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(01/17/08 5:00am)
Sword-bearing vampires are running amuck in the Indiana Memorial Union. For the IU Live Action Club, it's just another Friday night.\nLive Action Role Players, or "LARPers" as they call themselves, take the dice rolls of Dungeons & Dragons to the next level, actually acting out their characters. \nAs Margaret Lion, IU instructor, a.k.a., Ta'aam, asserted, LARP is akin to "Dungeons & Dragons smashed together with improvisational theater." \nThis improvisational quality also stretches into LARPers' custom-made costumes and set pieces: "Blood" is handed out as red carnival tickets, while the Hoosier Room's drab decor must double as the set for a medieval market.\nGames regularly last three to four hours, with everyone remaining more or less in character for the duration. Armed with protein bars and energy drinks for stamina, these costume-clad enthusiasts take over a room in the Union every weekend to act out their imagined worlds. A number of different LARP groups organize a variety of games based on fairies, wizards, vampires and werewolves. The game this past Friday based itself on a system called "Lion, Lilly & Sword," a scenario that describes a clandestine community of vampires in France in 1348. \nThough dressing up in costume to act as vampires seems like child's play, the crowd last Friday looked at its scene as a hobby like any other, undertaken with great earnestness. During the game, you could hear the occasional hiss of "Stay in character!" while the participants argued over historical accuracy. Like any game, LARP has complex rules, both spoken and unspoken, that dictate its unfolding action, such as combat and mind-reading. Keeping everything believable within the game's constraints dictated everyone's actions. \nThe excitement, though, came from bending the story with ad-libs and lateral thinking to create more unpredictable scenarios that drive the action forward. A rather banal scene of a few LARPers standing in a circle talking disguised secret intrigues and plotting against old nemeses and mysterious newcomers. \n"It's all about using your imagination as an adult," said Lion.\nLARP may seem like a fringe activity, but it wouldn't be fair to describe its participants as shut-ins. If anything, this small gathering of 12 people embodied a fair cross-section of the Bloomington community, with IU instructors, IU students, a Taco Bell manager and a few high school students among its participants. The high schoolers in attendance were a bit inexperienced at the game but still extolled its virtues. \nRachel Little, a student at Aurora Alternative High School, a.k.a., Elizabeth Videl, has only participated for three months, less than half the time of a typical player, but she already feels at home.\n"We all respect each other and love each other," she said. "We're like a family."\nCaitlin Holahan, an IU freshman, worried that the games might be childish. Instead, she found a mature and thoughtful community where she can "escape the regular rules of society." Her character, a vampire spy named Victoria, provides an outlet for a life she can't pursue in reality. \n"You can go into danger and save countries like James Bond. We can do what we wish we could," she said. \nThis community, however, doesn't just provide escapism for its members. The real-life interaction is arguably more important than the role-played action. David Michel, a.k.a., Durkopf Stroykovich, has been LARPing for 12 years and has participated in this group for "the last seven or eight months."\nA full-time IU bus driver, Michel confidently strode in character and credited LARP with helping him break out of his shell. He described himself as a "geek" and "nerd" who has played Dungeons & Dragons for 20 years, as well as other role-playing games such as Whitewolf and the various Star Trek and Star Wars variants. \nMichel enjoys the interactive feel of LARP. Formerly shy and depressed, Michel has learned that LARP provides more than just stress relief. \n"LARP is great social interaction for people who are more withdrawn," he said. "It can be easier to interact with a character than with a person."\nWhat does LARPing offer someone who has never so much as glanced at a 12-sided die? It's hard to say. Perhaps your average student doesn't need the escapism LARPing provides. Yet, as Michel noted, video games and comic books, once the domain of nerds, have entered the mainstream. And as one LARPer put it, LARPing involves far more social interaction than an average barely conscious night at Kilroy's. \nUltimately, LARP represents just one more of Bloomington's communities just beneath the surface. \n"Some people cruise the bars. Some people go watch basketball games," Holahan said. "I come here"
(01/15/08 3:14am)
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Harry Potter and Voldemort. Batman and the Joker. Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Distinguishing between heroes and villains might be second nature to many of us, but can infants do the same?\nResearchers at Yale University found that infants as young as six months old can not only discriminate between the “good guys” and the “bad guys,” but they overwhelmingly prefer the good guys. This capacity for social evaluation appears earlier than anyone expected, backing the claim that it is an important biological adaptation and thus hardwired into our DNA.\n“We were shocked by the strength of the responses,” said J. Kiley Hamlin of Yale University’s Infant Cognition Center, the lead researcher of the study. “We thought infants would be sensitive to the behavior of others, but didn’t anticipate the extent of this.”\nNestled on their parents’ laps, 12 6-month-old babies and 16 10-month-old babies watched a puppet show in which three colorful blocks, humanized by large googly eyes, played the roles of “climber,” “helper” and “hinderer.” The babies watched as a yellow triangle struggled to climb a green hill before being either shouldered up by a “helper” red square or sent tumbling back down by an aggressive blue circle. \nAt the end of the show, the researchers asked the babies to choose between the square or the circle from a tray in front of them, and the “helper” was chosen almost every time.
