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(10/03/13 3:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Environmental research in Morgan Monroe State Forest will continue through August 2015 thanks to a grant from the United States Department of Energy.There’s a 150-foot tall metal tower in the forest that measures the effects of climate change in the forest, and it takes hundreds of thousands of dollars to maintain, said Kim Novick, assistant professor in the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs.The grant is worth $562,000.IU researchers hope for a contract renewal after the money is gone, Novick said.The tower is all about micrometeorology, she said.Water and carbon dioxide levels in the air are measured by small instruments that cover the tower. From this data, the tower is able to calculate the amount of photosynthesis in the area.Novick said it’s especially important to collect this data when droughts have become all too common.“Over the course of the past four to five years, we’ve noticed a trend towards increasingly dry conditions,” she said. “In particular, last year, we experienced a very severe drought event that significantly reduced photosynthesis in the middle of the growing season.”The project’s site manager and recent SPEA graduate Tyler Roman says the dry conditions will end up killing trees, species by species.“Our work in the forest is crucial for our understanding of nutrient cycling in natural systems,” Roman said. “In particular, our research will be important in understanding changes in forest dynamics with increasing global carbon dioxide and temperature.”This means no food for plants and less oxygen in the air. Plants die and animals have less to eat. These climate changes hurt the forest’s entire ecosystem.Novick said although warmer weather can be a positive thing for the forest because it elongates the time it has to grow, excessive dryness can cancel out those positive effects.“Tree species have different adaptations to dealing with climatic variation, so we would likely see a change in the species composition of our forests and certain species may not be able to survive in Indiana,” he said.Roman’s job involves maintenance on the tower, but he also does work the tower cannot.He rides to the top of the tree canopy on a boom lift to take measurements, and he measures perspiration in the soil.He said that’s the easy part. Hardware malfunction on the tower is where things get tricky.“That’s the most difficult part of my job, which usually results in having to do quite a bit of troubleshooting,” he said. “This means that I often have to think on the fly and come up with ways to determine which aspect of the data collection system is not working correctly.”He said the tower has seen many updates since it was founded in 1998, so the systems have become complex.“Usually we can tell that something is wrong with a particular instrument, but it isn’t always obvious what is causing the problem,” he said.He said a solution hasn’t been found, but the research points the way to options.“There isn’t really an answer in terms of how to fix these problems, but our research can be key in understanding how to cope with it,” Roman said.Follow reporterAshley Jenkins on Twitter@ashmorganj.
(10/03/13 3:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Eddie Pepitone is a 54-year-old comedian who’s just recently making headway on the comedy scene. He will perform this weekend at the Comedy Attic. There will also be a screening of his autobiographical documentary titled “The Bitter Buddha.”“There will be people who think this is the best show they’ve ever seen,” said Jared Thompson, owner of the Comedy Attic. “He’s by far our most requested comedian.”The first screening is at 8 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $15.More ticket information is available at bitterbuddha.eventbrite.com.Frustrated with a lack of fame after almost two decades of performing, Pepitone is known for often heckling himself. “He’s definitely angry,” Thompson said. “But everything is measured, and it’s just part of his act. He knows what he’s doing when he goes on stage.”His first stand-up album only came out in 2011. After a slow-moving career, Thompson said Pepitone is finally getting what he deserves.“People like him who have done this a long time are getting their dues — recreating their careers,” he said.Pepitone’s up-and-coming career is chronicled in “The Bitter Buddha,” which has earned a “fresh” rating of 94 percent on rottentomatoes.com.“It’s pretty well documented that we book the hippest lineup in the United States,” Thompson said. But Thompson said he tries to book a schedule that anyone can get into.“Although we book a lot of 30-somethings that college kids know, we’re also looking to bring in the everyday comedy fan,” he said. “Pepitone will do that.”He said college students will know Pepitone from his guest starring on shows like “Conan” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”“He has a unique take on the world of stand-up comedy,” Thompson said. “It’s going to be a different show.”Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins in Twitter @ashmorganj.
