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(02/08/07 4:39am)
Without Kevin Smith, "Catch and Release" would have just been romantic without the comedy. "Catch" is the story of Gray Wheeler (Jennifer Garner) putting her life back together after the sudden death of her fiancé. Co-starring Kevin Smith as the best friend and Juliette Lewis as the kooky ex, the movie has a formula for success.\nAfter Grady's death, Gray begins learning about secrets from his past, including a 4-year-old kid he's been supporting. After the money stops because of Grady's death, the mother of the child (Lewis) crashes Gray's life and sets up shop in a hotel close to Gray's house. She begins coming over and we learn about her quirky behavior and her kid's desire to destroy almost everything. Among all this chaos, Gray begins falling for Fritz, the sleazy guy from the funeral.\nPerhaps the best part of this movie is the emotional development of the characters. I left the movie caring about Gray and the adorable kid as well. Smith provides some much needed comic relief (90 percent of the laughs come from him), but I can't tell if it's because he is a talented actor or because he is so ludicrously casted. It's probably more of the latter, but I was impressed to see Silent Bob so animated.\nThe movie has some genuinely funny moments in (see Sam trying to teach a kid how to fish) and can elicit an emotional response from the audience (see Sam give the kid his father's fishing hat before they go fishing). However, there are also many parts of the film that drag on and I was bored as much as I was truly laughing. The movie could have easily been 25 minutes shorter.\nAll told, the movie is not as bad I thought it would be. As far as romantic comedies go, this one is pretty typical and follows the same formula. I guess the formula (you know, the girl gets heart broken, seeks out an at-first unimpressive love interest but then we learn to love him and they live happily ever after) works and is in place for a reason.\nJennifer Garner is as beautiful as ever and lights up the screen whenever she is on it. Garner carries the movie, and watching Smith is, if anything, interesting.
(02/01/07 4:51am)
When it comes to creating chocolate art, as in any trade, there are artisans. The chefs that participated in the "The Art of Chocolate" Sunday at the IU Art Museum were all such chocolatiers. "The Art of Chocolate" was just one event that comprises the ongoing Week of Chocolate, a celebration of chocolate and the local community.\nThe week kicked off on Saturday with "The History of Chocolate" at the Monroe County History Center and featured delectable chocolate desserts from historic restaurants and bakeries around Monroe County that are no longer in business. One of these restaurants was the once popular Tao Resturant, a Bloomington staple in the 1970s. Its Coffee Toffee Pie was recreated using an old recipe book. Susan Rinne, executive director of Options For Better Living, lived in Bloomington in the '70s and has a Tao Restaurant recipe book. Rinne was a big fan of Coffee Toffee Pie, but her favorite chocolate dessert came from the IU Memorial Union.\n"My favorite was going to the sweet shop (Sugar and Spice) in the Union and getting a chocolate oatmeal cookie. After a test I would go straight to the sweet shop and get one. It was the most incredible cookie in the world, there was nothing like it," Rinne said. \nThe Week of Chocolate continued on Sunday with "The Art of Chocolate" at the IU Art Musuem. "The Art of Chocolate" featured wine tasting (courtesy of Oliver Winery) and chocolate creations from eight local chefs. Approximately 150 people sampled concoctions such as chocolate candies and chocolate chili. Melissa Copas, development director for Options For Better Living, said chefs attend "The Art of Chocolate" to showcase the beauty of their dishes.\nOne of the chefs there was Kristen Tallant, the pastry chef for the local Tallant Restarant. Tallant made a Mexican spice chocolate crema with a cinnamon whipped cream and homemade churros on top. "Churros" are fried dough, similar to doughnuts, that are common in Latin America. "Crema" is a custard, with a consistency somewhere between a mousse and a pudding. The ingredients in the crema included red wine with chilis and cinnamon infused throughout. The crema was served in a silver bowl with a churro placed neatly on top.\nDavid Tallant, husband of Kristen and chef at Tallant restaurant, explained his wife's creative process.\n"First, she makes sure the dish tastes good," he said. "Then it must also look nice. People tend to taste with their eyes initially. If something doesn't look good (people) won't eat it."\nChocolate company BLU Boy Chocolate also attended "The Art of Chocolate."\n"We really feel that chocolate is a luxury item," said David Fletcher, BLU Boy Chocolate pastry chef and chocolatier. "We make a great effort to pay tribute to the special quality that chocolate can have. We do that visually. Something that looks lovely is appealing. Chocolate nowadays is bland. We focus on flavor."