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(11/10/06 7:11am)
I-69 will not be made into a toll road, but a new road proposed by Gov. Mitch Daniels could be.\nThe governor's office announced plans for the Indiana Commerce Connector Thursday, an outerbelt tollway linking six interstates through Morgan, Johnson, Shelby, Hancock and Madison counties.\n"We have the chance to create six tremendous new job zones without a penny of borrowing or a tax increase," Daniels said in a statement. "We've talked to leaders in communities across these counties, and they are enthusiastic, so I want to move quickly to measure the transportation marketplace interest in building this road with private funds while paying the state money we can use to help complete I-69 and other critical investments in our future."\nSimilar to plans announced last year for I-69, the Indiana Commerce Connector will be built and operated through a private-public partnership.\nThe exact route for the connector has not been determined, but it is expected to be about 75 miles long. The state will own the road, but the company building the road would determine where construction would begin and when to open certain segments of the road.\nThe Indiana Department of Transportation is currently investigating how much the project will cost, and in the next legislative year Daniels will ask the general assembly to transfer the tolling authority from the proposed I-69 plan to the connector. \nI-69 will now not have any tolls, according to a press release.\nTom Tokarski, president of the local anti-I-69 group, Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads, was critical of Daniels' latest plan.\n"They haven't even picked a route or done a study to know if it's feasible," he said. "They just keep making the same mistakes over and over again."\nCARR was one of several groups that sued the state last month in an attempt to block construction of I-69.\nThe proposed $2 billion road would directly connect Indianapolis to Ellettsville. Part of what is currently Route 37 would become part of I-69. The state plans to break ground on the project in 2008.\nTokarski believes the extension of I-69 to Ellettsville would negatively impact the environment of southern Indiana and divide many rural communities. He also said the real reason I-69 is not a toll road is because the state could not find a company to invest in what he calls an "economically risky" venture.\n"The tollway made a bad project even worse," he said. "It makes no economic sense. They couldn't even get a corporation to buy into it."\nThe governor and INDOT claim the highway will rejuvenate the Hoosier economy and bring more large companies to the state, generating job growth.\n"The first thing those companies ask us is if there's an interstate nearby," INDOT spokesman Gary Abell said in an October interview. "This will be a key piece in getting economic conditions moving forward in Indiana"
(11/09/06 8:37pm)
Will Ferrell is a mediocre comedian. There, I said it. I'm sorry, but it's true. He has one and a half characters (crazy guy who screams stuff and mostly quiet, weird guy who occasionally screams crazy stuff).\nBut despite his far-reaching acting "talent," studio executives apparently thought he would be the perfect for a semi-serious role in the dull and painfully unfunny romantic comedy, "Stranger Than Fiction."\nThe movie opens with Harold Crick (Ferrell) as an uptight IRS auditor stuck in the same old rut until he meets an anarchistic baker played by Maggie Gyllenhall who he's trying to audit. Despite their differences, the two fall madly in love in the worst romance since "Attack of the Clones."\nBut here's the big twist: As Crick goes along with his day-to-day life, he begins hearing the voice of a British woman narrating his every move, which informs him of his impending death.\nSo of course he does the only logical thing in this situation -- he goes to a professor of literature played by Dustin Hoffman so they can figure out if Ferrell is living a tragedy or a comedy.\nThe real tragedy is wasting Hoffman's acting talents in this horrible film, as he gives the only truly great performance amidst a mediocre group of actors.\nThe entire concept is mind-numbingly stupid, the chemistry between Ferrell and Gyllenhall is nonexistent and casting Ferrell in the lead may be the biggest mistake in cinema history. Watching "Stranger Than Fiction" may actually result in brain damage (I consulted a professor of film for that diagnosis as it was the only logical thing to do in this situation).\nIf you must see a Will Ferrell movie this holiday season, just watch "Old School." Again.
(11/09/06 5:28am)
Political science professors are divided as to the meaning of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's surprise resignation Wednesday, though they are pleased President George W. Bush nominated an IU alumnus to replace him.\nBush nominated Robert Gates, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency and current president of Texas A&M University to replace Rumsfeld.\nGates, who has a Ph.D. in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown University, received his master's in history from IU in 1966.\nIU professor emeritus of history Charles Jelavich recalled having Gates in class.\n"He took three midterms and a final, and he was an 'A' student," Jelavich said. "He was a first-rate student."\nBush announced Rumsfeld was stepping down just hours after Democrats won the majority of seats in the House in elections Tuesday. Democrats also won a majority of seats in the Senate, as candidate Jim Webb beat Republican Sen. George Allen by about 7,000 votes Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.\nPolitical science professor William Thompson said he believes Rumsfeld's resignation was several weeks in the works.\n"My guess is that the resignation was prepared ahead of the elections and probably would have happened regardless of the outcome," Thompson said in an e-mail. "Rumsfeld is a clear negative drag on Bush's approval ratings and Republican electoral chances in the next presidential election."\nLetting Rumsfeld resign before the elections might have sent the wrong message to voters that the president was about to change his "stay the course" policy in Iraq, Thompson said.\nOn the other hand, political science professor Sumit Ganguly said he believes the seats Democrats won in the midterm elections and possible investigations into the actions leading to the war in Iraq were deciding factors in Rumsfeld stepping down.\n"Certainly with Democrats in control of the House, there are going to be calls for investigations into Iraq," Ganguly said. "They would probably subject him to rough questioning on conditions in the Iraq war and conditions in the war on terror. ... I doubt that would go down very well with him." \nIn addition, Ganguly said Rumsfeld, 74, might have wanted to step down because of his age and the stress of the job.\nThompson said he thinks other shake-ups in the Bush administration are a possibility, especially involving Vice President Dick Cheney.\n"It would probably serve Bush politically to get rid of Cheney as well, but the Bush administration may not be willing to go that far, or at least not on the same day as Rumsfeld gets the ax," he said.\nGanguly, however, said he believes it is unlikely that Cheney, who has a history of heart problems, will step down unless a medical condition forces the issue.\nHe said it is much more likely that Cheney will attempt other routes to avoid congressional questioning about the Iraq war.\n"I think he's going to try to invoke every real or imagined constitutional provision so not to be flayed over the coals," Ganguly said.
