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(03/25/08 11:15pm)
Walking into the Wells-Metz Theatre on Saturday night, I had no idea what to expect, and boy, was I surprised with what I saw. I can honestly say that I was not expecting to see men wearing thongs, wild sex on the floor or burning crosses, but that was exactly what I saw at “American Ma(u)l,” written by Robert O’Hara and directed by Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe. \nThis political satire is based on the reinstitution of slavery in the 21st century because of the country’s dire economic state and the development of a new kind of cotton. The news of the abolishment of the 14th Amendment is announced by an Asian president wearing a thong and draped in an American flag. Soon after the announcement, Detroit is nuked because its residents stage a rebellion. The president goes on to say that this is necessary for the greater good and assures the audience not to worry, and to remember that they picked him because of his beauty, and as such they have no need to fear anything.\nI was a little scared at this point, to say the least. I was not sure if I should laugh, cry or just leave. I mean, the play was comedic – and I do not say that lightly – but I didn’t know how the rest of the audience would react. The actors cracked jokes, mostly racial, like there was no tomorrow. \nIn one scene there was a line of people waiting to be tested for potential “whiteness” so they would not have to pick cotton and be slaves. The line included Oprah Winfrey, Tyra Banks, Barack Obama and other famous African-Americans. Little scenes like this made the play comedic and easier to handle. I would not suggest this play for anyone who can’t take a joke. Obviously, the play included many racial jokes and stereotypes. \nThe set was simple and yet representative of the whole play. It had Mickey Mouse as the capitalist standing over the Capitol Building, which had the “sold” sign posted on it, and that is only some of what you will see if you attend the play. There were a couple of special effects in the show and they were very cool. \nThe acting was really good. Eunice Abena Ntiamoah, who played Juliet, was a great actress. She carried herself well and delivered her lines forcefully and to their maximum potential. The show featured other great actors and actresses, including Erin Ehlers, Bradley Wantz and Lawrence Evans. \nOverall, I enjoyed the play. I believe it was acted out well and the actors only made minor slip-ups, which also made the play seem more human, at least to me. The audience seemed to enjoy the play, as there was constant laughter coming from all sides of the theater. I would encourage anyone looking for some humor in their life to attend “American Ma(u)l,” which will be playing at 7:30 p.m. March 25 through March 28 and at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. March 29 at the Wells-Metz Theatre.
(03/25/08 3:53am)
Sixty-six companies, including Bloomington’s Employment Plus, were recognized with “The Best Place to Work in Indiana” award because of their ability to make their employees feel valued. A record 120 Indiana companies took part in the evaluation process and were eligible for the ranking process. The awards ceremony and the presentation of the No. 1 company in Indiana will be held May 7 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis.\nThe program has grown each year, which is encouraging, said Rebecca Patrick, the director of public relations and communications of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. “The Best Place to Work in Indiana” program, sponsored by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, was created to encourage businesses to create a positive work place environment, she said. \nGood communication from senior management, employee-employer respect, teamwork and growth opportunity are among the traits that many of the winning companies seem to have within their strategic core, Patrick said.\n“It’s a humbling experience to be among such great companies,” said Jon Jeffries, vice president of human resources and risk management at Employment Plus. \nThis is the second year that Employment Plus has won one of the “The Best Place to Work in Indiana” awards.\n“We have a very simple approach – everyone has a part to play within the organization,” Jeffries said. \nIt’s all about treating employees right and with respect, he added. People will gladly be part of an organization that incorporates teamwork and creates a friendly “culture” within the workplace. \n“I am fortunate to be a part of this,” Jeffries said.\nModernThink, LLC, a workplace excellence consulting firm, was in charge of selecting the award recipients from the pool of applicants. The Indiana Chamber of Commerce manages “The Best Place to Work in Indiana” awards, now in their third year, and the awards are presented in partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The program is based on Fortune magazine’s famous “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” and it honors the top companies statewide. The honorees are determined through employer reports and inclusive employee surveys. \nMany companies appreciate the feedback they receive from ModernThink, said Tom Schuman, vice president of communication for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. The comments and feedback these companies receive from their employees is extremely valuable and it allows company officials to be aware of any potential problems or issues that might need to be addressed, he said. \nEstablishing a culture in which employees feel valued makes a huge difference in the company, Schuman said. Employees whose input and recommendations are being considered are more likely to be productive and comply with company standards, rules and regulations, he said. Companies that have a strong work and life balance are more inclined to have higher employee morale. Schuman calls it “fun, while working hard.”\nWinners were selected from two categories: small-to-medium-sized companies (25 to 249 employees), and large-sized companies (250 or more employees). Out-of-state parent companies were eligible to participate if at least 25 full-time employees are in Indiana.