\nFletcher, who is also a physician at the IU Health Center, showcased his painted chocolate candies in a glass display case. To create them he uses melted cocoa butter mixed with a powdered food color to colorize the candy. He paints the inside of a mold with the cocoa butter, lets it set and then pours chocolate into the mold. The melted chocolate fuses with the colored cocoa butter and creates the colors -- from blue marble to pistachio green -- on the shell. The mold is then filled with the flavor the candy is going to be and then the chocolate is sealed. The candies are boxed and sold at Goods for Cooks.\n"My favorite flavors are the salted caramel and pistachio," Fletcher said.\n"The Art of Chocolate" held on the first floor of the IU Art Museum, also included a silent auction that featured paintings by local artists. The proceeds from the auction benefitted local charities.\n"The goal of the 'Week of Chocolate' is to bring about awareness of all the organizations our community offers," Melissa Copa the development director at Options For Better Living said. "The Week of Chocolate is making Bloomington a destination for chocolate lovers but also a destination for people who want to see the community at its greatest. Helping all those agencies (Options, Girls Inc., Wonderlab, Girl Scouts, Rhino's Youth Center. and Citizen Advocacy of South Central Indiana) to raise awareness is key."\nOther upcoming Week of Chocolate events include Chocolate Carnival, The Great Girl Scout Cookie Caper, "Team Up!" with Chocolate, "Death by Chocolate Murder Mystery," "Chocolate Prom" and "Chocolate Fest." "Chocolate Fest" is in its 10th year and features the event "Chocolate Creation." \n"Chocolate Creation" is a forum for chefs of all talents to submit a chocolate dessert and have it judged in a contest. \nIU professor and Bloom food writer Christine Barbour has been a judge in the "Chocolate Creation" contest in the past and will be a judge this year. She attended "The Art of Chocolate" this year and said, "I like the people. I think Options is great. The chefs are great -- they really knock themselves out. I would recommend it to people that don't even like chocolate"
(01/26/07 5:00am)
Good news! With NBC's revamped Thursday night comedy block, must-see TV is back! The two-hour comedy block kicks off with "My Name is Earl," a comedy about a man inspired by Carson Daly to seek out all the people he has wronged in his life and help them. Next is "The Office," where viewers get to watch the dysfunctional employees of Dunder Mifflin clash with each other with ensuing hilarity.\nThe second hour starts with "Scrubs," a show about hospital staffers and their wacky patients. Then it's "30 Rock" -- the newest show in the lineup still in its first season. Created, produced and starring Tina Fey, the show won a Golden Globe on Jan. 16.\nNBC's new Thursday night lineup will have some people reminiscing about the station's classic Thursday night lineup, which was anchored by ratings juggernauts "Friends" and "Seinfeld." Those shows were huge successes and paradigms of modern sitcoms, and I am still a huge fan of both shows in syndication. However, the paradigm for sitcoms has changed, and once again Thursday-night NBC is on the cutting edge.\nNot one of the sitcoms on Thursday night uses the laugh track (the hee-hawing and whistling to cue the viewer's laughter). The use of this tool is so common it almost blends in unnoticeably because the audience has come to expect it. Instead of the producers instructing the audience when the show is at a funny bit, the audience gets to decide for itself. Show producers have acknowledged that we, as the audience, have more intelligence than they used to give us credit for. The shows have also become more complex, pertaining to mostly the characters on the shows. All the shows on Thursday are character-driven and you have to get to know the characters before you really get all the layers. Watching Dwight from "The Office" look for a job where he hands out three types of resumes to make sure his fighting skills are recognized is funny because of his character's personality. "Scrubs" can do a musical episode and make it work because the audience is willing to take that leap with the characters. You have to watch the show a few times before you start to enjoy it. \nFinally, the product integration is good. I know, I hate commercials, too, but that's the way entertainment is heading today. Whether it's with Staples in "The Office" or GE in "30 Rock," the shows make a point to admit to the audience exactly what they are doing (cashing in). \nSo call your friends, pop some popcorn and gather around a TV set for "comedy done right" on Thursday nights. Whether it's blue-collar Earl, white-collar "Office," the charming Zack Braff or the smart and sexy Tina Fey, there is something for everybody on Thursday night.