(01/14/08 3:07am)
The IU Police Department is investigating an alleged assault Thursday night in front of the Kappa Sigma fraternity house.\nAccording to an IUPD report, the victim told officers he thought three men approached his car because the men thought their ride was there to pick them up. The victim rolled the window down and told the three men he was not there to pick them up.\nIUPD Capt. Jerry Minger said one of the suspects punched the victim in the face. The victim and his friends got out of the car and told officers he was punched and kicked several more times, according to the police report.\nThe three suspects walked away after the altercation, according to the police report.\nThe victim sustained several cuts to his face, according to the police report.\nMinger said the victim told officers the attack was unprovoked.\nThe victim described the man who punched him as black, light-skinned, 5-foot-10 with a thin build and wearing a track jacket with jeans, Minger said, reading from the police report. Another passenger in the car described the suspect as white, but tanned and 6-foot-1. Minger said IUPD will re-interview the victim to try to get more accurate details.\nAnyone who has information regarding the assault is asked to call IUPD at 855-4111.
(01/14/08 3:05am)
Award-winning filmmaker Christopher Quinn will show his documentary about Sudan’s Lost Boys tonight at the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union. \nThe documentary, “God Grew Tired of Us” follows several of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” who were forced to flee as the Sudanese government began to attack their villages, according to a press release from Students Taking Action Now: Darfur. \nAs many as 27,000 Lost Boys were invited to the U.S. Quinn follows the lives of three of these boys as they struggle with life in the Western world. \nQuinn studied documentary and filmmaking at the Anthropology Film Center in Santa Fe, N.M., and is currently developing a fictional feature-length film titled “Drinking with Lee Marvin,” according to his Web site. Quinn has worked in television with A&E, ABC, the BBC, the National Geographic Channel and the Discovery Channel. \nSponsored by the student group Students Taking Action Now: Darfur, the event includes showing the movie from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m and a lecture by Quinn and a question and answer session following the film.
(01/11/08 4:03am)
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The statistics prove it – Americans need their coffee.\nAlmost 70 percent of Americans said they were hooked on coffee, based on a 2006 survey conducted by the National Coffee Association. \n“Oh, I’m totally addicted (to coffee). If I don’t have coffee, my head hurts and I can’t function,” said Ohio State University junior Bethany King. \nWhile numerous benefits exist for college students drinking coffee, there are also possible consequences for those who do not drink in moderation, as caffeine has been linked to lumps in the breast and low levels of calcium. \nReasons for dependence on coffee vary. \nKing said she became used to drinking several cups of coffee a day when she was involved in numerous extracurricular activities in high school. \n“The way my classes are scheduled, it’s not convenient to stop and get food, but it is convenient to stop and grab a cup of coffee,” said OSU senior Nikki Woeckener, who drinks two cups of coffee to keep from growing too hungry during the school day. \nThat extra “boost” comes from caffeine found in the coffee. If coffee does not exactly pleasure the taste buds, sodas, teas, energy drinks and a whole host of other caffeinated products can satisfy caffeine cravings. \n“Caffeine has a chemical structure similar to adenosine, a chemical found in the brain,” said Maureen Geraghty, a registered dietitian and assistant professor in the Ohio State University School of Allied Medical Professions. \n“Adenosine naturally slows down activity in the brain. Caffeine locks the receptors usually used for adenosine. This competition means the brain is not slowed down as much,” Geraghty said. \nThe average American adult drinks about 200 milligrams of caffeine a day, Geraghty said. Six ounces of coffee (not even a cup) brewed at home contain 103 milligrams of caffeine. Caffeine takes about 30 to 60 minutes to reach peak concentration in the blood stream, and effects take four to six hours to wear off. \nIt is hard not to notice the benefits of moderate caffeine consumption. WebMD reports that caffeine can improve memory, decrease fatigue and improve mental functioning. More than that, coffee drinking may help prevent Parkinson’s disease and type-2 diabetes. \nIt is important to realize that while caffeine may offer these benefits, there is a downside to ingesting too much. King is certainly aware of this. \n“I actually had to have surgery. There were a couple of lumps in my breast (the doctors) thought were breast cancer, but when they went in they found out the lumps were actually caused by caffeine,” King said. \nGeraghty confirmed the correlation between caffeine and fibrocystic breast disease, as well as some other health problems people can encounter. \n“Caffeine can also make you jittery, and if you have heart disease or hypertension, coffee is certainly not good because it will increase your heart rate. At around 300 to 400 milligrams of caffeine intake, which isn’t very hard to do, it increases urinary calcium excretion, which is bad for women. Once your body is used to caffeine, you can also experience withdrawal symptoms when you don’t have any, such as headaches and dizziness.” \nFor those who are worried about their caffeine intake, but can’t function without something to keep them awake, Geraghty offered some alternatives. \n“Obviously, the best alternative is to just get some extra sleep,” she said. “Working out is also a great alternative, even just a brisk 10 or 15 minute walk.”