(11/09/06 5:00am)
Will Ferrell is a mediocre comedian. There, I said it. I'm sorry, but it's true. He has one and a half characters (crazy guy who screams stuff and mostly quiet, weird guy who occasionally screams crazy stuff).\nBut despite his far-reaching acting "talent," studio executives apparently thought he would be the perfect for a semi-serious role in the dull and painfully unfunny romantic comedy, "Stranger Than Fiction."\nThe movie opens with Harold Crick (Ferrell) as an uptight IRS auditor stuck in the same old rut until he meets an anarchistic baker played by Maggie Gyllenhall who he's trying to audit. Despite their differences, the two fall madly in love in the worst romance since "Attack of the Clones."\nBut here's the big twist: As Crick goes along with his day-to-day life, he begins hearing the voice of a British woman narrating his every move, which informs him of his impending death.\nSo of course he does the only logical thing in this situation -- he goes to a professor of literature played by Dustin Hoffman so they can figure out if Ferrell is living a tragedy or a comedy.\nThe real tragedy is wasting Hoffman's acting talents in this horrible film, as he gives the only truly great performance amidst a mediocre group of actors.\nThe entire concept is mind-numbingly stupid, the chemistry between Ferrell and Gyllenhall is nonexistent and casting Ferrell in the lead may be the biggest mistake in cinema history. Watching "Stranger Than Fiction" may actually result in brain damage (I consulted a professor of film for that diagnosis as it was the only logical thing to do in this situation).\nIf you must see a Will Ferrell movie this holiday season, just watch "Old School." Again.
(11/08/06 6:48am)
SEYMOUR, Ind. -- Hoosiers have brought back Baron.\nAfter months of tough campaigning in one of the closest races in the country, The Associated Press projected Democrat Baron Hill as the winner in the 9th District congressional race Tuesday night, with a lead of more than 2,000 votes and 77 percent of precincts reporting.\nAfter greeting some of the dozens of supporters who came to Hill's victory celebration at the Dakota Ridge restaurant and amidst cheers of "Baron is back" and "Take a hike Mike," the representative-elect raised his fist in a sign of victory before taking the podium and letting out a loud sigh.\n"The people of the 9th District are going to get the change they deserve," he said. "If you want change, if you want an independent voice for southern Indiana, you've got him tonight."\nHill previously served as the district's representative from 1998 until 2004 when Republican Rep. Mike Sodrel, defeated him by fewer than 1,500 votes.\nLibertarian and IU-Southeast economics professor Eric Schansberg also sought the seat this year.\nBoth Hill and Sodrel have accused each other of running negative ads despite signing a clean campaign pledge in August, which Hill addressed.\n"I'm tired of this nasty negative advertising, and I want it to stop once and for all," he said.\nHill reiterated his campaign promises of expanding health care for Americans, balancing the budget and setting timetables for withdrawal from Iraq.\n"We're not going to cut and run, but we need to get out of there sooner rather than later."\nAs of late Tuesday, The Associated Press projected that Democrats will gain control of the House. \n"When you've got one-party rule for too long, trouble starts," Hill said. "We're going to clean it up."\nIva Gasaway, the Democratic Scott County Chairwoman was among the hundreds of people who came out to support Hill Tuesday night.\n"I think Baron is one of the most wonderful men I've ever met," she said. "He has a lot of family values ... I think he's the independent voice we need in Washington, D.C."\nRoger Brewer, of Vallonia, Ind. said he has always considered himself an independent with some Democratic leanings, but he was upset with the direction Republicans and the Bush administration have moved to in recent years and felt it was important to come out and support Hill.\n"I'm tired of Republican rule," he said. "It's worse than (former Iraqi President Saddam) Hussein's rule"
(11/06/06 8:24am)
Indiana's 9th District is one of the closest House races in the country. Though the district traditionally leans Republican and President George W. Bush received 59 percent of the vote here in 2004, Democrat Baron Hill served as its representative from 1998 until 2004, when current Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th, defeated Hill by fewer than 1,500 votes. They first faced off in 2002 with Hill receiving 51 percent of the vote to Sodrel's 46 percent. \nAfter millions of dollars, hundreds of negative ads and dozens of campaign stops with other representatives, senators and even presidents -- current and former -- showing their support for each candidate, the stage is now set for another close election. The nonpartisan political Web site The Cook Report calls the race a "toss up."\nNew to the race is Libertarian Eric Schansberg, an economics professor from IU-Southeast who bills himself as the only fiscal conservative in the race and a solid alternative for those who dislike both Hill and Sodrel\nDon Mantooth is an independent write-in candidate for the 9th District seat. Mantooth, a World War II veteran and retired Indianapolis police officer, participated in the second and final debate last week in Jasper, Ind.\nHe believes there is no solid victory plan in Iraq, and until that is established, the war will not be successful.
(11/02/06 5:58am)
JASPER, Ind. -- Candidates in the 9th District Congressional race used the second and final debate before Tuesday's election as a platform to deride the negative campaigning that has come to dominate the race.\nRep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th, came out swinging in his opening remarks, embracing the nickname "Millionaire Mike," which he has been dubbed in ads run by Democratic challenger Baron Hill. \n"Oddly enough, that's one of the few things my opponent has said about me that's true," Sodrel said.\n"If you play Hoosier Millionaire everyone cheers for you ... If you work 60 to 80 hours a week for 30 years and make thousands of people middle class, you're a dirty guy." \nSodrel made his fortune as head of a trucking company. \nDespite Sodrel and Hill signing a clean campaign pledge in August, both candidates and the parties representing them have run television ads and mailed fliers portraying each other in a negative light.\nHill said he only started running attack ads when Sodrel ran his first ad, which Hill claimed attacked him.\n"I tried to stay positive as long as I could," Hill said.\nHe also offered to take down his ads for the remainder of the campaign if Sodrel did so as well. Sodrel did not respond to his request.\nLibertarian candidate and IU-Southeast economics professor Eric Schansberg criticized both of his opponents' tactics, accusing them of being more concerned with gaining power than issues.\n"A vote for Sodrel and Hill is an endorsement of their campaign tactics," he said. "Why should you reward either of them for acting like 4-year-olds?"\nWrite-in candidate Don Mantooth, a private detective and Indianapolis police officer who also participated in the debate, also expressed dislike for attack ads.\n"Maybe neither of them are right," he said. "Maybe they're both right. That's scary."\nThis is the third time Hill and Sodrel have faced off for the 9th District seat. Hill served as representative from 1998 to 2004 when Sodrel defeated him by fewer than 1,500 votes.\nDuring the debate, Hill made several references to corruption in Congress, promising changes in Congress if re-elected. He has said that he will work to establish a new House Ethics Committee made up of former members of Congress, but both Sodrel and Schansberg took aim at that stance.\n"I think what Baron's offering is spare change, pocket change," Schansberg said. \nSodrel agreed.\n"In all these issues you hear my opponent talk about how Washington is a mess. One of the reasons for that is I haven't been there long enough to clean things up," Sodrel said.\nTopics covered in the debate included Social Security, tax reform, energy independence, the Iraq War and immigration.\nHill said time tables need to be set for when the Iraqi government can take control and troops can be withdrawn in an "honorable way," while Sodrel said a firm time table will provide insurgents with too much information. \nSchansberg promised to work for an immediate troop withdrawal, and Mantooth said the problem is that no clear conditions have yet been set.\nOn immigration, Sodrel said more needs to be done on imposing border security rather than imposing penalties on small businesses that employ illegal immigrants.\nHill advocated the opposite, saying that going after employers will give people less incentive to cross the borders. He said he believed fences are not going to keep everyone out.\n"I've seen the videos," he said. "They're very agile. It's unbelievable the way they can get under or over fences"