(01/26/07 1:36am)
Good news! With NBC's revamped Thursday night comedy block, must-see TV is back! The two-hour comedy block kicks off with "My Name is Earl," a comedy about a man inspired by Carson Daly to seek out all the people he has wronged in his life and help them. Next is "The Office," where viewers get to watch the dysfunctional employees of Dunder Mifflin clash with each other with ensuing hilarity.\nThe second hour starts with "Scrubs," a show about hospital staffers and their wacky patients. Then it's "30 Rock" -- the newest show in the lineup still in its first season. Created, produced and starring Tina Fey, the show won a Golden Globe on Jan. 16.\nNBC's new Thursday night lineup will have some people reminiscing about the station's classic Thursday night lineup, which was anchored by ratings juggernauts "Friends" and "Seinfeld." Those shows were huge successes and paradigms of modern sitcoms, and I am still a huge fan of both shows in syndication. However, the paradigm for sitcoms has changed, and once again Thursday-night NBC is on the cutting edge.\nNot one of the sitcoms on Thursday night uses the laugh track (the hee-hawing and whistling to cue the viewer's laughter). The use of this tool is so common it almost blends in unnoticeably because the audience has come to expect it. Instead of the producers instructing the audience when the show is at a funny bit, the audience gets to decide for itself. Show producers have acknowledged that we, as the audience, have more intelligence than they used to give us credit for. The shows have also become more complex, pertaining to mostly the characters on the shows. All the shows on Thursday are character-driven and you have to get to know the characters before you really get all the layers. Watching Dwight from "The Office" look for a job where he hands out three types of resumes to make sure his fighting skills are recognized is funny because of his character's personality. "Scrubs" can do a musical episode and make it work because the audience is willing to take that leap with the characters. You have to watch the show a few times before you start to enjoy it. \nFinally, the product integration is good. I know, I hate commercials, too, but that's the way entertainment is heading today. Whether it's with Staples in "The Office" or GE in "30 Rock," the shows make a point to admit to the audience exactly what they are doing (cashing in). \nSo call your friends, pop some popcorn and gather around a TV set for "comedy done right" on Thursday nights. Whether it's blue-collar Earl, white-collar "Office," the charming Zack Braff or the smart and sexy Tina Fey, there is something for everybody on Thursday night.
(01/24/07 5:30pm)
The Faculty and Staff for Student Excellence is putting on the third annual Men of Color Conference on Feb. 3. \nThe keynote speaker for this year's event is the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute's founder and president, Juan Andrade Jr. \n"We are leaders," Andrade said. "The better leaders are those who recognize that they are leaders. There is a role for men to play that needs to be defined, and I hope I can shed some light on it."\nAndrade said he believes in the importance of leadership, empowerment and professional growth. It is important for men of color to work together, he said.\nAndrade has earned five college degrees, including a doctorate from Northern Illinois University, and has worked toward "securing democracy" in 10 countries, including Mexico, Columbia and Haiti. He has also been a regular columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.\nAndrade's goal for his speech is to promote professional and personal growth for young male minorities.\n"There are some things that we as men need to be mindful of, like the expectations of society and the role we play (in it)," Andrade said. "Our responsibilities are to take advantage of opportunities and to pave the way to find our own path and lead a path for others and open doors."\nA student-staffed committee chose Andrade after much contemplation, said Edwardo Rhodes, associate vice president for academic support and diversity. Rhodes said he believes the committee made an excellent choice with Andrade and plans to attend the event.\n"He was chosen last fall (by the committee) and can bring some insight into male leadership as well as men-of-color leadership," Rhodes said.\nThe conference will begin at 9 a.m. in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. Andrade will speak at 11:50 a.m. at the luncheon. The student-led conference is committed to uniting African-American, Hispanic, Asian and American-Indian men throughout the country by providing a platform and a venue for effective dialogue and leadership development, according to a \npress release. \nKeynote speakers from the past include IU President Adam Herbert and Eugene White, superintendent of the Indianapolis Public School Corp.\nAlong with the keynote speech from Andrade, students and faculty members will participate in workshops on building leadership and understanding self-image.\nPatrick Smith, director of the Faculty and Staff for Student Excellence Mentoring Program, said he is excited about Andrade's visit. He encourages students of both genders and all races to attend. Smith said Andrade has a message that will resonate with \nall students.\n"The whole goal is to promote educational values and to motivate and to emphasize the importance of obtaining success through educational pursuits," Smith said.\nThere is a $50 attendance fee that will cover all expenses to attend the conference. To register, visit the Men of Color Leadership Conference Web site at www.indiana.edu/~moc.
(01/23/07 3:40am)
Junior Brian Frange jumps up on stage and asks the audience to suggest a setting for the next improv game. \nSomeone yells, "dildo factory!" \nTwo members of Awkward Silence Comedy immediately start improvising the intricacies and potential hazards of working at a dildo factory. The audience erupts with laughter.\n That was only one comedy game that the comedy troupe performed last Thursday. The cast consists of students Brian Frange, Andy Blastick, Justin Purcell, IDS photographer Georgia Perry and the newest member, Katie Brody. There are also a few members on hiatus, who are currently working on other projects. The troupe was formed two years ago by Brian Frange.\n"There was long-form improv on campus but there was no short-form improv like what you see on 'Whose Line is it Anyway?'" Frange said. "I had (a short form improv group) in high school so I started Awkward Silence here."\nPerformers come on stage with a high level of energy after warming up backstage. The performers introduce themselves and ask the audience for suggestions for comedy games. The audience then shouts out suggestions to keep the cast on its toes. With audience input like "Ghengis Khan" and "romantic comedy," the cast must be prepared for anything.\n"It's just way better than television," former audience member and new cast member Katie Brody said. "It's interactive for the audience."\nSome of the games the troupe performs can get messy. For the rhyme change game, a performer will say a line and then the next performer must say a line that rhymes with the previous one. If a performer is unable to think of a rhyme quick enough, Purcell will run out on stage with a sock full of flour and smack the unsuccessful rhymer in the head with it. This is a new game for the troupe but it's been getting a lot of laughs.\n"We'll do it again in the future," Purcell said\nOther games include dating show and showstoppers. Showstoppers is usually the last game of the night and features Blastick on the acoustic guitar and the other cast members singing their lines. It showcases other talents of the performers on stage.\nThis Thursday, the group will host a jam session after its regular show. It's a good way for those new to improv to get a taste for performance. It is also fun for the cast to share the stage with the audience.\n"It's a good chance to improvise with our audience," Frange said. We want to reach out to our audience and Jam Session is a good way to do that." \nThe current group has been together for over a year. The cast members have become good friends, because of their weekly six-hour practices.\n"We take people into the group not only as improvisers but also as potential friends, people we can hang out with all the time," Frange said.\nAwkward Silence Comedy performs 9 p.m. every Thursday in Frangipani Room at the Indiana Memorial Union. On Feb. 2 and 3 they will be headlining the IU College Comedy Festival. On Friday they perform again, and Saturday special guests Upright Citizens Brigade Theater will perform.