(03/25/08 1:57am)
In the interest of inventing a better business suit, Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity will host a fashion show 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. The fashion show will feature fashion trends within the corporate business arena. \nThe show’s business-dress theme was inspired by a need for a more cheerful, creative and stylish corporate business workplace. Dina Karibayeva, the show’s co-director, came up with the theme after an internship last year in which she was forced to constantly wear the same old “boring” suit, she said. \nThis year’s fashion show is an attempt to boost the interest in and attendance rates at Delta Sigma Pi events, said Lisa Pairitz, the show’s co-director. She said they want the business-fashion aspect to be taken seriously.\n“Classic styles for the business sophisticate are the type of styles we are going for in the fashion show,” Pairitz said.\nThe collections will feature red and black as the most popular colors. \n“A lot more is being accepted as fashionable in the business world as far as color and style are concerned,” Pairitz said, “so we are trying to stay away from the classic black and white suit.” \nJunior Jillian Heckmann, a member of Delta Sigma Pi, is one of the models and volunteers for this year’s show. Heckmann is glad that this year’s event is not “boring” like past events, which usually included a speaker, she said.\n“You are in lectures all day to begin with, and the last thing you want to do is hear another speaker giving you yet another lecture,” Heckmann said. “It’s boring and no one wants to go.” \nThe show will also feature a mocktail party beforehand for all the attendees. This event is designed to allow students and professionals to mingle and improve their networking skills.\n“I think it’s an awesome networking opportunity,” Heckmann said. “Socializing in that type of setting is very relevant and this particular event was appealing to the fraternity.”\nThe show will feature pencil skirts, button-down shirts and jackets, among other outfits provided by Express, one of the retailers featured in the show. Express is also providing accessories, which will include big belts and chunky necklaces.\n“(The outfits) are business-appropriate, yet lighthearted, sexy and modern,” said Marisa Wise, manager of Express in College Mall. \nThe show will feature professional and business-casual attire from Express, The Limited, Macy’s and Goody’s Family Clothing. Admission is free and open to all students.