(11/02/06 5:00am)
"Tetris" on acid.\nThat's really the only way to describe "Lumines Live!" Like in a lot of other "Tetris"-inspired puzzle games, blocks of four squares drop down from the top of the screen to be matched with like colors and form ever larger squares of the same color, while another line moves from left to right to clear the new super blocks.\nIt's a simple concept that gets turned up to 11 with constantly changing thumping electronic beats and crazy pulsating background graphics called "skins."\nThe goal of "Lumines Live!" is not only to get the high score, but to become one with the game. Let go of any strategy, start moving your head to the music and get in touch with your amateur DJ as every time you do anything on screen, it mixes the music up a bit. Even if you can't get a basic combo going, you're guaranteed to have fun.\nWarning, though: If you despise electronic music, you will more than likely hate this game as well, but as a pretty big fan of the genre, I can vouch that the soundtrack is solid. Tetsuya Mizuguchi, who has served as producer for the "Lumines" games as well as other music-heavy games such as "Space Channel 5" and "REZ" again proves that he is the master of choosing the perfect songs to go with a game.\nWhile the game itself will keep you entertained for weeks, the pricing strategy flat out sucks.\nFor $15 (1200 Microsoft Points) you get a game with only a dozen skins in challenge mode. If you want the 22 more on Xbox Live that's another $6.50. Other modes are incomplete as well. Puzzle Mode has only five stages. The additional 35 won't be available until early 2007 for an additional fee. The vs. CPU mode is an even bigger rip off. There's one stage available at the start and the other nine won't be available until, you guessed it, early 2007 for more cash. A music/video pack featuring Madonna and other artists will also be up at some point in the future.\nIt's pretty shady that a company has tried to pass off a glorified demo as the full version of the game. The dark side of digital distribution has definitely arrived.\nBut like the junkie who needs his fix, the basic game is so addicting, it's going to be hard to turn away from the additional content, regardless of the price. (Yeah, I already downloaded the advance pack. Yeah, it's totally worth it.)\nStill, for shame for taking advantage of us poor addicted gamers! Good game, though.
(11/02/06 4:05am)
"Tetris" on acid.\nThat's really the only way to describe "Lumines Live!" Like in a lot of other "Tetris"-inspired puzzle games, blocks of four squares drop down from the top of the screen to be matched with like colors and form ever larger squares of the same color, while another line moves from left to right to clear the new super blocks.\nIt's a simple concept that gets turned up to 11 with constantly changing thumping electronic beats and crazy pulsating background graphics called "skins."\nThe goal of "Lumines Live!" is not only to get the high score, but to become one with the game. Let go of any strategy, start moving your head to the music and get in touch with your amateur DJ as every time you do anything on screen, it mixes the music up a bit. Even if you can't get a basic combo going, you're guaranteed to have fun.\nWarning, though: If you despise electronic music, you will more than likely hate this game as well, but as a pretty big fan of the genre, I can vouch that the soundtrack is solid. Tetsuya Mizuguchi, who has served as producer for the "Lumines" games as well as other music-heavy games such as "Space Channel 5" and "REZ" again proves that he is the master of choosing the perfect songs to go with a game.\nWhile the game itself will keep you entertained for weeks, the pricing strategy flat out sucks.\nFor $15 (1200 Microsoft Points) you get a game with only a dozen skins in challenge mode. If you want the 22 more on Xbox Live that's another $6.50. Other modes are incomplete as well. Puzzle Mode has only five stages. The additional 35 won't be available until early 2007 for an additional fee. The vs. CPU mode is an even bigger rip off. There's one stage available at the start and the other nine won't be available until, you guessed it, early 2007 for more cash. A music/video pack featuring Madonna and other artists will also be up at some point in the future.\nIt's pretty shady that a company has tried to pass off a glorified demo as the full version of the game. The dark side of digital distribution has definitely arrived.\nBut like the junkie who needs his fix, the basic game is so addicting, it's going to be hard to turn away from the additional content, regardless of the price. (Yeah, I already downloaded the advance pack. Yeah, it's totally worth it.)\nStill, for shame for taking advantage of us poor addicted gamers! Good game, though.
(10/31/06 8:30am)
MARTINSVILLE -- It took a jury of his peers 50 minutes to find John R. Myers II guilty of the 2000 murder of IU sophomore Jill Behrman.\nMyers remained stoic, as he had throughout most of the 11-day trial, as Judge Christopher Burnham read the verdict. Myers, 31, hugged defense attorney Patrick Baker and, as police led him out of the courtroom in handcuffs, winked at his family, clicked his tongue and said simply, "Love ya."\nJill's parents, Eric and Marilyn Behrman, told reporters afterward they were relieved the trial was over.\n"We're pleased with the jury's decision," Eric Behrman said. "We know it was hard for them to make."\nJill Behrman vanished during a morning bike ride May 31, 2000. Her bicycle was found two days later in a cornfield outside Ellettsville, less than a mile from the trailer Myers was living in at the time. Hunters found her skeletal remains in March 2003 near Paragon, Ind. Forensic evidence suggested Behrman was shot in the back of the head at close range with a shotgun.\nProsecutors had no direct evidence to make their case. Myers and Jill Behrman had no known relationship, no murder weapon has been found and there were no witnesses to the crime.\n"The state offers no physical evidence, no DNA, no fingerprints, no shotgun, no clothing fibers, no hair samples, no footprints," Baker said in his closing arguments. "The facts are circumstantial evidence. They're not even circumstantial evidence. They're speculation, guesswork, suggestion."\nIn his rebuttal, Morgan County Prosecutor Steve Sonnega admitted the evidence was largely circumstantial but said the comments Myers made to family and friends strongly indicated he was involved in Jill Behrman's murder.\nDuring the trial, Baker tried to sway jurors, suggesting Jill Behrman might have been pregnant with an older man's child and the unwanted pregnancy was motive for someone else to murder her. \nInvestigators found several books about pregnancy in Jill Behrman's room, but friends and family members said they were for a human sexuality class she took her freshman year.\nJurors did not buy the defense's argument.\n"I did not feel those books proved she was pregnant," juror No. 40, a woman, said. "She may have been, but I didn't feel the proof was there."\nFive members of the six-man, six-woman jury spoke to the media after the verdict was read but declined to be identified by name.\n"The group went around the table one time, and everyone explained their opinions and gave their reasons why," said juror No. 85, a man, about the jury's decision process. "Going around the room one time, it was unanimous."\nJurors said the most convincing testimonies they heard were from Myers' ex-girlfriend Carly Goodman, his aunt Debbie Bell and his grandmother Betty Swaffard.\nGoodman testified that Myers drove her to the spot where Jill Behrman's remains were found several months before she disappeared.\nBell and Swaffard testified about conversations they had with Myers that they said implicated him in Behrman's disappearance.\nSwaffard testified Oct. 21 that Myers told her, "Grandma, if you just knew the things on my mind ... if the authorities knew, I'd spend the rest of my life in prison."\nIndiana State Police Detective Rick Lang, who has worked on the Behrman case since 2003, praised Bell and Swaffard for coming forward.\n"When I met Debbie and Betty, I knew these were the kind of people who don't come around anymore because they do the right thing just because it's the right thing to do," he said.\nSonnega echoed that sentiment.\n"(Swaffard) told me she cried until she had no more tears left, but she had to do it to clear her conscience," he said.\nDefense attorneys and Myers' family left the courthouse within minutes of the verdict being announced without speaking to reporters.\nThe trial was expected to last as many as four weeks but was cut short when the defense only called two witnesses to testify and performed little cross-examination of many of the prosecution's 53 witnesses.\nMyers' sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 1. He faces 45 to 65 years in prison. Myers had previously been convicted on charges of battery and receiving stolen property, according to The Associated Press.