(01/18/07 5:00am)
Parliament's 1976 effort, Mothership Connection, is a concept album that begs the question, "What would music sound like if it came from another planet?" \nGeorge Clinton, known for his funky style in music as well in fashion (the braids in his hair look like a Technicolor pompom) teams up with the excellent bassist Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley (an almunus of James Brown's band), to create an out-of-this-universe sound and P Funk classic. \nThe album consists of seven songs that will improve anybody's "interplanentary funksmenship." "P Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" is the first track of the album and sets the tone for the rest of the record. The song transports you from your drab living room to a psychedelic party on the mothership, and everyone is dancing with the music. The party mantra "make my funk the P Funk/I wants to get funked up!" makes it impossible not to have a good time. And this is only the first song!\n"Mothership Connection (Star Child)" is another highlight. The bass guitar is amazing and the many layers of vocals add to the album's otherworldly mystique.\nWhat's amazing to me is this album was released 30 years ago but still sounds as fresh as ever. This is mostly because of the emergence of producer/rapper Dr. Dre, whose classic album "The Chronic" samples two songs off Mothership Connection and the P-funk sound as a whole. Say what you want about the ethics of sampling, but it's because of artists like Dr. Dre that this music is reintroduced to a completely different generation.\nSelling for only $6.93 on iTunes, Mothership Connection can be peppered into your best party mix and perfect it. Or download it to your iPod and funk with the funk on your way to class. It's impossible to have a bad day after listening to the P Funk. So, as the "Star Child" says, "put a glide in your stride, a dip in your hip and come on to the mothership"
(01/17/07 10:44pm)
Parliament's 1976 effort, Mothership Connection, is a concept album that begs the question, "What would music sound like if it came from another planet?" \nGeorge Clinton, known for his funky style in music as well in fashion (the braids in his hair look like a Technicolor pompom) teams up with the excellent bassist Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley (an almunus of James Brown's band), to create an out-of-this-universe sound and P Funk classic. \nThe album consists of seven songs that will improve anybody's "interplanentary funksmenship." "P Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" is the first track of the album and sets the tone for the rest of the record. The song transports you from your drab living room to a psychedelic party on the mothership, and everyone is dancing with the music. The party mantra "make my funk the P Funk/I wants to get funked up!" makes it impossible not to have a good time. And this is only the first song!\n"Mothership Connection (Star Child)" is another highlight. The bass guitar is amazing and the many layers of vocals add to the album's otherworldly mystique.\nWhat's amazing to me is this album was released 30 years ago but still sounds as fresh as ever. This is mostly because of the emergence of producer/rapper Dr. Dre, whose classic album "The Chronic" samples two songs off Mothership Connection and the P-funk sound as a whole. Say what you want about the ethics of sampling, but it's because of artists like Dr. Dre that this music is reintroduced to a completely different generation.\nSelling for only $6.93 on iTunes, Mothership Connection can be peppered into your best party mix and perfect it. Or download it to your iPod and funk with the funk on your way to class. It's impossible to have a bad day after listening to the P Funk. So, as the "Star Child" says, "put a glide in your stride, a dip in your hip and come on to the mothership"
(01/16/07 5:41am)
When Anita Aldrich attended a Missouri high school in the early 1930s, her options were limited in terms of organized recreation. \nThere were athletic options for girls at her school: She could play volleyball or she could play basketball. Neither team was very organized -- a game would usually be arranged when two school's principals contacted one another. Aldrich relishes her memories of playing high school basketball, but she felt there was a need for more gender equality in athletics. \nAldrich will be honored by the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and its department of Kinesiology at noon today for her pioneering efforts in creating opportunities for women to compete in collegiate athletics. \n"I don't see my life as a success," Aldrich said. "I always did what I thought was the right thing to do. I've always tried to tell the truth and be up front with people. My parents always said to be yourself and that's what I did."\nAldrich, 92, was the chairperson of IU's department of physical education from 1964 to 1980. She was the first woman appointed to the athletics committee in 1971 and the first woman to serve as chairperson for that committee from 1978 to 1985. In 1996, Aldrich was inducted into IU's Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame.