back to the community.”After a representative from the Community Kitchen thanked participants for their efforts, a prayer service was held before participants enjoyed a feast that included food from numerous sponsoring restaurants in Bloomington.Junior Keelan Armstrong fasted and said he experienced the Islamic tradition and felt more connected to those facing hunger. “It was interesting to understand what Muslims go through for Ramadan or addressing the hunger issues within Bloomington,” Armstrong said. “It really does put it in perspective that it wasn’t even a full day we experienced but it was still so difficult. So for a person with no means to food, it’s a completely different world and spectrum of hunger.”The Fast-A-Thon proceeds will go to the Community Kitchen to help with programming efforts, renovations and expansion. Students were encouraged to volunteer and advocate to help stop hunger in Bloomington. The Fast-A-Thon was one of several events for Islam Awareness Week that will continue through Saturday.
(03/30/11 3:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Brought together through the Israelpaloozah events this week, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Supportive Services and Hoosiers coordinated a discussion group that explored Israel’s connection to the GLBT community. About 10 community members gathered at La Casa Latino Cultural Center to share their knowledge and opinions and learn about how Israel’s democracy treats the GLBT community.“Because Israel is a religious state, most people don’t know about how they are with the GLBT community,” said Arielle Wiesenfeld, volunteer coordinator for the GLBT SSS.“Every country has their issues and political problems, but in a country that is so religiously affiliated, Israel is one of the most progressive countries in the Middle East, seen with their openness with GLBT rights, and it is very eye-opening.”Participants at the discussion openly spoke about how the nation of Israel and its history has made Israel more accepting to groups facing discrimination. Attendees learned about how the religious values that are a part of the Israeli government still can conflict with the liberal community while also discussing the ways in which Israel’s relationship with the GLBT is admirable for other countries not open to the GLBT community.“The U.S. is not that advanced in some of our structuring of GLBT rights, and that is something we could learn from Israel,” said Matt Lowther, co-leader of Hot Topic discussions.“Israel is setting a good example for what is needed for GLBT. They might not offer everything, but they are offering a lot more than most countries do.”
(03/28/11 2:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Attracted to the bright paint colors, ethnic foods and music, students gathered in Dunn Meadow on Friday afternoon to celebrate the Indian festival Holi and get a taste of Indian culture.Holi, the Indian festival of colors, is a traditional holiday that symbolizes the arrival of spring and blessings to bring in a good harvest for the season. The holiday is celebrated with dancing, cultural foods and a custom of throwing paint powder and water balloons, all of which IU students experienced Friday.“The powder is called gulal, which means rose. It’s actually rose petals ground up into powder with color added, so it smells nice and spring-like,” said Priyanka Dube, the head organizer of the Holi festival.“Most people walking by Dunn Meadow on Friday afternoon will not know why people are throwing colored powder and water balloons at each other but will be curious to find out,” she said.The free event included cuisine from several local restaurants, including Taste of India and others, giving students a chance to experience Indian culture firsthand. Students were able to learn about Indian culture and customs.Along with the color fight and the water balloon throwing, Henna tattoos were available, and traditional games were set up across the field.Many attendees, including junior Brittany Carlsen, said they enjoyed the Indian music that was played.“I loved the music. I thought it was awesome. It was different than what I usually listen to, but I want to download this,” Carlsen said.Carlsen said the Holi festival was unlike anything she had experienced from a different culture, and she said she was pleasantly surprised by the Indian celebration that was made available to her.“I thought it was so interesting,” Carlsen said. “I have never been to an event that involved a culture different than my own, and I was so shocked to see how there was such a mixture of IU students. I think these events give students who are sheltered the ability to branch out and experience different events and different ethnicities. They are a really great idea.”In honor of the recent tragedies in Japan, speakers told students about relief activities occurring at IU. Events can be found through the events calendar and include a teach-in and benefit event 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union.