(01/11/08 4:02am)
IU now ranks 34th on Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine list of “100 Best Values in Public College,” jumping 21 spots from its previous position.\nThe list, which is featured in the magazine’s February issue, ranks large and small colleges on their ability to “deliver a first-rate education without breaking the bank,” according to the magazine.\nThe rankings were decided after more than 500 public colleges and universities gave data to Peterson’s, a company that provides “information for college search and selection, test preparation and financial aid,” according to an IU \npress release.\nJane Bennett Clark, Kiplinger’s senior associate editor, attributed the jump in rank to incoming freshmen’s higher test scores, more financial aid and lower graduation debt for students. IU also has new grant programs at IU, such as Pell grants from the State Student Assistance Commission. Incoming freshmen who qualify and have an SAT score of at least 1150 will have tuition paid for by the grant, according to \nthe release.\nData from the 2006-2007 freshman class was used to judge the academic side of the ranking, according to the press release. The magazine also looked at “admission rates, freshman retention rates, student-faculty ratios and graduation rates,” according to the press release.\nIU President Michael McRobbie said he thinks steps the University has taken to help students with financial aid, such as the Pell grants, helped the University’s ranking on the list.\n“Our goal is to eliminate financial obstacles that might discourage otherwise well-qualified Indiana high school students from considering attending IU,” McRobbie added. “We have made significant progress on that front. As this has become known, we have attracted many more applications from top-notch students, and that is forcing us to become more selective in the admissions process. What Indiana high school students who want to attend IU need to know is that the real challenge facing them is not financial, but rather how well they perform in their studies.”
(01/11/08 4:01am)
The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators will present an award to an IU School of Education professor in March during its annual meeting \nin Boston.\nGeorge Kuh, the founder of the National Survey of Student Engagement, a widely used annual study of effective educational practices in undergraduate education, is considered a national leader in addressing and improving the quality of undergraduate education, according to an IU press release.\n“I’m pleased and humbled to have been chosen,” Kuh said in the release.\nKuh said in the release that the award acknowledges his leadership of the project “because the number of institutions using the survey grew so quickly and has such an influence on how people think about and talk about undergraduate education today.”\nThe survey began in 2000 with 276 colleges and universities participating, according to the release. More than 600 colleges took part in the most recent survey, which obtained responses from 313,000 college students.\nKuh explained that the study is important because it creates \nother surveys.\n“These ideas about engagement – they transcend sector, they transcend levels of education,” he said in the release. “The ideas matter across all these levels, and it’s been fun to be a part of bringing that to the public’s attention.”\nLast November, the survey began a partnership with USA Today, which features survey findings and student responses as a way to better inform the public about college quality, according to the press release.\nKuh ended his tenure as director of the survey Dec. 31, 2007 according to the press release.\nThe award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, which recognizes national leaders in higher education, has been no stranger to IU.\nPrevious recipients include former IU president and current NCAA president Myles Brand, former IU Dean of Students Robert Shaffer and Elizabeth Greenleaf, former director of residence life at IU, according to the press release.\n“Professor Kuh is exceedingly deserving of this award,” said Gerardo M. Gonzalez, university dean of the IU School of Education, in the release.\nGonzalez said in the release that Kuh stands as a giant among giants of higher education leaders who have had major national and international impact in the field.\n“He certainly has contributed immeasurably to the excellence for which our higher education program is known,” Gonzalez said. \nFor more information about the survey, visit http://nsse.iub.edu.