\nIn 1971, Aldrich successfully petitioned the then-president of IU for funding to have the women's basketball team recognized in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, which eventually became the NCAA. She also lobbied for equal practice facilities. At the time, the women's basketball team practiced and played its games in Assembly Hall, while the men's team practiced in the HPER building. Aldrich felt playing and practicing on the same court left the women's team at a competitive disadvantage when it came to playing other Big Ten teams.\nAldrich is still active at IU and in the Bloomington community. She lives in a Bloomington apartment and has been to two women's basketball games this year, despite having to give up driving due to health reasons. Being around young people is what she misses most about working in the University.\n"I really believe that young people will bring change about," Aldrich said. "I tried to do my part when I was coming through the world and I went to the places where I thought I could help. I have faith in young people."\nProfessor and chairperson of the department of Kinesiology John B. Shea is an admirer of both Aldrich and the work she did when she was with IU. Shea pointed out that he now holds the same position Aldrich once did, although it has been renamed. He explains the significance of the honoring ceremony.\n"Great institutions pay homage to their leaders of the past, because we need new leadership for the future," Shea said. "We need to mentor young professionals in this category. By letting the school provide this plaque for her, we provide a model of success to young people."\nSenior Leah Enterline plays on the IU women's basketball team and is a student in the HPER. She is majoring in both physical education and teacher education. Enterline does not know Aldrich personally but is aware of her legacy in both the school of HPER and women's athletics.\n"Women's athletics have come a long way," Enterline said. "It's really great to see people like Aldrich being honored for their contributions."\nDespite all her personal success and today's ceremony honoring her, Aldrich remains very modest.\n"Like I said at the Hall of Fame (induction), 'as I stand at this podium I see all the people that belong here,'" Aldrich said. "I could not have done it alone."\nA plaque commemorating today's honor will be hung in HPER, Room 112, between two blank plaques that will one day be used to honor other people who have impacted HPER. The inscription on the plaque reads: "Dr. Anita Aldrich is one of the most respected national leaders in the field of physical education and in the history of Kinesiology. She is considered a visionary and pioneer in creating opportunities for women to compete in intercollegiate athletics."\nThe dedication ceremony will be held from noon to 1 p.m. today in the Indiana Memorial Union Coronation Room.
(01/12/07 8:48pm)
With his new album, Hip-Hop is Dead, Nas' flow is as gritty and raw as ever. His trademark interior rhyme scheme is here as well. With production by Will.i.am., Kanye West and Scott Storch, and guest appearances by Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and The Game, how could this album not be an instant classic?\nFor starters, there are way too many mediocre tracks on the album -- recycled gansta' rhetoric that has plagued all this new hip-hop since the drrty South went mainstream. "Play on Playa" with Snoop Dogg is nothing more than an excuse to get Snoop on the album.\nPerhaps the biggest disappointment on the album is the long-awaited collaboration between Nas and Jay-Z on "Black Republican." The track samples a song from "The Godfather: Part II" and has really clean production. Unfortunately, the two emcees (who have both made millions off dis records of each other) have nothing groundbreaking to add to the album. Much like Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z appears on the album as a promotional tool (Jay-Z's Def Jam is responsible for the record). \nThe whole album is not a waste, however. The title track, "Hip Hop is Dead," features the production and vocal talent of Will.i.am. The song has a sing-along hook and features Nas pondering the history of hip-hop: "Everybody sound the same/commercialize the game, Reminiscin' when it wasn't all business/If it got where it started/ So we all gather here for the dearly departed."\nThe collaboration with The Game is the best song on the track. The Game's flow complements the flow of Nas' so well it's sad these two don't work together more often.\nWhile "Hustlers" is the best track on the album, my favorite is the very last track, "Hope." This a cappella song rapped by Nas serves as a eulogy to the now-departed hip-hop. I've always felt poetry is the original rap, and the music an afterthought. That's what makes this song so heartbreaking: There is no music to cover up the emotion in Nas' voice. I hope he tries some more a cappella in the future.\nWith an ambitious title like Hip-Hop is Dead, you better bring the goods, and overall, Nas did not. What is unfortunate is if this album were put out by a brand new emcee, it would seem refreshing in a genre that has gone stale. But Nas, who will never be able to top his debut album, ('94's Illmatic) is still in the shadow of that album a dozen years later. If as listeners we agree that hip-hop is dead, then we as listeners must also agree that this album isn't doing anything to awaken it.