(03/23/11 4:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Tanning does more than bronze skin, and the side effects aren’t pretty.Research done at the IU School of Medicine Department of Dermatology recently highlighted the danger in using tanning beds, especially when self-treating rashes. Regardless, local tanning beds stay crowded.“Using tanning beds to ‘self-treat’ skin eruptions is just a bad idea,” said Jeffrey Travers, M.D. and professor of dermatology, pharmacology and toxicology.Travers, the senior author of the study, Archives of Dermatology, was researching the effects of UV lightened skin cells on inflaming proteins when different drugs are combined.The study followed a patient who had an allergic reaction after using ibuprofen and had heard that tanning bed exposure could be a beneficial self-treatment for the rash. The UV light exposure on the rash quickly became a life-threatening condition called Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. Attacking the skin, TEN can lead to heart failure, problems with vision and can negatively affect the digestive tract. The mortality rate following organ failure is more than 20 percent, Travers said.Skin cells exposed to UV light lead to high levels of protein that cause cell death and serious inflammation.“The subject in our study went in with a rash caused by ibuprofen and ended up in the burn unit with severe blistering of the skin because of the combination effect,” Travers said.Regardless of the negative reports and statistics from the Skin Cancer Foundation stating that indoor tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop deadly melanomas, tanning is part of many students’ daily routine, said Kim Danforth, an employee at Sol Spa Tanning in Bloomington.“On an average day at the campus store we get three to four hundred students, and that’s when we aren’t busy,” Danforth said. “In a busy week, we are seeing about six hundred a day at one store.”Danforth said there is a noticeable increase in the number of male and middle-aged customers.“Recently we have been getting a lot more guys. They come in groups and sometimes try to creep in so no one sees them.”Danforth also noted that when campus events are coming up, such as sorority and fraternity formals, a lot of sporadic customers come in to get a little extra glow.The harmful effects of tanning do not take a toll on business at Sol Spa Tan. About 50 regulars visit the spa almost every day and a lot of customers come two to three times a week, Danforth said. State law requires that tanners only use the tanning bed once a day, she said. But beyond one day it is a tanner’s responsibility to take care of themselves.When asked what college students should consider before tanning, Travers responded that it is best to stay away.“You don’t see it in college, but chronic tanning can predispose you to skin cancer,” Travers said.Sophomore Taryn Rosenberg said she recognizes the risks of tanning but understands why others make a habit of tanning.“Though I would never tan, I think people take the risk because they feel better about themselves when they look tan. It’s an expectation that’s been learned,” Rosenberg said.Senior Lauren Rochman said she has noticed that tanning has become more socially acceptable among men.“I am not surprised that so many males are tanning because men are becoming more conscious of their appearance and it is acceptable for them to care about how they look. That used to not be OK for guys to do.”Junior Becky Jacobson said students focus on the immediate reward and ignore future consequences.“It’s all about looking your best,” Jacobson said. “The tan skin appears immediately, but side effects sometimes take years to appear. This delay makes the dangers of tanning almost unreal to students.”