(01/10/08 5:00am)
As the new year rings in, I once again offer Hollywood and our favorite celebs advice and resolutions for '08 (because, as always, I know so much more than they do).\nNickelback fans: Let yourselves be known! -- Seriously, who are you people? Do you exist? This band sells millions of albums, yet I've never met anyone who claims to like them. Please speak up! I have lots of questions I'd like to ask you. (Be warned, however, that the conversation will end with me punching you in the face for causing me to have to listen to "Rock Star" seven times a day at work.)\nJ.K. Rowling: Secretly stay in the Potter World -- Congratulations, J.K., '07 was a hell of year for you. "The Deathly Hallows" wonderfully completed your masterpiece saga. Take a nice, hard-earned vacation, then secretly get back to work. You've said no Harry Potter sequels, and I think everyone can agree that's for the best. However, you need to stock a few sequels and spinoffs ("The Adventures of Tiny Ted Lupin," "Hogwarts: A History of Magic," "Harry Potter and the Sudden Presence of Boredom and Loss Of Meaning in His Life as He No Longer Has Any Evil Wizard Ass to Kick"). Years after you're dead, Scholastic, or whoever's in charge of publishing your novels, will find some loophole to the books' rights and will surely reboot the Potter moneymaking machine by offering books worse than enduring the first half of a Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes Puking Pastille. If we're forced to deal with these, at least they'll have been written by you (ensuring awesomeness).\nBritney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Amy Winehouse -- I hate to be one of the countless columnists across the country telling you to get your lives back on track, but …\nThe Judd Apatow Gang -- My grandmother would love to clean your mouths out with soap. I, on the other hand love your crude, filthy "Superbad" sense of humor. Don't change it at all. But how about putting one of those swear jars where every time someone drops an f-bomb they drop in a quarter on set? At the end of production, all the money collected could be donated to charity (and with your guys' track records, that'd be enough to feed a whole country.)\nPromises Residential Treatment Center -- You guys seem to be the celebrity rehab of choice, and with the incredibly high number of celeb DUIs this year, why not set up an in-house driver's ed program (or remind these people they're rich enough to hire chauffeurs)? The streets of L.A. will become much safer.\nBrad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon -- Please quit making the rest of the entire male population look completely inept. "Ocean's 13" was yet again an entertaining blast, but then you also go and make classy, smart, thinking-people pictures such as "The Assassination of Jesse James," "Michael Clayton" and "The Bourne Ultimatum." Cut it out.\nOprah -- If you're going to be charitable and help the less fortunate, at least be a little secretive and don't invite all the camera crews at every donation opportunity.\nVanessa Hudgens -- Grow a backbone and don't give into your Disney bosses so easily. One naked picture isn't the end of the world, but there you were apologizing like a terrified 5-year-old. Innocence may be the key to "High School Musical," but when it comes time for "College Musical," things may get a bit more risque.\n"Weeds" protagonist Nancy Botwin -- Relocate to the Midwest. Good luck restarting your life, but if things get touchy and you have to resort back to the business, head down to Bloomington. You should find plenty of customers here, and I think we could be pretty good friends.\nWhitney Houston and Jennifer Hudson -- Quit slacking, ladies, and get to work. Whitney's comeback album and Jen's debut should be sweeping the Grammys come February. Too bad you still haven't released them. Come on!\nSpice Girls -- Listen to your song "Never Give Up on the Good Times." You all seem to be having a blast on this reunion tour. Make it permanent, and hit the studio to start recording new material. \nWriters Guild of America and The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers -- Set aside your differences. Join hand in hand to sing "I'd like to Teach the World to Sing in Perfect Harmony," like in that old Coke commercial. Meet each others' demands and please get back to making great TV. \nKelly Clarkson -- Embrace the mainstream. You proved to Clive Davis you're a badass by releasing "My December" and it was way artsy (you scare the crap out of me when you're dressed up like an Asian Fergie invisibly kicking that guy's ass in the "Never Again" video). But you know what else was awesome? "Since U Been Gone," "Walk Away" and "Because of You." So go record the sugary rock-pop anthem music RCA wants you to, even if it's "Breakaway 2.0." Because that stuff rocks.\nKanye West -- Look up the word "humble" in the dictionary and make a lunch date with Susan Lucci. I feel your pain, Kanye. You deserve all those awards you get snubbed for, but I haven't won anything since a soccer game in second grade, and poor Susan Lucci had to wait 19 years for her Emmy. Quit the unattractive diva antics.