(03/24/08 12:48am)
Friday was an important day for the Bloom Marketing Group as it celebrated a $1 million workforce program, which will lead to new skills and higher wages for the current employees of the company. Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington, WorkOne Bloomington and the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation were among the conference attendees.\n“Bloom has grown into a significant employer in the Monroe County area,” said Ron Walker, president of the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation. The corporation revealed an economic impact to Monroe County of more than $21 million per year in personal income and $78 million per year in new economic activity resulting from Bloom’s operations, Walker said in a press conference.\n“We compete for workers, for talent, internationally, locally and statewide,” Walker said, commenting on the importance of investment in company employees.\nIn previous years, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s focus was largely on serving unemployed workers, but that has now shifted to providing more training opportunities to existing workers so the workers in Indiana can increase their skills and be more competitive, benefiting everyone in the state.\nThe company currently employs 506 people, and as a result of these jobs at Bloom, an additional 223 jobs will be supported in the local economy through new supplier activity and new household spending. \nBloom will also invest its own money in the development of its employees. Together with other awards, the funds will provide $1 million to train people in this region and to improve employee skills, employee productivity and increase employee retention, said Richard Rampley, the business services director for WorkOne Bloomington. Employees completing these programs will receive various credentials depending on which program they complete.\n“We customized the training program (for Bloom),” said Brenda McLane, the executive director of workforce and economic development for Ivy Tech-Bloomington. \nA customized career-development certificate, also known as the Bloom sales associate certificate, will be available to Bloom associates. Among the classes are personal and professional development, customer service, computer classes and a health insurance education course.\nIvy Tech will train about 480 Bloom employees in various areas, including the aforementioned classes. In addition, some Bloom employees will have Spanish-language training pertaining to their area of work, and 47 employees will attend Ivy Tech’s “Management and Supervisory Institute.” The management program helps train the most critical of Bloom’s personnel in communication, leadership, interpersonal skills and managerial performance. \n“This is a great opportunity for Ivy Tech-Bloomington,” said John Whikehart, Ivy-Tech-Bloomington chancellor. “We are pleased to be involved in this partnership.”\nIvy Tech has already helped in the training of more than 115 Bloom employees before this partnership, Whikehart said. \nWhikehart congratulated Bloom for the group’s investment in its own employees – a sum of more than $650,000.
(03/21/08 3:54am)
Camera flashes, expensive appetizers and a well-dressed crowd were all part of the latest IU fashion show, the “I Admire Your Luck” Resort 2008 Fashion Show, directed and produced by James DiMartino, a fifth-year senior at IU. This show is part of a large number of fashion shows that are about to make an appearance on IU’s campus and in the community. As well as being the director of the show, DiMartino was also the mind behind the designs, and he took some time after the show to talk with me.\nDiMartino has always been fascinated by James Bond. Since his father introduced him to James Bond in his early childhood, he has been obsessed with everything Bond stands for. He refers to the James Bond woman as feminine but still able to kick ass. “I watched his movies every night before I went to bed and I still do now,” DiMartino said. “I don’t think I will ever get tired of them.” \n“(The James Bond woman) is very classy, but still has an edge to her,” DiMartino said, referring to the theme of his collection, which featured Bond-inspired fashions. \nAmong my favorite outfits was the cream, polyester sleeveless blouse with a gray wool A-line skirt. I could totally see a fashion editor at Vogue sporting this particular outfit. It was elegant, timeless and very chic, and it definitely was an outfit that kicked ass.\nThe “green table felt and playing cards” corset with a black wool twill skirt was also a winner in my book. The design was innovative and it is obvious DiMartino took some risk with this outfit. However, I think it paid off, as it was something that truly represented the Bond woman, who is definitely bold. The cards sticking out of the top of the corset were fabulous, to say the least, and were an intricate part of the outfit and the collection, I would have to say.\nA recurring trend that I saw in his collection were the skirts. They ranged from metallic skirts, miniskirts, all the way to wool twill skirts. The collection also featured some stunning dresses, the pale, gold silk cowl dress being my favorite. The dress was elegant and was something I could see many women here at IU wearing to their next formal. The cowl added edginess to the otherwise timeless dress. \nThe men’s collection was simple, and if there is one word I would use with the collection, it would be “sellable.” I could definitely see men here at IU wearing many of the pants, vests, shirts and swimsuits featured in the fashion show.\nThe hair and make-up were simple, yet represented the Bond theme perfectly. The men’s hair was slicked back and the women wore natural, flowing hair styles throughout the show; very Bond-esque. The staging was simple, but I think this brought even more attention to the clothing, which I’m sure was his number one priority. \nAll in all, this was a very exciting show to attend. I look forward to more fabulous and exciting designs from James DiMartino in the near future.