(10/30/06 3:29pm)
SELLERSBURG, Ind. -- In a stump speech for Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th, President George W. Bush told several thousand Republican faithful Saturday that Democrats do not know how to deal with terrorists or win the war in Iraq.\n"We face an enemy which is brutal," he said. "There is no negotiating with these people. They do not believe in freedom. They hate America because we believe in freedom. The best way to protect America is to bring them to justice before they hurt us again."\nThe president praised Sodrel's National Guard service and commitment to the armed forces but spent most of his 40-minute speech defending the war on terror and the conflict in Iraq.\n"Five years later, Democrats just don't get it," he said. "The best way to protect the homeland is to find the enemy and defeat them overseas."\nThe crowd members cheered, stomped their feet in approval and waved fliers with occasional shouts of support like "You're the man, George!" as Bush promised that a Republican-led Congress would continue to cut taxes and aid economic growth.\nBush also criticized the New Jersey Supreme Court's recent decision to recognize same-sex marriages.\n"We believe marriage is a union between a man and a woman," he said as the crowd booed the court's ruling.\nThe president's visit was not \nwithout protest, however. While many local businesses put up signs welcoming Bush, two protestors stood several blocks away holding up signs questioning the government's involvement in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.\nAbout five minutes into Bush's speech, several women unrolled two pink banners with the words "Troops home now" while chanting "No more war."\nCampaign volunteers attempted to cover the women from the president's view with articles of clothing while the members of the crowd attempted to drown them by chanting "U-S-A."\nPolice escorted the protestors from the rally.\nHaving the president campaign for him a little more than a week before the Nov. 7 election is a potentially risky move for Sodrel. In the past few weeks, polls have put Bush's approval rating below 40 percent. John Hostettler, R-8th, who is embroiled in another close Indiana congressional race with Democrat Brad Ellsworth, told the Chicago Tribune last week that he felt a visit from the president could hurt his campaign.\nSodrel, however, seemed unconcerned with the president's popularity in introducing him Saturday.\n"Here with me is a man we Hoosiers voted for twice," he said. "It's an honor to have the president of the United States visit Indiana, and I'm proud to stand here with him today."\nThis is the third time Sodrel has faced Democrat Baron Hill for the 9th District seat. Hill served as the district's representative from 1998 until 2004, when Sodrel defeated him by fewer than 1,500 votes.\nLibertarian and IU-Southeast economics professor Eric Schansberg is also running.\nFirst lady Laura Bush also campaigned for Sodrel at a rally in Columbus, Ind., Wednesday.\nPresident Bush previously stumped for Sodrel in March at a $1,000-per-plate luncheon in Indianapolis, which earned the Congressman's re-election campaign more than $500,000, according to a March 27 Indiana Daily Student article. The president's speech Saturday was free and open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.\nAfter speaking to the IU College Democrats and Indiana Public Interest Research Group on Tuesday, Hill criticized the number of well-known politicians who have come to Indiana for Sodrel, which also include Vice President Dick Cheney, Cheney's wife Lynne Cheney and former first lady Barbara Bush.\n"I've only had Bill Clinton and Barack Obama speak for me," Hill said. "One's a former president, and the other's a sitting senator. I'm not beholden to either of them. He's got all these major leaders and Washington insiders coming here. He needs to make sure he's not beholden to them because they've helped him out so much"
(10/26/06 7:25pm)
One of the strangest phone calls George Noory has ever received on his radio program was from a doctor who claimed he once delivered a fully formed 10-pound clown.\nBut right up there is the woman who says she makes love to reptiles. And the guy who every now and then gets picked up by aliens and taken for a quick joyride to Saturn.\nNoory, 56, is the week night host of the nationally syndicated late-night radio show "Coast to Coast AM," a program that regularly deals with tales of the paranormal, conspiracy theories and the occasional story of clown pregnancy.\n"I can't say I blanketly believe everything," Noory says. "I used to be a skeptic. I think some of it is true, and some of it is pretty far-fetched. The magic of 'Coast to Coast' is you don't know which is real and which is not."\nNoory started his career in broadcasting at the age of 19 as a production assistant for a TV station in Detroit before moving into radio reporting two years later. From the very start, he says, he was interested in the more unusual stories.\nHis interest in the paranormal was piqued as a child when he had a brief out-of-body experience.\n"I didn't understand it at the start, but it evolved later on into investigating weird experiences," he says.\nNoory doesn't claim to be psychic or possess paranormal powers like some of his guests, but he says he is very "intuitive" in some situations.\n"I'm very tuned in," he says. "In the old days, I wouldn't listen to it. There was one time I stopped at a four way intersection and the light turned green, but I didn't go because I felt something was wrong. Then some car went screeching through. It's been happening all my life."\nNoory recently co-authored a book with William J. Birnes titled "Worker in the Light," which is part memoir, part self-help book on how people can unlock their psychic potential.\n"There's something in the universe I think we're able to tap into, and once you incorporate it, you can use your mind power to do things you never thought possible," he says. "It's a message to help people."\nIn the late '90s, Noory took his interest into the paranormal to the airwaves for the first time with a show out of St. Louis for which he was known as "The Nighthawk." From time to time, he would guest host " Coast to Coast" until January 2003. That was when he took it over full-time from legendary broadcaster Art Bell, who still hosts on the weekends, according to www.coasttocoastam.com.\n"I decided you can't do anything to replace Art Bell," Noory says. "You have to be who you are."\nMillions of people from around the world tune into the program each night either on one of more than 500 U.S. affiliates, XM radio or the Internet. The fan base is especially rabid, Noory says.\n"It's a huge, almost cult-like following," he says. "They need their fix every night. \n"I love it. I need the fix as much as they do."\nShows typically open with Noory reading the news of the day and then taking a few calls from listeners before talking to a guest on such topics as UFOs, ghosts, the Illuminati, chemtrails, shadow people, Sept. 11 conspiracy theories, ancient prophecies, the Antichrist or a myriad of other topics. Noory says listeners are a mix of people looking to be entertained and informed.\n"The core listens for entertainment," he says. "They like the unusual, the strange theories. Others like the conspiracy theories... I try to give everyone a little bit of everything to whet their appetite."\nNoory doesn't think the world is getting stranger, but he has noticed an increase in the number of odd stories people have called in with over the years.\n"I would say it's more deliberate," he says. "There's more of them than there used to be. \n"There's something going on on this planet affecting people in such a way that people are tuning into something."\nOne theory often presented on "Coast to Coast" is that a day of apocalyptic change will take place on or about Dec. 21, 2012, which is the day the Mayan calendar comes to an end. Noory has stated many times on the air that he will stay as host of the show at least until then, and will be on the air live with what, if anything, happens that day. But now he says he will probably remain on even longer.\n"I'll keep going until they cart me out of here," he says. "I think it's a day of enlightenment. I don't think the world will perish. I think it will be a new day for all of us. I think it's something to look forward to"