(03/04/11 3:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Members of ROTC programs across the Midwest had the opportunity to earn the German Armed Forces Badge For Military Proficiency at a weekend-long event last weekend. More than 250 cadets from 27 schools competed in the weekend’s events, which the IU ROTC senior class took the lead in planning.Sgt. Major Zindel, a German soldier, joined competitors as a representative from the German Armor Liason Organization to oversee the competition.“Sergeant Major Zindel attended to ensure all standards are set as prescribed by the German Army. Foreign skill badges are rare in the military and even more so in ROTC,” said Jim Gordon, IU’s ROTC Army’s cadet battalion commander. “That is why this past weekend was really something special.”Gordon was one of IU’s ROTC Army contributors that helped put on the event that included a 200-meter swim, a 5k run, a first aid test, a 9 mm pistol qualification, track and field events and a 12k road march. This event has been in the works since December by the IU ROTC’s senior class, Gordon said. “We planned the logistics, transportation, billeting, grade tracking system and each event itself of the entire weekend,” Gordon said. “Once the weekend began, IU ROTC cadets were in charge of running events, grading competitors and keeping track of scores. Despite the daunting numbers, the weekend went off without any glitches or mistakes.”From the 250 cadets that attended, about 180 were awarded with the badge. The chance to earn a foreign badge is a special honor for any soldier, especially those in ROTC, Gordon said. American soldiers add the badge to their Class A Uniform and wear it for the rest of their career in the military. The opportunity attracted competing cadets from schools as far as Michigan and Knoxville, Tenn.Eight IU ROTC members were participants in the weekend’s competition. Seven received a gold badge and one received a bronze badge. “We woke up at 6 a.m. to train every day for a month and a half for this,” said John Brogan, IU ROTC senior and captain of the event, in an e-mail. “The team of IU cadets that completed the event all agreed that it was difficult to do the amount of events, but the badge gave them a sense of achievement that they will be able to take with them throughout their Army career.”Brogan said he was honored to get the badge but he took more from the weekend then just the medal. The successful event left him feeling closer with his ROTC community.“The camaraderie and friendship built with the other competitors during training for the event is worth more than the badge to me,” he said.Leaving with eight badges awarded to IU students made the weekend a success, Gordon said.“With the incredibly successful outcome of the weekend, IU students can know that their Army ROTC program is one of the best in the nation,” Gordon said.
(02/24/11 3:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Commemorating the 93rd anniversary of the Estonian declaration of independence, IU and Bloomington community members gathered Monday in the Indiana Memorial Union to celebrate and experience Estonian culture.Among the guests was the Ambassador of Estonia to the United States, Väino Reinart, who was delighted to be celebrating on IU’s campus.“It is a privilege, knowing the Estonian independence day has been celebrated in this room for over 40 years,” Reinart said.Although the declaration was signed in 1918, Estonia spent decades occupied by the Soviet Union, which kept Estonians from being able to celebrate their independence day at home.Only in 1991 was the state of Estonia restored. Reinart was happy that although Estonians did not experience freedom at home during the years of occupation, Hoosiers at IU were able to commemorate the holiday in hopes of achieving freedom again.“Thank you for celebrating the Estonian independence throughout many years, in fact more years then we could celebrate the days back in Estonia,” he said.Reinart mentioned Estonia’s commitment to helping other nations achieve independence in the future.“Today our soldiers are fighting next to American soldiers to make freedom flourish. We are very grateful to the American people who have made it possible to keep the Estonian studies and culture here alive,” Reinart said.Attendees enjoyed a real taste of Estonian culture through food, traditional music and art.Today marks the date that the declaration of independence was first signed in Estonia. Fortunately, Estonians are able to celebrate their independence and their progress back at home this year.Professor for Central Eurasian Studies Toivo Raun made remarks on Estonia’s growth.“By its progress in various important areas, including a democratic political system, a well-functioning market economy and strong achievements in education, Estonia has demonstrated that it fully belongs as an equal member of the international community,” Raun said.Photographs taken by renowned Estonian photographer Arne Maasik were put on display for the event.IU community members shared Estonian poetry, and the ceremony included several musical groups.Siilikesed, a student chorus comprised of members from the Baltic and Finnish Student Association, performed traditional and popular songs. An instrumental group shared several Estonian folk tunes, using traditional instruments that were 2,000 years old, including kannels, a plucked string instrument and bagpipes.After singing the Estonian national anthem, guests enjoyed a traditional Estonian feast.Students, including master’s student Cody Behles, enjoyed getting a taste of Estonian culture.“I came to gain Estonian cultural exposure, and I am always impressed with the events that the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center puts on,” Behles said.By recognizing Estonia’s independence day in a place as far away as Bloomington, IU continued its tradition of commemorating international affairs.“This celebration reflects and reinforces IUB’s commitment to international studies more broadly,” Raun said. “It certainly honors the memory and vision of our great president, Herman B Wells.”