(03/20/08 4:59am)
The contemporary fashion collection from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art – \nPermanent Collection is now being featured at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The exhibition, titled “Breaking the Mode,” features more than 100 ensembles from many of the biggest names in fashion and is divided among four main themes: construction, materials, form and concept.\nThe exhibition will focus on changes to clothing designs that have occurred over the past 25 years. It focuses on designers who revolutionized the way the fashion industry constructs garments and the way the fashion industry sees the body’s form, proportion and silhouettes.\nNiloo Paydar, curator of textile and fashion arts at the IMA, said she thought the collection was a great exhibition with cutting-edge fashion.\nIn the “construction” section of the exhibition, traditional Western construction concepts are juxtaposed with Eastern concepts of asymmetry used by Japanese designers in the 1980s, according to an IMA press release.\n“(These designs) turned the Western fashion world upside down,” said Sharon Takeda, Los Angeles County Museum of Art curator and a guest speaker at the IMA. Takeda said the exhibition is all about “freedom of choice.”\nThe advances in textile technology that have altered traditional construction techniques are explored in the “materials” section of the exhibition. The form section focuses on the development from the idealized female form to the more natural female form. The last section explores concepts and how designers have used fashion to make cultural, political and economic associations. \n“(The collection) works well with the contemporary art that we already have here” said Petra Slinkard, assistant curator of textile and fashion arts at the IMA. \nCities such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are already established within the fashion industry and it is important to bring this type of fashion to the Midwest, or “pockets of cool,” Slinkard said. \nThe exhibit will be open from now until June 1 at the Clowes Gallery in the Wood Pavilion at the Indiana Museum of Art. The cost is $12 for adults and $6 for college students with IDs. The exhibition features more than 40 international designers and includes Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Dior, Johji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake and many more. The exhibition will be accompanied by a 216-page illustrated catalogue, written in both English and Italian.
(03/19/08 4:26pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There is no place where it is acceptable to be unfashionable, and the gym is no exception. Looking fierce in the gym is as important as looking great when you go to class or an interview.For the ladies, make sure that what you wear fits your body shape. If you are thin and tall, wear something to accentuate your legs and waist. Leggings and a tight, colorful T-shirt, for example, can bring out your personality; you want to stay away from boring and ugly. For those of you who have an average body, wearing a little of both loose and tight would be best.If you are heavier than you want to be, hide those problem areas and emphasize your good parts. The same goes for your cleavage: If you are lacking in chest size, buy a lifting sports bra. If you are well-endowed in this area, you want to downplay it because we all know that it is not attractive to see your breasts hanging out of your outfit. Lawrence Evans, a freshman and fellow fashionista, said he is shocked by many of the outfits women wear to the gym. He wants to see more fashion and wants to see women wearing their own size and not something 12 sizes too small for them. Tips are available on most major fashion Web sites such as www.style.com, and you can find many designer exercise outfits and accessories on their sites. Make sure to invest in a cute designer bag to place your belongings in.Always make sure to top off your outfit with a matching headband and stud earrings because your head and face are the most important aspects of your body to flaunt. Ladies – please wear makeup as no one wants to see your pores and imperfections, and I am sure that you do not want other people to see them either. Light foundation – water-based and noncomedogenic – will do fine for this, and a little mascara and eye shadow can bring your eyes out. As far as the men are concerned, the rules are more lenient, but you should still abide by them. Please wear actual tennis shoes and not construction boots. They make you look trashy. Jeans are not acceptable, and neither are v-shaped bodybuilding pants, unless you are actually a body builder. And let’s face it – most of us are not. Next up on the lineup are T-shirts (not wifebeaters!). IU freshman Micheal Woods said that wifebeaters are a fashion don’t and do not make anyone look