(10/26/06 4:00am)
One of the strangest phone calls George Noory has ever received on his radio program was from a doctor who claimed he once delivered a fully formed 10-pound clown.\nBut right up there is the woman who says she makes love to reptiles. And the guy who every now and then gets picked up by aliens and taken for a quick joyride to Saturn.\nNoory, 56, is the week night host of the nationally syndicated late-night radio show "Coast to Coast AM," a program that regularly deals with tales of the paranormal, conspiracy theories and the occasional story of clown pregnancy.\n"I can't say I blanketly believe everything," Noory says. "I used to be a skeptic. I think some of it is true, and some of it is pretty far-fetched. The magic of 'Coast to Coast' is you don't know which is real and which is not."\nNoory started his career in broadcasting at the age of 19 as a production assistant for a TV station in Detroit before moving into radio reporting two years later. From the very start, he says, he was interested in the more unusual stories.\nHis interest in the paranormal was piqued as a child when he had a brief out-of-body experience.\n"I didn't understand it at the start, but it evolved later on into investigating weird experiences," he says.\nNoory doesn't claim to be psychic or possess paranormal powers like some of his guests, but he says he is very "intuitive" in some situations.\n"I'm very tuned in," he says. "In the old days, I wouldn't listen to it. There was one time I stopped at a four way intersection and the light turned green, but I didn't go because I felt something was wrong. Then some car went screeching through. It's been happening all my life."\nNoory recently co-authored a book with William J. Birnes titled "Worker in the Light," which is part memoir, part self-help book on how people can unlock their psychic potential.\n"There's something in the universe I think we're able to tap into, and once you incorporate it, you can use your mind power to do things you never thought possible," he says. "It's a message to help people."\nIn the late '90s, Noory took his interest into the paranormal to the airwaves for the first time with a show out of St. Louis for which he was known as "The Nighthawk." From time to time, he would guest host " Coast to Coast" until January 2003. That was when he took it over full-time from legendary broadcaster Art Bell, who still hosts on the weekends, according to www.coasttocoastam.com.\n"I decided you can't do anything to replace Art Bell," Noory says. "You have to be who you are."\nMillions of people from around the world tune into the program each night either on one of more than 500 U.S. affiliates, XM radio or the Internet. The fan base is especially rabid, Noory says.\n"It's a huge, almost cult-like following," he says. "They need their fix every night. \n"I love it. I need the fix as much as they do."\nShows typically open with Noory reading the news of the day and then taking a few calls from listeners before talking to a guest on such topics as UFOs, ghosts, the Illuminati, chemtrails, shadow people, Sept. 11 conspiracy theories, ancient prophecies, the Antichrist or a myriad of other topics. Noory says listeners are a mix of people looking to be entertained and informed.\n"The core listens for entertainment," he says. "They like the unusual, the strange theories. Others like the conspiracy theories... I try to give everyone a little bit of everything to whet their appetite."\nNoory doesn't think the world is getting stranger, but he has noticed an increase in the number of odd stories people have called in with over the years.\n"I would say it's more deliberate," he says. "There's more of them than there used to be. \n"There's something going on on this planet affecting people in such a way that people are tuning into something."\nOne theory often presented on "Coast to Coast" is that a day of apocalyptic change will take place on or about Dec. 21, 2012, which is the day the Mayan calendar comes to an end. Noory has stated many times on the air that he will stay as host of the show at least until then, and will be on the air live with what, if anything, happens that day. But now he says he will probably remain on even longer.\n"I'll keep going until they cart me out of here," he says. "I think it's a day of enlightenment. I don't think the world will perish. I think it will be a new day for all of us. I think it's something to look forward to"
(10/25/06 3:38am)
Democratic candidate for Indiana's 9th District, Baron Hill, spoke to members of the Indiana Public Interest Research Group and the IU College Democrats about environmental issues Tuesday night.\nHill reiterated his position on energy independence, saying that if elected to the House, he will work to invest money into ethanol and biodiesel, as well as offer tax incentives for buyers and sellers of hybrid cars.\n"This Congress and this White House is beholden to big oil," Hill said. "George Bush and Dick Cheney are both big oil people."\nHill will be facing Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th, at the polls for the third time Nov. 7. Hill served as the district's representative from 1998 until 2004 when Sodrel defeated him by fewer than 1,500 votes. \nLibertarian Eric Schansberg is also running.\nIn introducing Hill, Indianapolis lawyer Gregory Silver, who was representing the League of Conservation Voters, which has endorsed Hill, blasted Sodrel's environmental record.\n"Baron wants to reduce global warming," Silver said. "He has worked hard for energy independence. His opponent doesn't believe people are contributing to global warming. He's the polluter's polluter."\nHill also advocated clean coal technology and wind power as viable energy sources in the future. \nAccompanying Hill at the meeting was Birch Bayh, a senator from Indiana for 18 years and father of current Sen. Evan Bayh. Birch Bayh has been accompanying Hill on the campaign trail for the past six days to stress the importance of this particular race.\n"This is about leadership of the House," he said. "This is not just about electing a Democrat to the house. This could change the course of the country."\nBayh denounced the steps the Bush Administration has taken in the war on terror such as wire tapping, referring to the president as the "wild man on 1600 West Pennsylvania Avenue."\n"When I think about the way he has violated civil liberties in this country and laid down a platform for it to get even worse, I get very upset," he said.\nAs Hill and Birch Bayh spoke to the IU College Democrats, Sodrel's campaign announced that President Bush will be speaking for the congressman in Sellersburg, Ind. this Saturday. This will be the second time Bush has campaigned for Sodrel. \nFirst Lady Laura Bush will also be speaking at a campaign rally for Sodrel today in Columbus, Ind.\nHill criticized the number of well-known politicians which have come to Indiana for Sodrel, which also include Dick and Lynne Cheney and former First Lady Barbara Bush.\n"I've only had Bill Clinton and Barack Obama speak for me," Hill said. "One's a former president and the other's a sitting senator. I'm not beholden to either of them. He's got all theses major leaders and Washington insiders coming here; he needs to make sure he's not beholden to them because they've helped him out so much"
(10/24/06 3:52am)