(10/02/13 3:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Humans have developed three systems of the brain no other animal has, and they all involve sex.Lust, romantic attraction and attachment are the recipe for love, said Helen Fisher, research professor of anthropology at Rutgers University. She discussed the dynamics in a lecture Tuesday night at the Whittenburger Auditorium as part of the Themester 2013 lecture series titled “Connectedness: Networks in a Complex World.”Prior to her presentation, it was announced Fisher will donate her archives to IU’s Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, which co-sponsored the event. In ancient Greece, love was described as the “madness of the gods,” Fisher said. “It can strike at any age, any time, and can be a wonderful and terrible feeling.”Fisher’s research focused on analyzing the individuals we choose to love, and why.She said mate choice is based on similarities in traits such as religion, education, social values and good looks. She said there’s something more to it, but nobody has discovered what it is yet.Match.com asked Fisher to figure it out. She’s the chief scientific advisor for Chemistry.com, a division of Match.com. She drafted a survey to find an answer to their question.Fisher said 30,000 people take the test every week.Test takers answer questions like, “Do you want interesting friends, or loyal friends?”“Mathematically, there’s a huge line drawn between these behaviors,” she said. “They choose their lovers in completely different ways.” Each person surveyed was categorized into four different profiles: explorers, builders, directors and negotiators.She said the people who “go to the same damn bar every single Friday” are often builders. They’re the popular and detail-oriented individuals who are good at scheduling and managing people, and they like consistency, she said. Fischer deemed Hillary Clinton and Margaret Thatcher directors, or individuals who are defined by their strong mind power. These types long for a “mind mate.”She said the survey is available to take for free online.There’s a good chance “friends with benefits” could get a lot more serious in their relationships, she said. 40 percent of women and 53 percent of men have friends with benefits, she said. 45 percent of those friendships will turn into a long term partnership.But Fisher said her survey isn’t fool-proof. When she surveyed herself, she couldn’t be matched. “I live in New York City and there’s not one man for me?” she said.She said now is prime time for romance.“After all my research, I think if there’s ever a time for good relationships and good marriages, it’s now.” Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(10/01/13 2:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When infants are born before their due date, they are more likely to have psychological disorders than babies who spent a full nine months in the womb.But IU researchers have found many correlations between these disorders and preterm birth are weaker than what’s commonly believed. A study revealed that while disorders such as ADHD and autism are directly related to preterm birth, this is not the case for other disorders.Mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have been found to be more influenced by environment and other external factors than by early birth. “There are many factors that influence whether a child who was born premature will later develop problems,” lead researcher Dr. Brian D’Onofrio said. “This includes medical, social, psychological, economic and educational resources.”The study compared siblings in families where one of the children was born preterm. D’Onofrio said the comparison revealed contributors that siblings share, suggesting psychological problems stemmed from problems in the family. “One of our key findings identifies that all siblings in a family where one child was born preterm are at risk for some of the psychological, educational and economic problems that have been correlated with preterm birth,” he said. “The assumption that preterm birth causes all of these outcomes suggests the patient’s siblings do not need services.“Our research, however, indicates that the entire family needs wraparound services to help prevent later problems.”According to the Centers for Disease Control, preterm births affect up to half a million babies a year in the United States, which amounts to one out of every nine births. The trend costs the U.S. health care system more than $26 billion each year. It could begin to cost more when families seek the proper treatment they once thought they didn’t need. The CDC says preterm birth often happens because women are unaware of the risks of everyday habits. Quitting smoking and drinking during pregnancy can eliminate a large portion of the preterm population.But Dr. D’Onofrio said it’s not always that easy. There are other factors to consider, and they can be much more complex. “Preterm birth is a complex trait, meaning it is influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors,” he said. “There are many risks for preterm birth, including poverty, poor prenatal care and infections, to name just a few.”IU psychology professor Irene Vlachos-Weber said the research could give important insight into how the brain is affected by early birth. “In ADHD the executive functioning is affected, which lies in the frontal cortex of the brain, which is the last part to develop,” she said. “Preterms are missing out on important development in-utero.”She said the study could change how preterms are treated in the future. “It could give us important information about prevention and what biological treatments need to be administered,” she said. “It would be helpful to learn what behaviors need to be strengthened in these individuals.”Subjects born between 23 and 27 weeks were found to have a three times greater risk for autism and a two times greater risk for developing ADHD. Although these findings were somewhat suspected, the research came with a surprise. Early gestation was associated with a 50 percent decrease in risk of substance abuse and a 30 percent decrease in risk of criminality. D’Onofrio said he’s not sure why.“Those findings were unexpected, although a lot of the past research on preterm birth with these outcomes has been mixed,” he said. “Perhaps the consequences of preterm birth influence family dynamics so that the children are less likely to engage in such behaviors. Future research is needed to further understand this phenomenon.”Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(09/30/13 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If Lotus Dickey’s spirit was in Bloomington this week, he was happy. That’s what Nan McEntire said about Lotus World Music and Art Festival’s 20th anniversary. A close friend until his death, McEntire said what the festival has grown into over the years would have astounded Dickey.