attractive. Wifebeaters should only be worn at home or underneath a T-shirt. T-shirts are cheap and easy to throw on, so there is no reason why they should be dirty. All these clothing articles are available to purchase at your local retailer. Men – just follow these tips and you will be sure to keep the dirty looks away.Looking fierce is also important after you leave the gym, so make sure to clean up. Men just need to towel off and put on a crisp sweatshirt to be ready for the ladies. Women – wash your makeup immediately after you finish exercising and reapply your regular makeup. Dry off with a towel from your fabulous designer bag and throw on a thin, oversized sweater, and you will be ready for the paparazzi.Check out these workout favorites:
(03/08/08 2:17am)
IU has made major renovations on Oncourse and OneStart, improving the user interface as well as increasing the program’s functionality and the amount of available applications. The upgrades took place between Feb. 15 and Feb. 21.\nThe IU faculty has had the opportunity to use the new Oncourse CL for the last three years, said Anastasia Morrone, associate dean for Learning Technologies and associate professor at the IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis School of Education. Faculty members were given the option of either using the old or new version in order to ease the transition.\nThis caused many problems as some teachers used the old version and some used the new, confusing some students along the way. However, now that IU has made the transition to the new Oncourse, IU faculty reported liking the grading, resource and assignments sections, Morrone said. The resources section of Oncourse now holds up to 1 gigabyte of information.\nDespite the update, the new Oncourse CL had a couple \nof issues.\nThe most critical occurred during the beginning of the fall 2007 semester, Morrone said. Oncourse’s managing software was causing the system to run very slowly. However, UITS was able to fix the problem quickly.\n“We were able to trouble-shoot that problem in about 36 hours,” Morrone said.\nMost of the suggestions and complaints received from the students are about increasing functionality and reducing time spent on the applications themselves.\n“One way to make (Oncourse) more user-friendly is by making navigation from page to page easier,” freshman Justin Shukas said.\nFreshmen Aimee Light and Nick Ready both commented on the speed of Oncourse. They said that sometimes the loading process can take a while.\n“Sometimes, applications don’t show up at first,” Light said. She added that the pages eventually come up, but it’s a hassle waiting and it can be stressful, especially when you have an assignment or a project due. \nFreshman Robert Avera said he’s had the most trouble with the assignments application.\n“It’s hard to submit homework off of campus and sometimes it is difficult to download material – kind of important when you need it for a project,” Avera said.\nOncourse tools such as the time out alert, site import, assignments and chats have been updated, replaced or added during the past two major Oncourse CL renovations, Morrone said.\n“(With) logging in, there has definitely been numerous occasions of waiting three to four minutes for the (Oncourse) home screen to pop up,” said freshman Kevin Kearney. Kearney also said the assignments tool can get confusing with all the clicking that has to be done in order to submit an assignment.\nAlong with Oncourse, OneStart got a makeover, as well. PeopleSoft, the information system IU uses, was upgraded from the 8.0 version to the 9.0 version. The upgrade improved OneStart’s user functionality and interface. In the area of self-service, a new interface will better organize the available services and make it easier for students to find the information they need, Barry Walsh, the IU vice president for enterprise software, said in an e-mail interview. There were two changes to support this; first, there is a new student default page for students in the Onestart Services tab that provides a summary of the students’ information including their class schedule, bursar and financial aid summaries, to-do’s or hold on their records, Walsh said in an e-mail.\n“It’s confusing to adapt to the new interface in the middle of the year,” Shukas said. \nWalsh said many IU offices across the campus were involved in putting the upgrade together. He said student responses have generally been positive and that most complaints come from students who do not like that the Web site was “rearranged” and many applications were moved around.\nWalsh added that the transition to the new system went well, especially given how large it was.\n“This took several years to complete because you can’t make those kind of major changes overnight,” he said. “We made significant customization, and we wanted to make sure that the two versions were interconnected.”