The next generation of console gaming is almost here.\nNext month, Sony and Nintendo will release their newest consoles and, with them, a slew of new games and innovative control schemes.\nThe other major console manufacturer, Microsoft, released its own console, the Xbox 360, last November. Microsoft sold nearly 5 million Xbox 360s as of June 30, according to a Microsoft quarterly earnings report. The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant is banking on its one-year head start to sell 10 million Xbox 360s by the end of 2006.\nThough it will be several years until the winner of this console war is decided, Sony's PlayStation 3 easily wins in pure horsepower with its cutting edge 3.2 GHz cell processor.\nThe system also comes with a HDMI port, which allows for "true" high-definition 1080p graphics. \nThough Nintendo and Microsoft are sticking with the standard DVD drive for their systems -- Microsoft will release an HD-DVD add-on in the coming months for movie playback -- the PS3 comes standard with a Blu-ray disc drive. \nSingle-layer Blu-ray discs are capable of holding 25 gigs of data, while dual-layer discs can hold up to 50 gigs. What that means for gamers is that programmers can create games with more textures in high definition, allowing for potentially breathtaking scenery.\nThe PS3 will also be backward-compatible with games for Playstaion 2 and the original Playstation.\nAll that new technology, however, will come at a higher cost. The premium PS3 package, set for release Nov. 17 in North America, includes a 60-gig upgradable hard drive and built-in Wi-Fi -- and will retail for $599.\nThe basic package, which costs $499, cuts the upgradable hard drive's size to 20 gigs and leaves out the Wi-Fi support.\nIn the past, game consoles have been sold for much higher prices soon after launch on Web auction sites such as eBay. And Sony recently cut North American launch shipments to 400,000 units, so PS3s could be going for well over $1,000 this holiday.\nMeanwhile, Nintendo is banking on an innovative controller design to sell its relatively underpowered system.\nSpeaking to the Japanese Nintendo Dream magazine in August, Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of the Mario and Zelda franchises, admitted that Nintendo's new Wii is technically only a slight step up from the company's current system, the GameCube.\n"We'll be upgrading the development tools, but GameCube code can be used for the most part as is," Miyamoto told the magazine. "In that sense, I believe that it would be good to remake GameCube games for Wii and that some titles would become better with the change to the Wii remote controller."\nThe selling point of the Wii, which will also be backward-compatible with all GameCube games, is its controller -- the "Wiimote." Rather than a traditional gamepad, which has been the standard for more than a decade, it's shaped like a TV remote and can be moved through the air to perform actions on screen, such as slicing a sword or aiming a gun.\nSony announced a similar function in its "Sixaxis" wireless controller several months after Nintendo first showed off the Wiimote.\nThe Wii is set for release Nov. 19 with a suggested retail price of $249.\nSenior Alton Clark, the campus representative for Electronic Arts, the world's largest video game publisher, has seen demonstrations of both the PS3 and Wii. He says the PS3's sports games look great so far and most of the gamers he talks to at EA events seem to be most interested in that system. \nBut he doesn't think people should count out Nintendo just yet.\n"When the Wii drops, it might pick up in sales because it's so cheap," he said. "It might take over, or at least force the PS3 to drop in price"
(10/20/06 4:43am)
Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th, has raised almost $500,000 more than his opponent, Democrat Baron Hill, in the hotly contested district, according to the latest filings from the Federal Elections Commission. \nAs of Sept. 30, Sodrel's campaign had raised $1.98 million, compared to $1.5 million raised by Hill.\nSo far, Hill has spent just less than $620,000 of the money he has raised, according to the FEC. The amount Sodrel has actually spent was not available.\nAssistant professor of political science Michael Ensley, who is currently working on a book that deals in part with House fundraising, said the extra money Sodrel has raised could be a worrisome sign from the first-term congressman's campaign.\n"Incumbents typically only raise and spend money when they are in danger of losing (which Sodrel is), and challengers only can raise money when they have a shot of winning," Ensley said in an e-mail.\nThe nonpartisan political Web site The Cook Political Report and the New York Times Web site currently call the race a "toss up."\nThis is the third time Sodrel and Hill have faced off for the 9th District seat. Hill served as the district's representative from 1998 until 2004 when Sodrel defeated him by fewer than 1,500 votes.\nBoth candidates have had high-profile guests stump for them in the months leading up to the election, including popular Illinois Senator Barrack Obama and former president Bill Clinton for Hill and President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush for Sodrel.\nSodrel has already surpassed the amount of money he raised in 2004, and Hill is poised to do the same.\nIn that election, Hill received about $1.6 million in contributions but spent about $10,000 more than that. Sodrel received $1.6 million as well but only spent $1.5 million, according to the FEC.\nWhen the two met in 2002, Hill received $1.1 million in contributions but spent about $44,000 more than he raised. Sodrel received $1.6 million in contributions, spending nearly all of it on his campaign.\n"This is certainly one of the most competitive races in the country with an incumbent running for re-election," Ensley said. "It is atypical\nto have both candidates raise that much money. However, given that Hill is a former Congressman, the 9th District is fairly well-balanced between the two parties, and this is a high-profile election. It is not surprising that both candidates have raised this much."\nHill's campaign has been especially critical of the amount of money his opponent has raised, running TV ads in recent weeks referring to him as "Millionaire Mike Sodrel."\n"We're getting into the home stretch now," Hill told the IU College Democrats at an Oct. 9 meeting at the Indiana Memorial Union. "I don't know if we're going to win or lose it. The money coming in is unbelievable. It's not going to be easy, but we're going to do it by outworking him."\nLibertarian 9th District candidate and IU-Southeast economics professor Eric Schansberg has raised significantly less than Hill and Sodrel. FEC filings show he had raised $14,500 as of Sept. 30, with $1,000 coming out of his own pocket and the rest coming from individual contributions. Last week, however, he said that number is now closer to $20,000.\nThough Hill and Sodrel have run ads in many different markets and media outlets, Schansberg has focused more than half of his spending on more affordable radio ads.\n"TV is far too expensive," he said. "We were told we'd need to move into six figures before even thinking about TV."\nWhile both candidates will surpass the amount of money they have raised in their past meetings, their war chests are still in the middle of the road compared to other close Hoosier House races.\nThe Cook Political Report currently calls races in the 2nd and 8th districts "toss ups" as well.\nRep. Christopher Chocola, R-2nd, has received $2.7 million in campaign contributions, while his Democratic opponent, Joseph Donnelly, has raised $1.1 million.\nMeanwhile, in Indiana's "Bloody Eighth," known for its history of close elections, Rep. John Hostettler, R-8th, has only received $450,000 in campaign contributions. Democratic challenger Brad Ellsworth has received $1.4 million in campaign contributions.