(01/12/07 5:00am)
With his new album, Hip-Hop is Dead, Nas' flow is as gritty and raw as ever. His trademark interior rhyme scheme is here as well. With production by Will.i.am., Kanye West and Scott Storch, and guest appearances by Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and The Game, how could this album not be an instant classic?\nFor starters, there are way too many mediocre tracks on the album -- recycled gansta' rhetoric that has plagued all this new hip-hop since the drrty South went mainstream. "Play on Playa" with Snoop Dogg is nothing more than an excuse to get Snoop on the album.\nPerhaps the biggest disappointment on the album is the long-awaited collaboration between Nas and Jay-Z on "Black Republican." The track samples a song from "The Godfather: Part II" and has really clean production. Unfortunately, the two emcees (who have both made millions off dis records of each other) have nothing groundbreaking to add to the album. Much like Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z appears on the album as a promotional tool (Jay-Z's Def Jam is responsible for the record). \nThe whole album is not a waste, however. The title track, "Hip Hop is Dead," features the production and vocal talent of Will.i.am. The song has a sing-along hook and features Nas pondering the history of hip-hop: "Everybody sound the same/commercialize the game, Reminiscin' when it wasn't all business/If it got where it started/ So we all gather here for the dearly departed."\nThe collaboration with The Game is the best song on the track. The Game's flow complements the flow of Nas' so well it's sad these two don't work together more often.\nWhile "Hustlers" is the best track on the album, my favorite is the very last track, "Hope." This a cappella song rapped by Nas serves as a eulogy to the now-departed hip-hop. I've always felt poetry is the original rap, and the music an afterthought. That's what makes this song so heartbreaking: There is no music to cover up the emotion in Nas' voice. I hope he tries some more a cappella in the future.\nWith an ambitious title like Hip-Hop is Dead, you better bring the goods, and overall, Nas did not. What is unfortunate is if this album were put out by a brand new emcee, it would seem refreshing in a genre that has gone stale. But Nas, who will never be able to top his debut album, ('94's Illmatic) is still in the shadow of that album a dozen years later. If as listeners we agree that hip-hop is dead, then we as listeners must also agree that this album isn't doing anything to awaken it.
(01/10/07 3:42am)
Members of the Business Careers in Entertainment Club rang in the New Year by taking trips to Los Angeles and New York City-- not to celebrate the end of 2006, but to network with potential employers in the entertainment industry.\nClub members who went to New York networked with representatives from companies such as Oxygen Television, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Time Inc. and Atlantic Records. Those on the Los Angeles trip met with representatives from the Donners' Company, Romar Entertainment, 2929 Entertainment and Broadcast Music Inc.. \nThis was the first time the club has made a networking trip to Los Angeles. Club president Ashley McPherson, a senior, said she made the necessary contacts in Los Angeles to merit the trip while she was there in the summer for an internship with MTV. \nMcPherson said both trips were successes.\n"Everyone got to do more of what they are interested in," McPherson said in an e-mail interview. "It was very (club) member focused."\nJunior Sean Esters, the club's vice president of publicity, spoke with a representative from Bad Boy Records while he was in New York with the club. He stressed the importance of networking in the entertainment industry.\n"The trip was designed for networking so that an internship or job opportunity would be more attainable," Esters said. "We get the opportunity to meet with company executives who may have the final say on if we get an internship or job."\nSenior Emily Finkelstein is the director of sports committee and director of the New York City trip. Like Esters, she believes the more networking experience students get, the better chances they have of landing an internship or even a job. \n"There's only so much we can do as individuals," Finkelstein said. "The amount of people we get in contact with now or later will always help us down the road." \nJunior Brian Binkley, who coordinated the Los Angeles networking trip, said the networking trip and his club membership has made a huge impact on his life.\n"I served overseas in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom with the Indiana Army National Guard, and this organization is the single greatest opportunity I've come into contact with since returning to the U.S," Binkley said.\nAfter the success of this year's trip, Finkelstein is already working on plans for next year's trip.\n"We plan on visiting some of the same companies (in both New York and Los Angeles) we have already established as well as adding new companies to the agenda next year," Finkelstein said. \nStudents interested in joining the club for the spring semester can go to the call-out meeting at 9 p.m. Jan. 29 in the Kelley School of Business, Room 219.