“Since 1994 our job has been to keep this remarkable man alive,” she said. “If only he could see it now.”Saturday’s Lotus in the Park featured a workshop on Dickey’s music. McEntire said it was crucial people learn his story. “Not enough people know about him,” she said. “People think the word ‘Lotus’ just refers to the flower when it’s really the name of an amazing man.”There weren’t enough seats under the tent where McEntire and others gave a workshop on Dickey’s original songs. People flooded into the sun outside the tent, singing along. Some read from a handout. Others knew the words by heart.Once upon a time, Dickey didn’t even know what a workshop was, McEntire said. “‘Do I bring a toolbox?’” she said he asked concerning the first one he was ever invited to. “‘What are we making?’”She threw her head back and laughed.“He was so talented but so humble,” she said. As always, nighttime brought louder music. It caught volunteer and IU graduate student Frances Winfrey off guard.She’s from a town in Arkansas with fewer residents than IU has students. She’s lived here for only two months.“I thought it would be a small street fest,” Winfrey said. “I had no idea it was this huge. I’m just amazed, watching the people. There’s so many from all these different places.”She said the 20th anniversary was good timing for her first taste of Lotus Festival. “It’s great to be part of something so special,” she said. “People get really into this.”Powered by 500 volunteers, this year’s festival had more helpers than ever. The first festival in 1994 had only 30 volunteers, Volunteer Coordinator Tamara Loewenthal said.Loewenthal said Lotus would be impossible without them, and they always exceed expectations.“They produce astounding results that leave me and many of our patrons in awe,” she said. At Kirkwood and Washington streets, where Winfrey was volunteering Saturday night, a crowd waved flags and giant, glittering tribal masks in the Lotus Parade. Nearby, street performer and magician Jimbo Yaya entertained the crowd by shouting a narration of card tricks. His connection to Lotus comes after a long and winding road.Four years ago, he let his son throw a dart at a map, and it landed on Bloomington. He uprooted his family in Delaware and they ventured here. It was his 38th move. The Bloomington school district is his son’s seventh. This being Yaya’s 40th year performing, he said he’s glad to be in Bloomington. “It’s a groovy, groovy town, and everyone is so responsive,” he said. “We just have a great time.”By the time Yaya’s son grows up, the spirit of Lotus will still be upheld here. Lotus Development Director Kristen Varella said there’s no quitting anytime in the foreseeable future.“As we talk about the past 20 years, we are working to grow our endowment to ensure we will be around for 20 more,” she said. Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(09/25/13 3:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Feminism discourses are often misconstrued for both men and women, according to the members of Lambda Upsilon Lambda. The group aimed to combat these misconceptions Tuesday night at the Latino Cultural Center in a discussion titled “Feminism for Men.” IU junior and Lambda Upsilon Lambda member José Medrano Lopez organized the talk in partnership with the sorority Sigma Lambda Upsilon. “There’s a misconception being a feminist means you have to hate men, and we want to clear that up,” Lopez said. “I think there’s two sides to it that need to be addressed,” said sophomore Juan-José Jaramillo. “There are men who feel hated by feminists, and there are feminists who actually hate men.”IU senior Haley Church said she was ostracized by girls in a gender studies class her freshman year because they thought she too willingly conformed to gender roles; Church said she loves to bake. “They shamed me for it,” she said.It’s a reaction IU junior Elias Orfan said is “colossally absurd,” and all too common. He said he thinks a true feminist shouldn’t care.“Isn’t that the whole point of feminism — inclusion?” Orfan said. “You’re being exclusionary when you set a standard for what a feminist isn’t allowed to do.”Lillian Casillas-Origel, director of La Casa, said the men were the most active participants in the talk. She said she thinks both the men and women benefited from the discussion. “Anytime you understand the lens that another person is looking through, it makes you a better human being,” she said.Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(09/23/13 3:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Memorial Stadium bled cream and crimson Saturday.The release of IU Athletics’ new video, “We Are IU,” got plenty of spirit pumping at Saturday’s game.“I’m extremely pleased with the crowd reaction,” said Andrew Rosner, director of business development at IU Athletics. “Throughout our promotional blitz this past week you could tell Hoosier fans were excited for the video to be released.”Crafted by the creators of “This Is Indiana,” Daniel Weber and Brice Fox, “We Are IU” is the ballad for a new brand of IU football. The video was set to premiere Oct. 5, but videographer Rory Kramer said the excitement to show it to the public was overwhelming. Hoosiers were all ears, ready to soak it all in.“The fans were glued to the video board last night as we debuted the video,” Rosner said Sunday. The video has gone viral with more than two million views on YouTube. “I think ‘We Are IU’ will unify Hoosier football fans just like ‘This Is Indiana’ did,” Rosner said. “I can’t wait to see how this energizes our fan base over the course of this season and beyond.”Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(09/13/13 4:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A 67-year-old art exhibit once forbidden from the world stage has found its way onto campus. “Art Interrupted” is the resurrection of a 1946 show that attempted to establish an American cultural identity, but died a premature death because Congress thought it too controversial. It will be on display at the IU Art Museum Sept. 14 through Dec. 15.The collection features more than 100 pieces of American art from the mid-1930s to the mid-1940s.The original show, “Advancing American Art,” was created by a then-hopeful U.S. State Department. Intentions were good.“It was meant to function as a tool of cultural diplomacy,” said Jenny McComas, curator of Western art after 1800. After World War II, America was tasting the fruits of a newfound confidence, and the State Department wanted to showcase the rich, artful culture that had developed here, McComas said.It was something that countries like Germany and the Soviet Union, where art was largely government controlled, didn’t have, so Art Curator J. Leroy Davidson was hired to construct a traveling exhibit showing off American art.