(10/20/06 1:05am)
MARTINSVILLE — Defense attorneys in the murder trial of Ellettsville resident John R. Myers II attempted to deflect attention from their client Wednesday by portraying the victim, Jill Behrman, as a scared young woman who may have been pregnant and killed by a jealous lover.\nIn opening arguments Monday, defense attorney Patrick Baker claimed Behrman might have been involved with a married coworker at the Student Recreational Sports Center shortly before she disappeared while riding her bicycle May 31, 2000, outside Bloomington. Baker put forth the theory that the man — not Myers — might have had something to do with Behrman's death.\nBehrman was a 19-year-old IU sophomore when she vanished. Her bicycle was found two days later in a cornfield outside Ellettsville, but her remains were not discovered until March 2003 in a wooded area near Paragon, Ind., in rural Morgan County.\nWhile cross-examining Marilyn Behrman, Jill's mother, Baker questioned her about condoms, emergency contraceptive pills, a pregnancy test and books about pregnancy investigators found in her daughter's room days after her disappearance.\nMarilyn Behrman raised her voice several times during this line of questioning, but she otherwise did not show emotion. She said she was not aware of what exactly was in her daughter's room or why but said Jill had completed a human sexuality class her freshman year and the objects in question might be related to that.\nBaker went on to question her about her daughter's menstrual cycle and possible signs of morning sickness, but Marilyn Behrman said she did not believe her daughter showed any signs of pregnancy in the weeks leading up to her disappearance.\n"I think if she knew she was pregnant, I think she would tell me," Marilyn Behrman said.\nLater, prosecutors called to the stand IU alumna Becky Shoemake, Jill Behrman's cousin and freshman roommate.\nThis time Morgan County Prosecutor Steve Sonnega asked about Jill Behrman's love life, whether she was dating anyone, had men over to spend the night or was known to be "promiscuous."\nShoemake said Jill Behrman had gone on a few dates their freshman year but did not have much more information to offer about the murdered student's love life. She did say Jill Behrman had been asked out to lunch by an older man in the weeks leading up to May 31.\n"She was concerned because he was over 21 and she was not old enough to drink," Shoemake said. "She was not sure if she should go ... I don't know if they went out."\nThe final witness prosecutors called Wednesday was Wes Burton, Jill Behrman's supervisor at the SRSC. \nBurton said he did not know whether Jill Behrman had a relationship outside of work with her coworker. He also said that at the time Jill Behrman is thought to have disappeared, the man in question was helping him move an ice chest.\nMyers, 30, pleaded not guilty to Behrman's murder after being indicted by a Morgan County grand jury in April.\nThe trial is expected to last two to four weeks.
(10/19/06 6:10am)
You'd think that someone who wears a clock around his neck would never be late, but it's almost 10 minutes past the time Flavor Flav's publicist Greg J told me the rapper would call, and there's still no word from his camp.\nAfter several minutes that seem like hours and nearly jumping out of my seat every time the phone rings, the call I've been waiting for finally comes through. It's Flav.\n"Hey Flavor Flav, what's up?"\n"Not too much, Chris. I'm just hanging out like a coat hanger in a closet right now."\nThrough the phone, Flavor Flav is just as personable, funny and friendly as he comes across on his hit TV show, VH1's "The Flavor of Love," now wrapping up its second season. But the 47-year-old hype man for the highly influential rap group Public Enemy prides himself on that. He says women love him because of his "realness."\nIronically, it was a stint on another VH1 reality show, season three of "The Surreal Life" which brought Flav back to the public eye after a long absence. While filming that show, Flav met met actress Bridgette Nielsen, leading to another reality show, "Strange Love," chronicling their relationship and eventual parting of ways.\n"After things didn't work out with Bridgette Nielsen, we decided to film it as I find my next love," says Flav, describing what lead to the creation of "The Flavor of Love." \nThe show has created a current of interest that is even making waves on the IU campus. His signature clock necklace and viking hat have been spotted on some tailgating Hoosiers full of the man's party spirit, and is expected to also be a Halloween costume craze this year. It's obvious that Flav's 80s style has not kept him frozen in time but made him a retro icon. \nIn the premise of "Flavor of Love," 20 women move into Flav's mansion, vying for his affection, as he dismisses them for various reasons such as gold digging and posing for Internet pornography. Flav gives each woman a nickname such as "Toasteee" or "Payshintz" because of his self-admitted poor memory. In a direct parody of "The Bachelor," Flav presents each woman with a clock at the elimination ceremony rather than a rose, proclaiming "You know what time it is."\n"Time is very important to me and I need to have a girl who understands that," Flav says, explaining the prevalence of clocks in his life.\nSince bursting onto the scene with Public Enemy, Flav is rarely seen on stage or TV without one of his trademark clocks.\n"The clock I've got on right now I've had since 1987," Flav says. "Thirty-six million people have touched it. Some day, it's going to be in the rock and roll hall of fame with all my other things."\nSince the first season debuted in January, "The Flavor of Love" has been a runaway success for VH1. The first season finale was the highest rated program in the channel's history, and reruns of all the episodes are played all hours of the day.\n"I was well-known beforehand, but more people definitely recognize me since the show," Flav says.\nAt one point during the interview, a group of women who passed the car Flav was apparently sitting in screamed in excitement at seeing the rapper in person.\nThe show has been a boon to Flav's popularity. He is currently working on the next Public Enemy album as well as a talk show and animated series. On Oct. 31, his first solo self-titled album will be released. Flav calls it a "collector's item," claiming this will be his only album.\nBut while the contestants on "The Flavor of Love" might adore Flav for his "realness," viewers love the show for the over the top moments, such as in season one when one contestant, Pumkin, spit in the face of another contestant, New York, after being eliminated, nearly leading to an all-out brawl between the two. Flav claims these moments are completely unscripted.\n"It's all real," he says. "The girls don't fight over me. They fight over each other."\nNew York, the runner-up in season one, was brought back midway through the second season and has gained a reputation as the conspirator, pitting contestants against each other and negatively referring to nearly every woman in the house as a "lesbian" at various times. Flav is well aware that New York is viewed as being a little bit off-kilter, but says she's actually worse in person.\n"She's crazier," Flav says. "Her mom's crazy, too. She needs to stop whatever she's taking."\nIn one episode of season two, New York's mother visited the house and faked a terminal illness to try and get New York to leave, then repeatedly told Flav "You're trying to destroy me."\nBut perhaps the most memorable moment in the series came in the first episode of season two when a rather large woman who Flav nicknamed Sumthin defecated on the floor of the mansion.\n"I think there was too much alcohol in her system, and she couldn't control herself," Flav says. "I thought it was a dog at first, but I looked at the poop, and it looked too much like a human's. Then I went up to the bathroom and this gorilla came out of there."\nFlav has had some ups and downs with the women in his life, but if he could have anyone he wanted appear on "The Flavor of Love," he says it would be fellow VH1 star Paris Hilton.\n"I've got a crush on her," he admits.\nSeason one concluded with Flav picking a contestant nicknamed Hoopz, but it was revealed in a reunion special several weeks later that things weren't working out between the two and a second season would begin soon. Right now, we know Flav chose Deelishis as his main squeeze, but if things don't work out there, Flav isn't ruling out the possibility of more "Flavor of Love."\n"There may be a third season if things don't work out with me and the winner of season two," he says. "We'll see"