(01/08/07 3:06am)
On Christmas Day, people all over the world mourned the death of entertainer James Brown. \n"The Godfather of Soul" died at 73 of congestive heart failure after being hospitalized with pneumonia in Atlanta. He left behind five decades' worth of soul and funk, and his death occurred just three months after his September performance at the IU Auditorium. \nA public viewing took place at the Apollo Theatre in New York City followed by a private funeral and another public ceremony at the James Brown Arena in Augusta, Ga., led by the Rev. Al Sharpton. \nIU Soul Revue opened for Brown in September, and director Nathanael Fareed Mahluli shared his memories of that night.\n"The concert was quite informative for my students," Mahluli said in an e-mail interview. "Mr. Brown watched our entire show from the wings of the stage and commented 'Good job' as he walked away. After the show he spent precious moments taking pictures with the students. All of us were honored and amazed at his friendly warmth and willingness."\nMahluli also described how the music landscape would be today if there were no Brown.\n"Without James Brown a great portion of the rap music would have no authenticity," he said. "The years of travel and entertaining, the life experiences of Mr. Brown provided the grit and polish that many know as R&B or funk music. The autographed sound of his drummers and his easily identifiable vocalizations all color the sound and aesthetic of modern music."\nBrown not only left his fingerprints on the music culture but on American society. Charles Sykes, executive director of the African American Arts Institute, will remember Brown's contribution to the African-American culture as much as his music.\n"James Brown was in tune with the times in which he lived," Sykes said. "The concept of soul music was not just about the style of music; it was about cultural expression as well. Soul music dealt with the issues of the time with social, political or interpersonal relationships. Brown's music was an expression that represented African-American culture."\nAlthough Brown passed away, the legacy of his life and music will be heard and felt forever. \n"To add to his great musical knowledge, he was without a doubt the entertainment godfather," Mahluli said. "If we consider Michael Jackson as the greatest pop icon on earth, then we have James Brown to thank for inspiring Jackson's dance appeal. If we consider Prince to be a pop-music genius, we also have to look to James Brown for providing the template for band leading"
(01/05/07 4:33am)
IU is wired, and not because of the plethora of gourmet coffee shops on campus. \nOn Dec. 20, PC Magazine released its list of the top 20 wired campuses in the country, with IU ranking third overall and the most-wired among public universities in the country.\nThe results were based on a survey compiled by the magazine and distributed by the Princeton Review, said Erik Rhey, features editor at PC Magazine. The survey contained 18 questions divided into three categories: student resources, academics and infrastructure. Out of 361 colleges that were given the survey, 240 universities responded, including two other Indiana schools -- Purdue University and Valparaiso University. No other university in Indiana made the top 20.\n"IU has the best combination of security, resources, online storage and tech support," Rhey said. "IU offers a good amount of resources given that it serves a very large population."\nRhey said IU earned major points for Oncourse, the portal program through which students and faculty can interact with each other by posting grades, announcing assignments and sending messages to each other. \nTechnology courses offered at IU were another point-gainer for the University. According to the PC Magazine survey, IU offers six unique tech courses: game development, Web design, 3-D animation, robotics, hacking and PC security. IU offers the most tech courses in the state, two more than Purdue. \nThe PC Magazine article also references the nation's fastest university-owned supercomputer, Big Red. Brad Wheeler, IU chief information officer and dean of information technology, said Big Red is the essential tool for many researchers.\n"It provides high-performance computing for life sciences, physics and many forms of research," Wheeler said in an e-mail interview. "We turned on Big Red in August and already our researchers are saturating its capabilities."\nWheeler also wants to clarify that Big Red is no longer the fastest university-owned supercomputer, although it was when the article was published.\n"Since then, others have laid claim to this fast-moving target," he said.\nWheeler said he is happy with the ranking and believes IU's IT will only get better. He's most proud of IU's model of leveraging IT across research, teaching, administration and personal use.\n"This lets us provide more value for the dollar than other fragmented approaches," he said.
(12/11/06 4:17am)
This year, Oncourse became a lot easier to use.\nAt the beginning of the fall semester, IU unveiled a new tool called Wiki for both students and instructors to use on Oncourse CL, the University's online class-management tool. Wiki is named after the online encyclopedia Wikipedia and allows for collaborative authoring and creating simple Web pages.\nThe tool allows users to "freely create and edit Web-page content using any Web browser," according to www.wiki.org. \nUsers unfamiliar with HTML can create Web pages through Oncourse. The collaborative-authoring feature will also allow for easier group work and homework administered by the instructors. For example, students working on a group paper could use the program to create and individually edit the same paper from different computers.\n"The nice thing about Wiki is it keeps the history of changes made to the page," said Lance Speelmon, manager of the Oncourse team and a University Information Technology Services staff member. "Wiki also allows users to link resources in Oncourse much easier than before with hyperlinks and whatnot."\nSpeelmon said Oncourse users familiar with Wikipedia might notice some differences between that Web site and the Wiki tool in Oncourse. On Wikipedia, a user can edit any of the pages as long as that user is registered with the site. With Oncourse Wiki, the creator of a particular page is able to require user authentication, a change to help eliminate Wiki vandalism.