“Davidson selected works that expressed a wide range of styles and subject matters to show American democracy fostered freedom of expression,” McComas said. “He had a specific message in mind.”But the execution of the message wasn’t to everyone’s liking. A public debate was sparked. “Advancing American Art” was supposed to travel to Latin America and Europe, but it only made it to Haiti, Cuba and Czechoslovakia.Since the show featured many left-minded artists, many thought it had Communist undertones that misrepresented the United States. The show was ripped from its tour months after it started. It was supposed to last five years. “It will remind audiences that art and politics often have a relationship, one that continues to be relevant to us now,” McComas said. “There is often great resistance to publicly fund the arts today, just as there was in the mid-twentieth century.”The show contains 117 paintings by masters of their time, including Georgia O’Keefe, Ben Shahn and Stuart Davis. Other featured artists aren’t as well-known, but their works all depict a space in time when America was still trying to find its place in the art world.Though the current exhibit doesn’t contain all the original pieces from “Advancing American Art,” as many of the pieces were auctioned off by the War Assets Administration, “Art Interrupted” still presents the messages of its predecessor.“This exhibition gives us the opportunity to rediscover them all,” McComas said.Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(09/09/13 4:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Kevin MacDowell is a performer with no shame. His stage name is “Kid Kazooey,” and “lively, well adjusted, Bloomingtonian kids” are his target audience. He’s been performing at schools and other venues for 17 years. “I make as much of a living as I can at this,” he said. “My favorite thing is to get up in front of people. I can’t not do it.”He’s an IU alum with a master’s degree in library sciences, but a former youth minister. MacDowell said he’s always loved working with kids. He commutes to preschools and kindergartens around town to teach music once a week. Brian Moeller, who has two daughters that attend the Bloomington Developmental Learning Center where MacDowell visits, brought his family to watch one of his sets at Max’s Place Sunday. Moeller said MacDowell never gets boring. “He’s so funny, and he makes smart references for the adults,” he said. Despite a small audience of 14 people, Sunday’s set ran over an hour. MacDowell kept the momentum going with a neon green plastic kazoo and matching electric guitar. As kids knocked over plates of pizza and ran circles in the “preschool mosh pit,” he joked about “how hard it really is” to be Kid Kazooey. “Come on guys, pay a little attention,” he said into the microphone. “This is my job!”Brimming with energy and good humor, he’s a well-seasoned musician with a lot to offer Bloomington youth. When he’s not visiting schools or playing on stage, he teaches private lessons for a small mess of instruments, from typical ones like piano to rarer ones like the accordion. Phoebe Wolfskill, an IU art history professor whose son has taken an interest in ukulele, said he’s a great presence in local kids’ lives.“My kids have grown up with him,” she said. “He remembers everyone’s names and takes a real interest in them. And they all love him back.”Kid Kazooey will perform again at Max’s Place Oct. 13.“Performance is just so rewarding, but I just don’t make a lot,” he said. “So I like to teach.”Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(09/06/13 4:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Comedy Attic is welcoming some new talent to its stage this weekend.Winners and semifinalists of the Bloomington Comedy Festival will perform their original acts every night through Saturday as part of the Fifth Annual Best of the Fest. The event kicked off Thursday, when a crowd of about 50 people showed up to check out the budding comedians.Although Thursday’s audience was small, Comedy Attic owner Jared Thompson said he expects to reel in bigger crowds Friday and Saturday.“We’ll have more student turnout during the weekend for this,” he said.Annie Lorenzano, a newcomer to the Comedy Attic, was there Thursday to cheer on Jon Hancuff, winner of Bloomington’s Funniest Person contest at the festival and her co-worker from Cook Medical.“Everyone at work was really supportive of him doing the contest,” she said. “I’m excited to finally see him on stage.”Lorenzano said seeing Bloomington’s best all in one night was a good way to start going to comedy clubs.“I’ve never been before, but I want to go more,” she said. “It’s cool that my first time here is at an all-local show.”Each night of the show, Hancuff will perform along with the other five top finishers, Josh Cocks, David Britton, Melinda Kashner, Jonas Schrodt and Stephanie Lochbihler.Thompson said Hancuff dominated the competition, and although the winner is usually determined by the comedian’s previously earned popularity, Hancuff seemed to have no trouble rounding up some new fans. “He brought friends and family, but from the general feeling of the audience, I knew he was going to win,” Thompson said. Thompson said he doesn’t watch the competition. He said because he’s friends with some of the competitors, he’d rather leave the decision to an unbiased crowd.“I don’t have to see it,” he said. “You can tell by the rhythm of the room how good someone is, and he got some pretty loud responses at key times.”And timing is important. Thompson said it’s especially so for the host, who’s responsible for keeping pace with the show throughout the set. Because all of this weekend’s performers have braved that task before, Thompson said the comedians have learned from the headliners the Comedy Attic has hosted in the past. “Students get to see a much better opening here than in any other city,” he said. “In Bloomington, we get a lot of comedians who have made a name for themselves, and all six of these folks have worked here on the weekend to set the table for bigger stars. This is their turn.”Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(09/03/13 4:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU will have a new football anthem come October.The creators of “This is Indiana,” Daniel Weber and Brice Fox, began filming the new song’s video at Thursday’s football game and kept the cameras rolling all weekend.“Your heart will beat faster when you watch it,” Weber said. “You can’t not get pumped up about it.”Approached this summer by Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass to make a “This Is Indiana” for football, the IU alumni said they have been working on mixes and beats for months.The title of the song was not disclosed, but the video will premiere Oct. 5 between the third and fourth quarters of the Penn State game.“It’s all about momentum,” Fox said. “This season is a new beginning for IU football, and this will be the theme song.”Ninety-degree heat was no match for the almost 100 cheerleaders, band members, IU Redsteppers and students who showed up to the stadium for a filming callout Saturday afternoon. Weber said they got more than enough good footage.“The energy is infectious,” Weber said. “We think it will really translate through the video.”He said Thursday’s tailgate-goers should look for themselves on the screen. The crew wanted to make the video chronicle a full game day, and filming also took place at the tailgate fields. “We wanted to catch the hype that an IU game can generate,” Weber said.The song features local rapper Isaac Lightfoot, whose vocals were recorded in Fox’s hotel room.