(03/05/08 3:07am)
Fashion industry veteran and celebrity designer Valentino Garavani showcased his last collection this past October in Paris before leaving the fashion industry forever. \n“This environment is no longer stimulating,” Valentino said during his last show in an interview with fashionweeknews.com.\n“I certainly won’t miss the fashion world. It’s ruined! Everybody’s doing the same things. What’s missing is challenge, creativity, cheerfulness. These days it’s all about numbers! To continue working in an environment which says nothing in particular to me would be a bore.” \nDeborah Christiansen, an apparel merchandising and interior design lecturer at IU, agrees with Valentino. She said cheaply-made clothing and knockoffs now plague the fashion industry as well. \n“Fashion exists because people want to make money,” Christiansen said. \nShe said today’s designers understand that most of what is presented on the runway will not sell, but they do count on the fact that the lifestyle presented on the runway will help sell whatever shows up in the boutiques. The majority of clothing in boutiques are the “sellable” representations of the runway collections, Christiansen said. \n“A Louis Vuitton bag would not be the same bag if it were not for the ‘LV’ logo,” freshman Elizabeth Bennett said. “Someone wearing a similar bag without a designer logo wouldn’t get the same attention only because their bag isn’t designer.” \nThe proof of fashion commercialization is in how much manufacturing goes on overseas, Christiansen said. The clothing is designed to be “throw-away fashion” because the manufacturers want customers to keep coming back and buying more and more of the “expensive-looking,” cheaply-produced clothing. \nA major problem the fashion industry is facing is the issue of knockoffs. Some of those knockoffs reach consumers even before the real deal hits the boutiques and retail outlets, Christiansen said. The industry is then subsequently forced to raise prices to cover the losses due to knockoff merchandise, and in the process loses some of its clientele. \nTo compete with knockoff prices, many designers are now licensing their names out to retailers all over the world, Christiansen said. It is no longer about high-end fashion or careful production. Designers want to make money so they license their name out to stores who usually outsource, and as a result, produce clothing that has the “expensive feel” that is very cheap and affordable but will not last very long. \nSome designers out there still “create beautiful clothing for beautiful clothing’s sake, and not simply for profit,” Christiansen said. However, those numbers are getting smaller each year as designers find it harder to support themselves and their designs due to financial hardships. \n“People want things that look like they cost a lot, but those items sacrifice quality,” said James DiMartino, a senior majoring in fashion design. \nStores like H&M put out as much clothing as possible, but in the process sacrifice quality, and shoppers know that the clothing will not last more than two seasons, DiMartino said. \nDiMartino reluctantly named Armani as the designer he thinks has become most commercial during the past few years.
(03/04/08 4:15am)
Carbs, calories and healthy eating will be the focus of Bloomington Hospital’s presentation, “Nutrition: It’s a Matter of Fact,” from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. today in the Monroe County Public Library. The free event, which coincides with National Nutrition Month, is intended to educate the Bloomington community about healthy eating and drinking. \n“At the rate we are going, by the year 2040, an estimated 100 percent of American adults will be fat,” said Samantha Schaefer, a registered dietician with Bloomington Hospital’s community education department. “By 2100, an estimated 100 percent of American adults will be obese.”\nThe event will consist of six interactive nutritional displays covering the various topics, including portion control and food safety. In addition to the displays, a group of hospital dieticians will be available to answer any question guests might have. \nSchaefer said she understands the busy lifestyle of college students might not afford them time to prepare their own meals, but gave advice for making healthy choices. \n “You can fit eating out in your lifestyle, but do everything in moderation,” she said. \nSchaefer said as long as people make 80 percent of their food choices with good health in mind, they can be more liberal with the other 20 percent. \nWith sports and schoolwork, freshman Brett LeClere said it is “hard to find time to sit down and have a full, well-balanced meal.” LeClere said a typical day for him includes a piece of fruit and cereal for breakfast, pasta for lunch, and chicken and potatoes for dinner. \nMorgan Fleck, a clinical dietician at the hospital, said students should eat breakfast every day even if it is something small, such as a granola bar or yogurt. \n“These choices are quick and simple, but they are nutritious, low-calorie and are healthy for the eater,” Fleck said.