\nSpeelmon said he and his co-workers have been using the tool since it was implemented on Oncourse.\n"We are using it to maintain shared knowledge, like setting meeting agendas," he said. "By collaboratively editing a Wiki page before a meeting, we are all on the same page when it is time to meet."\nJunior Gabe Landis was unaware of the new Wiki tool in Oncourse but thinks it could be beneficial.\n"I would use it for group projects or if the teacher recommended us to use it," Landis said.\nDespite Wiki's accessibility, novice users still might find Web-page authoring to be difficult, because Wiki, like HTML, involves mark-up language. Speelmon points to the Wiki online tutorial, www.kb.iu.edu/data/atyc.html, which simplifies the programming. Landis said he is not worried about having trouble with the tool.\n"I'm familiar with HTML and tools like Wiki. With HTML, I am able to be more creative when designing a site, but as far as Oncourse is concerned, Wiki is a better use of time," Landis said. "I'm sure students will have no trouble using it"
(11/08/06 3:38am)
All you need is love -- and maybe a little help from your friends -- to be successful in Z401: The Music of The Beatles.\nThe class of about 360 students meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. By the end of the semester, students will have listened to every Beatles song, seen clips from The Beatles' movies and witnessed a variety of documentary and archival footage put together by IU School of Music professor Glenn Gass, who normally teaches the course.\nProfessor Andy Hollinden, who is teaching the class this semester because Gass is on sabbatical, said the study of The Beatles' music is essential to becoming a better music consumer.\nStudents' grades are based on four tests, but to succeed in his class, Hollinden said he reminds students they must display some of the admirable work ethic exuded by the musicians being studied.\n"You get what you settle for," Hollinden said. "The biggest lesson I want students to get is these people did not settle for mediocrity. The Beatles were more hardworking and more dedicated than any band in history."\nMany students in the class said they like to study The Beatles not only because of their music, but also because they liked learning about the individual group members. \n"The thing I like most is learning about the things they did besides just putting out albums," said sophomore Marcos Flores. "To see them as people before musicians gives their music perspective."\nSenior Jessica Mullins said she appreciates gaining more insight into the history of the band. \n"Learning about the lives and the stories of the artists makes the class much more enjoyable," Mullins said. \nHollinden, an accomplished musician himself, usually pounds out chords of a song on his piano to aid his students' learning process and stimulate discussion. \n"Andy (Hollinden) is very knowledgeable and a talented musician, so he can tell us what The Beatles are doing musically, which makes it a lot more interesting to get a musician's perspective," Flores said. "If you really want to know how music came to be the way it is today, you should take Z401."\nHollinden said the class doesn't just teach students about the music of The Beatles; it also teaches students about music in general and how to talk about it.\n"Discussion of the music is essential," Hollinden said. "I want a student to not only tell me what they like or dislike; I want them to tell me why. That's why I do what I do. I want to mold my students into educated consumers."\nHollinden said he believes a society full of educated music consumers could improve the quality of mainstream music as a whole. Instead of record companies putting out albums with two or three "good" songs, he said, educated consumers would challenge the industry to give them more groups similar to The Beatles. \n"What I've learned about pop song writing, I've learned the most from The Beatles," Hollinden said. "They are the complete package. The songwriting is as good as it gets. They are great musicians and good singers."\nCurrently, Z401 is only offered during the fall semester. However, Hollinden is teaching three other rock classes in the spring -- Z202: The History of Rock Music II, Z301: Rock Music in the '70s and '80s and Z403: The Music of Jimi Hendrix.
(10/27/06 1:29am)
As time winds down in the first half of the homecoming game against Michigan State, two seniors will stand on the sidelines with butterflies in their bellies. After a few moments, they will walk onto the field and be presented to students and alumni as IU's 2006 homecoming king and queen.\nThe winners of this year's homecoming court were set to be announced Friday during the pep rally, in which the winners received their crowns. Names of the winners were not available as of press time.\nLast year's homecoming king and queen were Kirk Walda and Jessica E. Borchert. Borchert said she is attending the pep rally and will ceremoniously crown the new queen.\nBesides the memory of being presented in the center of Memorial Stadium, both the king and queen will receive $1,000 scholarships.\nThere are guidelines for who can enter the contest. Student Athletic Board President Ryan Nietert said candidates for the homecoming court must be undergraduate seniors, have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours. \n"Good candidates are students who are involved in a lot of academics, students who volunteer and students that help out in the community," he said. "They do much more than just study." \nThis year, there were 35 applicants, which were then cut down to five male and five female candidates once their applications were anonymously scored by five judges, made up of IU faculty and administrators. Next were personal interviews, during which the candidates presented their best cases to the judges of why they should be king or queen. Nietert said he believes the judges had their work cut out for them.\n"Looking over the applications, it's going to be a tough decision for the judges. A lot of the applicants are worthy of distinction," he said.\nBeing crowned homecoming king and queen means much more than just receiving a title; it means being a representative for the entire campus, said Chris Gatchel, Student Athletic Board member and co-director of homecoming, football and Parents' Weekend events.\n"Homecoming king and queen is not different than a job interview," Gatchel said. "These people are interviewing for the privilege of representing IU"