“We clipped a microphone to one of the lamps, and he just went for it,” Weber said. “The sound is amazing.”Weber said Lightfoot will be the face of the new video. Fox said he keeps the song in tune with IU’s famous school spirit.“Everything looks like a party,” Fox said.And this video will look much better than its basketball counterpart, according to its makers. Since “This is Indiana” was filmed during the winter, most of the filming happened indoors. The new video captures a more attractive, outdoor IU, Weber said.“Everything was picture-perfect,” he said. “It’s going to be so much better. Everything’s faster, brighter, more colorful. It’s just more exciting.”Fox and Weber said the project’s videographer, IU alumnus Roy Kramer, will make it a three-minute masterpiece.“He was just too perfect for the project,” Fox said. “He had such an eye for the shots, and his talent will make the video what it is.”Fox said while they proved themselves with “This is Indiana,” this new song benefited from having support from Glass and IU Athletics.“This just needs to be part of the whole new movement,” he said. “If it doesn’t get people excited about IU football, we didn’t do our job.”Weber and Fox said they’re not worried about it. “It keeps you on your toes, just like this season will,” Weber said.Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(08/28/13 9:28pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There’s a new club on campus, and founders said they have high hopes it will bring IU students closer together. Graduate student Nathan Montgomery has created the Chinese Film Society at IU and will be host to the first of its film screenings tonight.“One of my primary goals of this organization is to foster intercultural dialogue,” he said.According to the University’s website, IU Bloomington is home to more than 6,000 international students. Montgomery said a majority of them are Chinese, and his film project will be a chance for all demographics of students to connect.“I think it would be a shame for domestic students to lose an opportunity to broaden their horizons and for Chinese students to interact with non-Chinese and find common ground,” he said.He said misconceptions between students from China and America on campus have been discouraging to him. He said he hopes to knock down some cultural barriers.“From hearing conversations in English and Chinese on campus, I know there are quite a few unfortunate perceptions of different groups here,” he said. “I hope this organization can help break down those walls.”The screenings will take place at 7 p.m. Thursdays in room 150 of the Student Building.The first film to be shown, “Farewell My Concubine,” is a Cannes Film Festival award winner. He said he and Zhou Zhifei, another key member of the society who studied film in undergrad in China, put a lot of thought into what films would be shown. “We talked about what films we think might be both high quality and have enough popular appeal to attract audiences,” Montgomery said. He said he thinks anyone and everyone should be able to find something of value in the films.“The more diverse the audience, the better,” Montgomery said. “A freshman from Indiana and a Ph.D. student from China will both be able to get something out of the screenings and following discussions.”He said the discourse that will develop among viewers will make them more sympathetic to the mixed society we live in. “I’m looking forward to meeting people who are interested in engaging Chinese cinema and the special questions it poses to us as people living in a globalized world,” Montgomery said. Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(08/27/13 2:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Time is running out to see two special exhibits at the Kinsey Institute.“Face Value” and “Casual Encounters” will leave the Kinsey gallery Aug. 30.“Both of these exhibits really gave us the chance to explore themes we don’t usually deal with,” said Garry Milius, associate curator of the gallery. “Face Value” delves into the ways in which artists depict themselves and others through portraiture, hence the name. A collection of paintings, photographs, drawings and even stitchwork of faces, the exhibit may take people by surprise, curator Catherine Johnson-Roehr said.“It’s not something you’d really expect out of a Kinsey gallery,” she said. “It’s not as explicitly sexual, but it still has an important message to be shared.”Milius said the works have a way of getting the viewer to connect with the subject, wherein more overt sexual depictions may be intimidating.“The portraits are intriguing in a different way,” he said. “It has to do more with the identity of a person rather than just their likeness.”With more portraits than wall space, the curators said they made sure to choose the good, the bad and the ugly. “We don’t focus on young, beautiful people,” Johnson-Roehr said. “We try to get one of everything.”The show features photos of an old woman in a belly-dancing costume, a nude breast cancer survivor and a cervical cancer patient in a doctor’s office with her feet in examining table stirrups. “Showing your struggles through portraiture, whether nude or not, can be so empowering,” Johnson-Rohr said. “This is how these people get over their fears and insecurities.”But the hallway has a contradicting theme. That is where “Casual Encounters” is displayed, and Milius said he tried to make it especially non-personal. “Sex is a personal matter at first glance,” Milius said. “But anonymity is as huge an aspect as any. I think most people have the fantasy of having sex with someone they don’t know, at least at some point in their lives.”From snapshots of footprints and claw marks in freshly-sexed sand to sketches of salesmen being fellated, the downstairs corridor focuses on just that: stranger sex. “Alleyways, bathrooms, the beach — they’re all places people do it quick and dirty,” Milius said. “I tried to capture the rushed, impersonal nature of it.”Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(08/27/13 12:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Paul Brunner, head of theater technology at IU, was elected to the board of directors at the United States Institute for Theater Technology.The USITT is the most prominent organization for theater design and technology in the country.Along with his nomination, Brunner will be overseeing the construction of U.S. exhibits at the 2015 Prague Quadrenniel, the world’s biggest competition in entertainment design and architecture.Brunner said he has a lot on his plate this year. “I’m very humbled to be elected to the Board of Directors at USITT,” he said. “I take very seriously the responsibility my fellow theater artisans have instilled in me.” As a director at USITT, Brunner will superintend the direction. He will also be in charge of the policy of the institute. But Brunner said he didn’t initially think he could do such tasks.Last year, when he was approached by a friend about a potential nomination, he said he thought he lacked the experience. He said he thought he was too young. Brunner is only 37.