(01/10/08 5:00am)
65th Golden Globe Awards\nWhen: 9:00 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 13, on NBC\nWhat it is: First founded by eight foreign journalists wishing to award all areas of entertainment, the Golden Globes have donated millions to entertainment-based charities over the years. They have since expanded to the nonprofit Hollywood Foreign Press, the decision-makers who vote for the best in TV and film. Representing some 55 countries, the HFPA members, who write in publications such as German Vogue and France's Le Figaro, hold monthly meetings in which they discuss the festivals they attend and entertainers they meet so they can find the most creative and inventive films of the time. \nThis year, due to controversy with the Writers Guild strike, the winners will be announced through a press conference. \n80th Academy Awards\nWhen: 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 24, on ABC\nWhat it is: The first Academy Awards consisted of 270 attendees and a $5 entrance fee. Since then, it has become one of the most important and popular awards programs in the world. The 8.5 pound, 13.5 inch tall Oscar statuette portrays a knight holding a sword while standing on a reel of film. The awards cover all aspects of a feature film, from Best Picture to Sound Mixing. \n62nd Tony Awards\nWhen: 8 p.m., Sunday, June 15, on CBS\nWhat it is: The Tony Awards originated to recognize achievements in theater, including plays and musicals. The awards are run by The League of American Theatres and Producers and American Theatre Wing. The awards are given by an administration and management committee. Awards are given for both best actor and actress, as well as for aspects such as best choreography, best revival of a play and best direction. Technical awards such as best orchestration, lighting design and scenic design are also given.\n50th Grammy Awards\nWhen: 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 10, on CBS\nWhat it is: A year after the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences was founded, it gave out the first Grammy awards. The Grammys cover a wide variety of music genres -- from folk to rhythm & blues to classical. Awards are given to the best performers and albums, but there are also categories such as best music video, engineering and album packaging and album notes. The voting process for the Grammys consists of three categories, which consist of effort between NARAS members and trustees, music experts and the academy's voting membership. \n6th CMT Music Awards\nWhen: 8 p.m., Monday, April 14, on CMT\nWhat it is: Country Music Television recognizes the best videos of the year. The final four nominees and final winners are picked by fans on cmt.com. Categories include Video of the Year, Johnny Cash Visionary Award and Wide Open Country Video of the Year. The CMT Music Awards are country music's only award program that allows its fans to pick the winners. \nSundance Film Festival\nWhen: Jan. 17-27, in Park City, Utah\nWhat it is: Well-known for Chairperson's Robert Redford original hope to showcase the best of American independent films. Foreign films were added under the World Cinema category in 2005. The jurors are eclectic individuals knowledgeable in film, art and writing who determine winners through the criteria of "risk-taking, diversity, and aesthetic innovation," according the festival's official Web site. The categories are American Dramatic & Documentary Competitions, World Cinema Dramatic & Documentary Competitions, the Short Film Competition and the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. The festival has also recently become a hot spot for Hollywood celebrities. The official Sundance Film Festival Web site will provide short films, podcasts and interviews throughout the event. \n61st Cannes Film Festival\nWhen: May 15-26, in Cannes, France\nWhat it is: This is known as the world's most prestigious film festival, with awards given out for short and feature films. The "Holy Grail" is the Palme d'Or for Best Picture, which is almost certain to put a film ahead. But it is more than a competition, as it was the first film festival to add sidebar events. For example, "The Market" is where about 10,000 professionals buy and sell films. \n23rd Film Independent's Spirit Awards\nWhen: Check local listings; Saturday, Feb. 23, on IFC and AMC\nWhat it is: Members of Film Independent and Independent Feature Project determine the winners of these awards. Any individual can become a member of either organization, which both honor achievements in independent film. This awards ceremony is hosted as a luncheon in Santa Monica, Calif. Awards are given for Best Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Female Lead and Best Male Lead, among others. Other awards include Best First Screenplay and John Cassavetes Award (Best Feature under $500k).
(01/09/08 5:34am)
The third floor in the West Tower of the Herman B Wells Library received a facelift during winter break.\nBefore the changes, individual study tables dating back to the late 1960s took up the third floor, said Eric Bartheld, the library’s director of communications. Now, the third floor is filled with new shelving and 20 large tables with booths, intended to provide a quiet study area for students, he said.\nIn February, the library will receive another update in the form of two rooms with webcams on the fourth floor, said Diane Dallis, head of the Information Commons Undergraduate Library Services. Skype, a free software program, will enable students to communicate over the webcams, Dallis said.\nThe IU Parents Fund provided an extra $19,900 for iPods, video cameras and digital voice recorders, which students will be able to check out from the Kent Cooper Room, Bartheld said. The money also paid for the webcams.\nThe addition of the new furniture on the third floor, and especially the iPods, came about because of student interest. Dallis said the iPods may be popular not only because they play music, but also because professors are also starting to put more and more of their lectures on podcasts.