(03/03/08 5:18am)
Showing up to the Oscars looking like an animal is never acceptable, no matter who you are. Diablo Cody, who won Best Original Screenplay, did not get this message, as she showed up to the awards in a halter-neck, leopard print gown. The gown was shapeless and made her look larger than she was. The accessories did not match the outfit and that scary tattoo on her arm wasn’t too classy, either. \nNo one wants to be the woman who wears the ugliest gown to the Oscars. You would think that with all the money these stars make and with all the people that work for them, they would manage to pull something out of their behind and make it look fabulous.\nTilda Swinton, who won Best Actress in a Supporting Role, must have fired her fashion council when she showed up to the awards in a drape also known as her gown. The dark green dress had an edge to it but I do not think it was Oscar material. Not to mention Swinton had barely any makeup on and no accessories.\nAnd while most students here at IU love the Oscars, few are bold enough to see some celebrity gowns for what they really are: ugly. IU Freshman and fellow fashionista Lawrence Evans chatted with me about the Oscar fashions and how Oscars are becoming more and more about who is wearing what instead of who is winning what. \n“Oh my god, and I used to love her,” Evans said when talking about Swinton’s dress. “Wee-man could have made a better dress.”\nThe Oscars this year had plenty to offer when it came to fashion. As the stars paraded down the red carpet, there were definitely some fabulous dresses that really stood out in my mind.\nMy favorite gown this year was designed by John Galliano for Dior and was worn by Cameron Diaz. Although the pink dress was not the most exciting, it was simple and chic. The fabric folds were exquisite and the dress was fabulously tailored overall. Cameron’s simple makeup and hair only brought out her natural beauty, which went really well with her gown – and her clutch was also well picked. I’m very proud of her gown this season. \nThe popular color of the night seemed to be red, as both Heidi Klum and Katherine Heigl opted for red gowns. Katherine looked very elegant – old Hollywood style in her Escada column gown. Her hair, which was waved, completed her elegant look and her makeup fit the old Hollywood style perfectly.\nHeidi Klum, on the other hand, looked gorgeous but in a different way. She opted for a couture gown designed by John Galliano, which looked stunning on her. It really brought out her thin waist, and the low cut area around her cleavage really accentuated the red gown and Klum. The perfectly sleek, pulled back hair looked very edgy and the star was equipped with a ton of accessories, which also made this look one of my favorites. \nAs another year of Oscars wraps up, we are left to wonder if the stars that were not so fashionable this year will redeem themselves next year, or if they will just simply stay on the “ugly red carpet” for all eternity. We can only hope for the best.
(02/29/08 5:02am)
Politics and music were on everyone’s mind this week at the post-war politics and music panel presentation sponsored by IU ArtsWeek and the Jacobs School of Music. The presentation, which was held Wednesday in Sweeney Hall, discussed the correlation between music and politics. \n“We wanted to let the community see what scholars are making of interaction between music and politics,” said event co-organizer and assistant professor of music theory Roman Ivanovitch. \nThe discussion began with Peter Schmelz, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, who talked about his paper “Alfred Schnittke’s ‘Nagasaki’ and Soviet Cold War Cultural Politics.” He focused on the five movements of “Nagasaki” and what they each represented. \n“This was a construction to the ways in which ‘Nagasaki’ suggest general Soviet responses to the bombings and to the people of the Soviet Union,” Schmelz said. \nFollowing Schmelz was Bruce Durazzi, also a professor at Washington University, who focused his paper on Luigi Nono and his compositions. \n“I got interested in this because I studied composition and my teacher had an interest in Nono’s political modernism, so I got interested in his music as a result,” Durazzi said.\nThroughout the 1950s, Nono’s compositional style changed to reflect his political views, Durazzi said. \n“Luigi was a communist all the way, but he went from being very abstract to wanting immediate action,” Durazzi said. \nNono’s changes are visible in his compositions, Durazzi said; they went from being abstract compositions to ones that were more audible and less abstract.\nScholarly journal “Musical Quarterly” contributor Eric Drott, a professor at the University of Texas in Austin, based his paper and speech on the “Internationale” anthem that was sung by students rebelling against the French government in 1968. \n“It is basically an anthem that students used to revolt against the government,” Drott said. \nThe anthem has a rich history of past use by the working class member, he said. \nThe last speaker brought some comedy to the panel. Phil Ford, an IU Jacobs School of Music faculty member, spoke about the hipster dialectic style and politics. \n“Hipsters are out of this world,” Ford said. “Their point of view is different than that of ‘squares.’ The ways they express themselves is abstract and that separates them.”\nFord mentioned jazz soloist Charlie Parker, who brought originality to the jazz industry. \n“Instead of just improving old songs, hipsters are innovative and they mess with the structure; they make it their own,” Ford said.\nFord added that although “hipsters” strayed from the mainstream jazz, their final product still ended up being “good.” As he was talking, Ford yelled “Charlie Parker was the man,” adding a little spice to the lecture. \nCo-organizer Frank Samarotto, an assistant professor of music theory in the Jacobs School, enjoyed the show.\n“I liked the passages that are able to link politics and music in ways that are not obvious,” Samarotto said.