“I thought I was a little too young to aspire to the board,” he said. “But when I was approached by two other colleagues who also wanted to nominate me, I felt the timing was better than I knew.”He said it was a surprise he didn’t mind, though.“You never know what people think of your research presentations,” he said. “I guess more people know me than I thought.” Brunner’s been a member of USITT since his undergrad days. As a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his research presentations on alternative stage scenery materials got him noticed in 1999. He’s been researching and presenting his findings at USITT’s National Conference ever since.The freshly-elected director said his new role in the association will be a chance to show some appreciation for how far it’s helped him come.“It may sound cliché, but I can’t wait to give back to USITT,” he said. “It’s provided me with opportunities to present and network with theater makers from all over.”He said knowing how to network and make connections is the most important part of what he does. “More than anything else, I’m a collaborator,” Brunner said. He said it’s a job that doesn’t come easily. “Collaboration, particularly in an artistic field, requires face-to-face interactions to create great productions,” he said. “It means a busy year of meetings, lots and lots of meetings.”He’s currently taking conference calls and Skyping to discuss the conceptual ideas for the 2015 Prague Quadrennial.“At this point, my job for the PQ is to listen very carefully to my fellow members of the creative team to decipher exactly what is the essence of the design and exhibit,” he said. Along with listening to and directing his team members, Brunner will be in charge of researching materials and the feasibility of the ideas according to the budget.Fortunately for his IU students, Brunner said he wants to make sure they get a taste of all the hard work. What his team comes up with in Prague will be built at the IU Scenic Studio in summer 2014. In March 2015, their creation will be packed into a shipping container, which will not be seen again until they travel to Prague to set it up in June. He said the cultural barrier will prove to be a challenge for all of them. He attended the last PQ in 2011, where he got an idea of how overwhelming the process can be. Brunner said after dealing with broken parts, learning the metric system, getting acquainted with weird electrical outlets and all the foreign languages, he felt as if he was in a whirlwind of confusion and pressure.“But I discovered theater artisans are much the same all around the world,” he said. “They’re willing to collaborate with each other in amazing ways.”He said taking his students overseas for the project will be something to remember. “I think it’s pretty neat to think that IU students will be representing our campus and country at what has come to be known as the Olympics of performance and design,” Brunner said.Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(08/27/13 12:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>One IU professor’s résumé is rising among higher ranks. Paul Brunner, head of theater technology at IU, was elected to the board of directors at the United States Institute for Theater Technology, the most prominent organization for theater design and technology.Between that and overseeing the construction U.S. exhibits at the 2015 Prague Quadrenniel, the world’s biggest competition in entertainment design and architecture, Brunner has a lot on his plate this year. “I’m very humbled to be elected to the Board of Directors at USITT,” he said. “I take very seriously the responsibility my fellow theater artisans have instilled in me.” As a director at USITT, Brunner will superintend the direction and policy of the institute. But last year, when he was approached by a friend about a potential nomination, he said he thought he lacked the experience, partly because he’s only 37.“I thought I was a little too young to aspire to the board,” he said. “But when I was approached by two other colleagues who also wanted to nominate me, I felt the timing was better than I knew.”He said it was a surprise he didn’t mind.“You never know what people think of your research presentations,” he said. “I guess more people know me than I thought.” Brunner’s been a member of USITT since his undergrad days. As a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his research presentations on alternative stage scenery materials got him noticed in 1999, and he’s been researching and presenting his findings at USITT’s National Conference ever since.The freshly-elected director said his new role in the association will be a chance to show some appreciation for how far it’s helped him come.“It may sound cliché, but I can’t wait to give back to USITT,” he said. “It’s provided me with opportunities to present and network with theater makers from all over.”He said knowing how to network and make connections is the most important part of what he does. “More than anything else, I’m a collaborator,” Brunner said. He said it’s a job that doesn’t come easily. “Collaboration, particularly in an artistic field, requires face-to-face interactions to create great productions,” he said. “It means a busy year of meetings, lots and lots of meetings.”He’s currently taking conference calls and Skyping to discuss the conceptual ideas for the 2015 Prague Quadrennial.“At this point, my job for the PQ is to listen very carefully to my fellow members of the creative team to decipher exactly what is the essence of the design and exhibit,” he said. He’ll also be in charge of researching materials and the feasibility of the ideas according to the budget.Fortunately for his IU students, Brunner said he wants to make sure they get a taste of all the hard work. What his team comes up with in Prague will be built at the IU Scenic Studio in summer 2014. In March 2015, their creation will be packed into a shipping container and it won’t be seen again until they travel to Prague to set it up in June. He said the cultural barrier will prove to be a challenge for all of them. He attended the last PQ in 2011, where he got an idea of how overwhelming the process can be. After dealing with broken parts, learning the metric system, getting acquainted with weird electrical outlets and all the foreign languages, it’s a whirlwind of confusion and pressure. “But I discovered theater artisans are much the same all around the world,” he said. “They’re willing to collaborate with each other in amazing ways.”He said taking his students overseas for the project will be something to remember. “I think it’s pretty neat to think that IU students will be representing our campus and country at what has come to be known as the Olympics of performance and design,” Brunner said.Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj.