(01/09/08 5:34am)
After releasing a report Monday, the IU Task Force on Campus Sustainability will begin developing a program to make the IU campus more environmentally friendly.\n“The period of review allowed us to incorporate constructive feedback from a wide range of University stakeholders,” task force co-chair Michael Hamburger said in a press release.\nThe report defines campus sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”\nIU Vice President of Administration Terry Clapacs organized a 16-member task force last March to offer administrative direction for the sustainability report. The task force’s main job is to evaluate and improve resource use, recycling, energy use, environmental quality, land use, transportation, food and education on campus to be more environmentally friendly.\nThe report was the result of nine months of work by more than 100 IU faculty, staff and students who examined sustainability issues in academic, administrative and operational programs, according to the press release. Twenty undergraduate and graduate student interns conducted research and collected information that contributed to the report.\nHamburger told the Indiana Daily Student in a Nov. 30, 2007 article that he was pleasantly surprised to see a high number of students apply for these internships within a week after the positions were advertised.\n“More than 200 students applied,” Hamburger said. “This is something students are energized by.”\nAlthough the report was initially drafted last November, the final report includes suggestions and concerns from individual members of the University, including the Bloomington Faculty Council, Bloomington Professional Council and the IU Student Assocation.\nThe report suggests that IU should make a “formal, public commitment” in support of sustainability by establishing an IU Bloomington Office of Sustainability and by signing one or more public statements on sustainability or climate change currently being endorsed by U.S. colleges and universities, according to the press release.\nPaul Sullivan, deputy vice president for administration, said in the release that the work of the task force lays an excellent foundation for a national-caliber sustainability program at IU.\n“It does a good job of highlighting what we have accomplished thus far, setting specific goals, and identifying the challenges that lie ahead,” Sullivan said in the release.\nThe report is available online at www.indiana.edu/~sustain.
(01/09/08 4:05am)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – University of Michigan researchers are part of a groundbreaking study that investigates a theory that small populations of stem cells exist within cancers.\nThe researchers hope to discover what the cancerous stem cells need to function, so scientists can develop ways to prevent them from getting necessary nutrients.\nWhen adult stem cells mutate and become cancer cells, they lose their normal properties and begin to divide out of control. Chemotherapy kills cancerous cells produced by stem cells but doesn’t kill the stem cells.\nAfter the treatment ends, the stem cells can begin the process all over again.\nThe clinical trial to test the theory combines chemotherapy with an inhibitor, a plug that blocks vital pathways from reaching the stem cell, in patients with advanced breast cancer.\nThe first round of treatments is designed to ensure that the treatment is not harmful and to see whether the technique will help patients who have exhausted all other conventional treatments live longer.\nMax Wicha, director of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, said his team hopes to try the method on stem cells for all other cancers within the next few years.\n“The purpose of the new therapies is to try to hit the roots of the cancer,” Wicha said.\nAlthough adult stem cells are not the same as the controversial embryonic stem cells because they come from a specific tissue or organ and don’t require the destruction of an embryo, some think that the research is too risky.\nSome have argued that some scientists are too blinded by the potential of stem cell research, but Wicha said an innovative route is necessary to combat cancer.\n“There is so much research using traditional chemotherapy,” Wicha said. “Billions of dollars are spent on treatments, many of which just don’t work. There will always be skeptics.”\nWicha said stem cell research is still yet to definitively prove its worth on human patients.\n“In order to convince them this is better, we have to prove it,” Wicha said. “Patients have to really benefit.”\nJames Shayman, associate vice president of research for the health sciences in the University of Michigan Health System, praised the research as innovative.\n“Dr. Wicha and his group have been leaders in testing this hypothesis and the initiation of a clinical trial represents an exciting step in this process,” he said.\nResearchers are awaiting FDA approval, which they expect to arrive within one or two months. The study itself will take about six months.
(01/08/08 3:48pm)
After five University buildings lost electricity early Sunday morning, IU Physical Plant employees determined the power failure resulted from a broken cable.\nThe IU Auditorium, Lilly Library, Woodburn Hall, Ernie Pyle Hall and Collins LLC had no power Sunday morning and afternoon because of the failure of the buildings’ backup generators, said Mark Menefee, assistant director of the IU Physical Plant. Menefee said the primary generator failed Dec. 31, and since then, IU has been running on the backup generators.\nThe IU Auditorium, Woodburn Hall, Ernie Pyle Hall and Collins have all had their power restored, Menefee said. The Lilly Library and the Bryan House are still running on emergency generators, he said.\nThe electricity in Collins was temporarily cut Monday morning while employees took the building off generators.\nMenefee said the physical plant is going to replace the bad cable and said he hopes to get the work done today.