(02/26/08 5:37am)
IU student Mark Hoaglund is an all too familiar face when it comes to identity fraud. In November, Hoaglund joined millions of other Americans who were victims of this potentially devastating crime.\nSince Feb. 21, 2006, 141 incidents of credit card fraud have been reported on the IU campus, said Leslie Slone, an IU Police Department investigative sergeant. Those 141 cases amounted to a staggering $47,249 stolen. Of that amount, the IUPD was only able to recover $1,600. The amounts ranged from as little as $15 stolen to as much as $3,750. \n“More than likely, you are not going to get your money back,” Slone said. \nThe 2008 Identity Fraud Survey Report from Javelin Strategy and Research reported 8.4 million Americans were victims of identity fraud in 2007. The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers that even if their credit cards are not stolen, they are still at risk for identity theft or fraud. The Better Business Bureau advises consumers to be prepared to act quickly to minimize the damage of such acts.\nHoaglund reported to IUPD that his wallet was stolen while he was in the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation building. Within the next three hours, charges for more than $400 worth of goods in Bloomington stores appeared on his credit card statement. With the help of Chase Credit Cards’ fraud alert system, Hoaglund was notified within minutes of the fraudulent transactions and was able to freeze his account.\n“I do not understand why, when you spend over $200 in a single transaction, the clerk does not ask for your ID,” Hoaglund said.\nAfter freezing his account, Hoaglund had to file a report with IUPD and wait for his bank to send him a dispute statement so he could get the money back that was stolen from him.\n“Time is of the essence,” said IUPD Capt. Jerry Minger. “Several actions are taken immediately. The quicker we are notified of the incident, the more able we are to prevent damage to the victim’s credit. We first notify the retail establishment and flag the credit card in question.”\nWhen shopping online, Minger offered several ways to keep credit cards safe.\n“One way of protecting your credit is by using trusted sites that have an ‘s’ at the end of the ‘http’ as well as lock symbols,” Minger said. “Use credit cards responsibly and be aware of your spending and purchases.”\nIn Hoaglund’s case, Chase has two separate departments for credit cards and debit cards, and because both of them were used, Hoaglund had to go through two different agencies within the bank to get his money back.\n“The credit card people were horrible to work with,” Hoaglund said. “I had to call them five times just to get them to start working with me.” \nHowever, over all, Hoaglund was happy with Chase and the way it handled the situation and the speed with which he was alerted of the identify fraud situation, possibly saving him thousands of dollars.\n“It is very, very important to look at your bills and make sure you look at every single charge,” said Linda Carmody, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau in Central Indiana. “Many young adults don’t have the credit experience so they are a prime target for identity thieves.”\nCarmody said people should get a copy of their credit report at least once a year and fact check it.\nThe Better Business Bureau is encouraging consumers to become savvier and keep a closer eye on their credit card and debit card statements.\n“Write ‘see ID’ on the back of your card and do not sign it,” is the advice Hoaglund offered when asked what consumers can do to protect themselves from identity fraud.