(08/25/13 10:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Hundreds braved the heat this weekend to attend one of the last birthday parties of the summer. Taps could hardly catch a break Saturday at Upland Brewery during a carnival-style birthday bash celebrating its 15th anniversary.“We’ve been sharing, drinking and making beer for a long time,” said Leah Brouff-Bodion, who has worked at Upland for six years. “It’s part of what this town’s all about.”During the day, temperatures neared the 90s, but Brouff-Bodion said it didn’t deter heavy foot traffic from coming through the gate.“I’m surprised by how many people actually showed up,” Brouff-Bodion said as she filled a customer’s cup from the outdoor tap truck. “I thought it’d be too hot, but we had a huge turnout.”Midway-style games lined the back parking lot. Billed as a family event, the party included bungee climbing and prizes. But nighttime saw slower attendance. Small toys and brewery bumper stickers littered the ground. Employees stepped aside to let remaining customers try the dunk tanks, and the outdoor reception area began to clear. By that time, the 200 tickets for the tasting of 15 different brews, created specifically for the event, sold out. Brewed in batches of 10 gallons each, the making of the birthday beers started months ago, according to Caleb Staton, head brewer at Upland. Guests paid $5 for a card that allowed them to sample each of the beers once. After tasting the beers, guests voted for their favorite.The brew with the most votes would graduate from the microbrewing process and move onto bigger production.Experimental recipes included flavors like pie and s’mores. But Boggy Myrtle, an ale dark in color but light in taste, took the prize.Mark Luxmat is an Upland regular who attended the party and came for lunch Sunday afternoon. When he discovered his favorite brew won, he threw his head back and laughed.“A lot of my appreciation for beer came from my dad,” he said. “And that stuff was good. I’m pleased it won.” Angela Schnick, vice president of retail operations sales and marketing at Upland, said consumers could expect Boggy Myrtle to be available in stores soon. “The date is to be determined, but we’ll eventually have it on tap,” Brouff-Bodion said.Luxmat said he’s been coming to the brewery since 2002. A Bloomington resident since 1984, he said Upland has done well keeping up with the bustling town. “If you’re going to open a business in Bloomington, you gotta be good,” he said. “And these guys know what they’re doing.”He said he’s glad the brewery and bar has lasted 15 years. “They really take care of us, the customers,” he said. “I wish them many, many more years to come.”Follow reporter Ashley Jenkins on Twitter @ashmorganj
(08/22/13 2:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Award-winning humor arrived in town just in time for the last weekend of summer vacation. Comedian Ali Wong is scheduled to perform at the Comedy Attic Aug. 22-24. “There’s just something about her. She’s young and will have credibility with students,” said Jared Thompson, owner of the Comedy Attic. Voted “Best Comedian of 2009” by her hometown’s SF Weekly, a San Francisco weekly newspaper, Wong has a reputation Thompson is looking forward to seeing her uphold.Keen to making personal jokes, Wong's humor reflects her Asian heritage.Thompson said he’s looking forward to the non-aversion to comments about race.“We’re a welcoming city, and I think there’s a high demand for her kind of humor here,” he said. He said he’s expecting the unexpected. “I’m looking forward to what she does when her legs are stretched out,” he said.
(08/19/13 6:14pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Roots that run deep in Hoosier culture have grown up to be some of the strongest not only in Bloomington, but in the state.This month, one of six Governor’s Arts Awards was given to Traditional Arts Indiana, an organization partnered with IU that surveys the state to find and promote local folk and traditional artists.And in a state where nearly 53,000 residents are employed in the arts, and previous winners include creative legends like Robert Indiana and Kurt Vonnegut, the recognition says a lot.“Having directed Traditional Arts Indiana at IU for the past decade, it is greatly rewarding to see our work honored with a Governor’s Arts Award,” said director of TAI Jon Kay in a press release. The award, whose recipients are determined by a panel of venerable representatives of Indiana’s arts, education, public and private sectors, is given for making a positive impact on Indiana’s art culture. Anyone, from a single individual to a large city, can earn it.“I know what it takes to make a good folk arts program,” Kay said. “And by partnering with libraries, state parks and other community organizations around the state, we ensure that our programs reach a large and diverse audience.”The organization has a strong track record to back their success. Nine years after its inception, TAI was legally recognized as Indiana’s official folk and traditional arts organization in 2007. It’s also received more National Endowment for the Arts grant funds than nearly any other unit on campus.But unlike some may assume, the fruits of TAI’s labor didn’t come from writing fund proposals out of an office. Lots of legwork went into getting this far. “Our program is driven by strong place-based research,” Kay said. “We do fieldwork throughout the state, interviewing and photographing artist and their work on wide variety of topics.”According to Kay, TAI does about one large “folklife survey” a year, where it identifies, networks with and starts public programming for 30 to 50 artists statewide. Many of Indiana’s cultural hotspots are documented on an interactive map that TAI has compiled, which is featured on its website. Right now, 232 artists are tagged and listed on the map according to what they do.“From African American quilters and Amish buggy makers to bluegrass fiddlers and mariachi ensembles, Indiana is home to a diverse array of traditions,” Kay said. “The Governor’s award recognizes the value of the everyday creative lives of Hoosiers and TAI’s work supporting it.”Other recipients of this year’s awards include philanthropist Christel DeHaan, music educator and vocalist Cynthia Hartshorn, singer/songwriter John Hiatt of Nashville, Tenn., Bloomington mayor Mark Kruzan, and the late director, producer and actor Sydney Pollack.First Lady Karen Pence, known by many as an artist herself, will serve as honorary chair at the awards ceremony Sept. 26 at the Carmel Center for the Performing Arts. “The arts mean a great deal to me personally, but even more importantly, Mike and I realize the significant impact the arts have in our state,” Pence said in a press release. “To be sure, the arts enhance our quality of life, but they also contribute to further economic development, tourism and excellence in education, which make Indiana a great place to live and work.”