(01/08/08 4:43am)
OVIEDO, Fla. – Applications for law school are on a downward trend, according to Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. But despite the decline, admissions officers warn that applying to law school is still no joke. \nAccording to the Law School Admission Council, the organization that administers the Law School Admission Test, there has been a drop in law school applicants since 2004. \nIn 2004, a total of 100,600 students applied to law school. In 2005, that number dropped to 95,800. According to the most recent statistics in 2006, that number decreased to 88,700. \n“The strength of the economy, including the availability of jobs, has a significant effect in what students choose to pursue in their post-undergrad years,” said Steve Marietti, director of pre-law programs for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. “Others may be discouraged to apply to law schools because of the competitive nature of the application process.” \nThe University of Central Florida, alongside the University of California Los Angeles and the University of Texas, is among the schools with the largest number of students applying to law school in America. The university is what law schools call a “feeder school,” or a school with a large undergraduate population full of ambitious students. \n“UCF has more students applying to law school than almost any other college nationwide,” said Russell Schaffer, senior communications manager for Kaplan. “In the most recent figures available for an academic year, 457 students from UCF applied to law school.” \nA Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions survey of law school admissions officers at 190 law schools across the country revealed that about half of the law schools surveyed have reported a drop in applications, making it seem that hopeful future prosecutors and defenders would have an easier time getting into the schools of their choice. \n“The advice Kaplan would give is that, with fewer applications coming in, it’s a good time to act on a desire to go to law school,” said Glen Stohr, assistant director of pre-law programs at Kaplan, “but don’t be complacent about putting together a strong application.” \nWhile the decrease has been steady, Marietti doesn’t see it as being permanent, believing these things tend to exhibit a cyclical nature of increases and decreases. \n“This reduction is actually a temporary phenomenon,” Marietti said. \nEven though there has been a slump in the number of applications coming in, the admissions officers for 79 percent of the schools reported that this has not caused their admissions process to be any less competitive, according to Kaplan’s survey. \n“Applications have gone down over the last couple of years, but it’s still a situation where only 63 percent of students that apply get in,” Stohr said. “We could fall much, much further and still be able to fill seats. The implication is that the quality of applicants is getting stronger. Students have been taking prep more seriously.”
(01/08/08 4:42am)
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – In a continuing battle against depression and stress, Harvard University’s student wellness organizations are teaming up to reach undergraduates – particularly freshman – during this term’s reading period.\nReading period is a break from classes that allows students more time to study before exams. Right before winter break, Harvard’s Undergraduate Council passed the Reading Period Resources Act, which enlists the help of five campus organizations in increasing mental health resource awareness among students.\nTheir input has resulted in an informational pamphlet listing resources, mental health contact information and mental health events, and will be distributed to Harvard students primarily through e-mail this week.\nThe Bureau of Study Council, the Harvard University Health Services Center for Wellness, UHS Mental Health Services, the Harvard College Women’s Center and the Office for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response all contributed to the pamphlet.\nUndergraduate council representative Tamar Holoshitz, who sponsored the legislation, said the idea stemmed from discussions with students and tutors in Quincy House about ways that mental health prevention efforts could be expanded on campus.\n“(Reading period) is the time when students are under the most amount of stress,” Holoshitz said\nSunglim Shin, a counselor at the Bureau of Study Council, concurred.\n“Some students feel like they are running on empty,” Shin said. “They tend to have such a full platter with all of the activities and the commitments that they have.”\nPaul J. Barreira, director of behavioral health and academic counseling at Harvard University Health Services, said Holoshitz and outgoing Undergraduate Council President Ryan A. Petersen came to him with idea of expanding Harvard’s reading period outreach efforts.\n“I think we’ve got to do multiple events to reach students, so that there are a lot of different resources available,” he said. “Students respond in different ways.”
(01/08/08 4:41am)
Tommy G. Thompson, former U.S. Government Health and Human Services secretary and four-term governor of Wisconsin, will visit the William J. Godfrey Graduate and Executive Education Center today to speak with undergraduate and MBA students.\nThe class that’s hosting the event, Business of Life Sciences – Global Events and Trends Impacting the Life Sciences Industries, is part of Kelley’s Academy PLUS Life Sciences MBA study option. The class has about 70 graduate students from the business school, sciences, informatics and the medical school, some of whom will attend through teleconferencing technology.\nThompson is building on his past efforts to develop innovative solutions to the health care challenges facing American families, businesses, communities, states and the nation as a whole, according to an IU media press release.\nThompson will be joined by two other speakers, John Brown of Wellpoint and Ken Weixel of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, according to the press release. \nDan Smith, dean of the Kelley School, said in a press release that Thompson is widely recognized as one of the leading authorities on national and global health care issues and is “truly extraordinary in terms of his insight and candor.”\n“Exposing our students to world-class leaders is one of the things that makes the Kelley School so special,” Smith said in the release. “It is certainly an honor to have Mr. Thompson share his most recent ideas with us.”
(01/07/08 5:03am)
IU implements new text messaging alert service
(01/07/08 5:02am)
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – While other Harvard students spent winter break slaving over papers, the class members of Mind, Brain, and Behavior 152, “Consumable Science,” had a different project: They launched an organization. \nThe Zing, as its founders recently dubbed the enterprise, seeks to give science’s public image a “makeover.” \n“In many people’s eyes, science is not hip,” said psychology professor Marc D. Hauser, who teaches the course. “The idea I had was to put together a class of undergrads and try to see in what ways we can change the face of science.” \nThe organization plans to kick off with a Valentine’s Day “LoveFest” detailing the science of attraction and a $100 T-shirt contest for the best design using the words, “Science Is Sexy.” \nStudents in the group said they chose Feb. 14 hoping the science of love and sex would generate new enthusiasm for science since some worry it comes across as “too geeky.” \n“Valentine’s Day has a very different image than science,” said Zing member and senior Rachel W. Sheketoff. “So we thought merging the two would help change the way people think about science.” \nMembers reported that The Zing’s plans after LoveFest are up in the air, though they plan to recruit more students and perhaps hold a science fair modeled on ArtsFirst. \n“We’re hoping to use LoveFest as a precedent to attract attention and get more people involved,” said senior Susan E. Maya, another Zing member. “But we haven’t decided for sure on other things we want to do.” \nOne step that does seem certain is that the group will be an official student organization with Harvard. \nHauser, who has advised more controversial clubs through the process, said The Zing should have little trouble. \n“I assume it is going to be a no-brainer,” Hauser said with a laugh. “I’m the adviser for (the student sex magazine) H-Bomb, and that was a real challenge.”
(12/12/07 3:29pm)
IU Police Department is currently investigating an assault that occurred early Tuesday morning.\nOfficers were dispatched to Seventh Street and Fess Lane to speak with a man that reported he had just been assaulted, according to an IUPD press release. \nThe victim told officers he was walking on Indiana Avenue when he noticed the suspect looking into windows of houses. After the suspect ran south, the victim approached him until the suspect turned around and attacked the victim, according to the press release. \nThey began fighting and the victim was punched in the forehead but did not receive any injuries. The victim was able to get away from the suspect and hit the emergency phone button on Seventh Street and Fess Lane. The suspect fled toward the IU Student Building, according to the press release. \nThe suspect was described as being a white male, 5-foot-10 to 6-feet-tall, facial hair, medium build, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, tan pants and a blue hooded sweatshirt underneath a tan jacket.\nIUPD is currently investigating the incidient further and if anyone has any information regarding the attacked, they should contact IUPD at 855-4111.
(12/10/07 3:21am)
On Saturday, approximately 1,701 students will graduate in IU-Bloomington’s winter commencement ceremony.\nThe 178th graduation ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in Assembly Hall, with the procession of the graduates beginning at 9:15 a.m.\n John Chambers, the chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems will give the commencement address, according to a press release. A highly honored businessman, Chambers is a philanthropist and humanitarian, as well as an international leader in information technology. Chambers is also a 1975 graduate from of IU’s Kelley School of Business with a Master of Business Administration degree in finance and management.\nThe winter graduation ceremony will be IU President Michael McRobbie’s first ceremony since becoming IU’s 18th president in July. Both undergraduates and graduate students are included in the 1,701 students eligible to participate in graduation. \n“Graduation is an occasion to recognize the achievements of our newest graduates,” McRobbie said in a press release. “We honor them at this ceremony and wish them success in the future. But commencement day doesn’t belong only to them. It also celebrates the family and friends who have supported our graduates along the way. None of us reaches our highest goals without those who love, encourage and support us.” \nAccording to a press release, Chambers will also receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree, conferred by McRobbie, at the graduation ceremony. \nAfter granting this honorary degree to Chambers, McRobbie will deliver a charge to the graduating class, according to a press release. With assistance from Karen Hanson, provost and executive vice president of the IU Bloomington campus, McRobbie will confer degrees to the students. \nMatthew Brunner, a doctoral candidate in the IU Jacobs School of Music, will conduct the IU Commencement Ensemble, providing the processional and recessional accompaniment for the ceremony. Jacobs School of Music Dean Gwyn Richards will lead the graduates and audience in singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Hail to Old IU.”