(07/24/13 11:52pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Eighteen was IU’s lucky number last week.It’s the number of fine arts degrees offered on campus, and it’s what earned IU the No. 6 spot on the list of “50 U.S. Colleges Where Art Programs Abound,” a ranking by the College Database.“The ranking offers further evidence that IU is a place where the arts continue to thrive and grow,” said Ryan Piurek, director of news and media communications at IU. He said the University’s strong arts involvement not only benefits students, but helps the community flourish. “Studies have shown that a strong arts community such as ours plays an essential role in a state’s economic and cultural well-being,” Piurek said.What makes an arts community a good one?“Strong degree programs, esteemed faculty, talented students, and a wealth of cultural resources to support our faculty and students,” Piurek said.Although IU offers a lengthy list of arts-related degrees from different schools, such as Arts Management from SPEA, they’re not the only ones available. Students can construct their own arts degrees, and they’ve created several through the Individualized Major Program offered at IU. Stage Management, Music Business, Animation and Medical Illustration are just a few of the many arts-related degrees students have crafted for themselves. Thirty of the 79 students participating in IMP have artistic majors, according to Kristen Murphy, student services assistant at IU’s IMP office.She said although multiple students might be working on the same IMP degree, they could each be taking very different ways to finish it.“Since every IMP student designs their own curriculum, just because two students have chosen the same title for their majors doesn’t mean the majors are identical,” Murphy said. Through the IMP, students can pursue degrees not offered by the college. Erin Ritchie, an IU senior majoring in poster design, said the University could do a better job with curriculum structure. “I feel like there’s a lot of time and money wasted in the process behind a lot of fine arts degrees here,” Ritchie said. She said for such an esteemed ranking, she wishes she felt she had received a better education. “The fundamental courses, like drawing, 3D and 2D, are useless,” she said. “You repeat all the lessons and material in first-level classes after you complete the fundamentals. I felt bored. I didn’t feel like I was able to stretch my creativity.”She said although parts of the fine arts degree pursuit are not as satisfying as they could be, she’s thankful for skills she didn’t expect to learn, like welding. “I learned a lot that I just didn’t expect to learn in a college classroom,” Ritchie said. “After finishing the first couple tedious years in the arts school, in the end I’m glad for the path I chose.”Piurek said the new arts degree ranking will be used in future marketing to attract prospective arts students.“One of our key selling points is the diversity of our artistic programs,” he said. “Students know they can come to IU for a first-rate education in whatever artistic field interests them.”
(07/21/13 11:24pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Where beer drinking meets an appreciation for creativity, tasty things can happen.About 70 breweries and their crafts were on the menu Saturday at the Indiana Microbrewers Festival at the Indianapolis Art Center and Optimist Park in Broad Ripple Village.“If you really love craft beer, you won’t miss it,” said Shalise Lee, a five-year volunteer. “It’s huge.”She was right.Every ticket, at a price of $40 or more, was sold.“I’ll be here the whole time,” festivalgoer Chris Miller said. “This is where it’s at.”And it was — 6,000 people, each wielding a three-ounce sampling glass, were ready to taste the fest’s more than 300 craft beers, poured by the brains who created them.Indiana’s oldest brewery, Broad Ripple Brewpub, was flowing three of its eight beers on tap.Sharon Treeter of the brewery said microbrewing allows for more experimentation and, in turn, a more unique selection of beer.“Microbrewing is making a smaller amount than normal so there’s less risk in trying new things,” Treeter said. “There’s less commitment.”Several not-so-obvious flavors included dark and thick ones such as coffee, oatmeal and even French toast.Beatnik Blonde was one of the lightest beers to be found at the festival, created by Tom Hynes of Three Pints Brewing in Plainfield, Ind.It was named for his daughter, an IU graduate.“It’s light but complex at the same time,“ Hynes said. “Unconventional, like she is.”Hynes’ brew Yoshi’s Nectar was named for his son, also an IU graduate, who had a knack for Nintendo.“Beers can have personalities just like people can,” Hynes said. Similarly, the first impression is important.And the second, and the third.“A good beer is consistent, no exceptions,” said Spencer Turner, a Bier Brewery employee. “The last drink has to taste like the first.”But when it comes to what tastes good, festival attendee Peter Tanasovich said he has a less conventional philosophy.“The more it tastes like a bad case of B.O. the better,” Tanasovich claimed. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s something about the hops.”Fortunately his girlfriend, Courtney LaFavor, said she appreciates something a little more appetizing.And she said she’s not shy about spending the cash to get it.“I’ll drop 12 bucks on a single bottle if it’s good enough,” she said. “Not always, but sometimes it’s totally worth it.”What’s worth it is a revenue of approximately $250,000 handed over by thirsty attendees.That’s how much Saturday’s festival raked in from beer and ticket sales.The money will be shared between the Indianapolis Art Center, Optimist Park, local breweries and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the festival’s event coordinator Jason Larrison said. In the past the festival has raised more than $40,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and expects to have raised a similar amount this year.“Good quality beer, friends, giving back — it’s all for a good cause,” Larrison said.