(10/19/06 4:00am)
You'd think that someone who wears a clock around his neck would never be late, but it's almost 10 minutes past the time Flavor Flav's publicist Greg J told me the rapper would call, and there's still no word from his camp.\nAfter several minutes that seem like hours and nearly jumping out of my seat every time the phone rings, the call I've been waiting for finally comes through. It's Flav.\n"Hey Flavor Flav, what's up?"\n"Not too much, Chris. I'm just hanging out like a coat hanger in a closet right now."\nThrough the phone, Flavor Flav is just as personable, funny and friendly as he comes across on his hit TV show, VH1's "The Flavor of Love," now wrapping up its second season. But the 47-year-old hype man for the highly influential rap group Public Enemy prides himself on that. He says women love him because of his "realness."\nIronically, it was a stint on another VH1 reality show, season three of "The Surreal Life" which brought Flav back to the public eye after a long absence. While filming that show, Flav met met actress Bridgette Nielsen, leading to another reality show, "Strange Love," chronicling their relationship and eventual parting of ways.\n"After things didn't work out with Bridgette Nielsen, we decided to film it as I find my next love," says Flav, describing what lead to the creation of "The Flavor of Love." \nThe show has created a current of interest that is even making waves on the IU campus. His signature clock necklace and viking hat have been spotted on some tailgating Hoosiers full of the man's party spirit, and is expected to also be a Halloween costume craze this year. It's obvious that Flav's 80s style has not kept him frozen in time but made him a retro icon. \nIn the premise of "Flavor of Love," 20 women move into Flav's mansion, vying for his affection, as he dismisses them for various reasons such as gold digging and posing for Internet pornography. Flav gives each woman a nickname such as "Toasteee" or "Payshintz" because of his self-admitted poor memory. In a direct parody of "The Bachelor," Flav presents each woman with a clock at the elimination ceremony rather than a rose, proclaiming "You know what time it is."\n"Time is very important to me and I need to have a girl who understands that," Flav says, explaining the prevalence of clocks in his life.\nSince bursting onto the scene with Public Enemy, Flav is rarely seen on stage or TV without one of his trademark clocks.\n"The clock I've got on right now I've had since 1987," Flav says. "Thirty-six million people have touched it. Some day, it's going to be in the rock and roll hall of fame with all my other things."\nSince the first season debuted in January, "The Flavor of Love" has been a runaway success for VH1. The first season finale was the highest rated program in the channel's history, and reruns of all the episodes are played all hours of the day.\n"I was well-known beforehand, but more people definitely recognize me since the show," Flav says.\nAt one point during the interview, a group of women who passed the car Flav was apparently sitting in screamed in excitement at seeing the rapper in person.\nThe show has been a boon to Flav's popularity. He is currently working on the next Public Enemy album as well as a talk show and animated series. On Oct. 31, his first solo self-titled album will be released. Flav calls it a "collector's item," claiming this will be his only album.\nBut while the contestants on "The Flavor of Love" might adore Flav for his "realness," viewers love the show for the over the top moments, such as in season one when one contestant, Pumkin, spit in the face of another contestant, New York, after being eliminated, nearly leading to an all-out brawl between the two. Flav claims these moments are completely unscripted.\n"It's all real," he says. "The girls don't fight over me. They fight over each other."\nNew York, the runner-up in season one, was brought back midway through the second season and has gained a reputation as the conspirator, pitting contestants against each other and negatively referring to nearly every woman in the house as a "lesbian" at various times. Flav is well aware that New York is viewed as being a little bit off-kilter, but says she's actually worse in person.\n"She's crazier," Flav says. "Her mom's crazy, too. She needs to stop whatever she's taking."\nIn one episode of season two, New York's mother visited the house and faked a terminal illness to try and get New York to leave, then repeatedly told Flav "You're trying to destroy me."\nBut perhaps the most memorable moment in the series came in the first episode of season two when a rather large woman who Flav nicknamed Sumthin defecated on the floor of the mansion.\n"I think there was too much alcohol in her system, and she couldn't control herself," Flav says. "I thought it was a dog at first, but I looked at the poop, and it looked too much like a human's. Then I went up to the bathroom and this gorilla came out of there."\nFlav has had some ups and downs with the women in his life, but if he could have anyone he wanted appear on "The Flavor of Love," he says it would be fellow VH1 star Paris Hilton.\n"I've got a crush on her," he admits.\nSeason one concluded with Flav picking a contestant nicknamed Hoopz, but it was revealed in a reunion special several weeks later that things weren't working out between the two and a second season would begin soon. Right now, we know Flav chose Deelishis as his main squeeze, but if things don't work out there, Flav isn't ruling out the possibility of more "Flavor of Love."\n"There may be a third season if things don't work out with me and the winner of season two," he says. "We'll see"
(10/18/06 4:48am)
Faculty members expressed concerns about the confidentiality surrounding the search for IU's next president Tuesday.\nSpeaking at the bi-weekly meeting of the Bloomington Faculty Council, law professor J. Alexander Tanford said keeping the names of possible candidates secret until the new president is announced keeps faculty members from learning important information about the University's next leader.\nHe said he only heard from colleagues about current IU President Adam Herbert's leadership style after he had already been named president and felt that information could have been important to the selection process.\n"We were concerned that information that comes from normal faculty to faculty communication was not getting to the search committee," Tanford said. "If the process remains closed, I urge the search committee to find ways in their closed to structure to facilitate that information." \nSeveral other faculty members and IU Student Associate Vice President Andrew Lauck echoed those sentiments.\nTrustee Sue Talbot, chair of the presidential search committee, said she sympathized with Tanford's comment, but it was also important to keep a certain level of confidentiality so that potential candidates would not jeopardize their current positions.\nTalbot encouraged faculty members to forward the names of possible candidates to her via e-mail and said there was still no target date for naming the next president.\n"Our current president has stated he will be here until 2008, and if it takes that long, it will last until 2008," she said.\nBFC President Ted Miller said he sent e-mails to members of the council asking what they would like to see from a new leader but received only "a handful and a half of responses."\nStill, he said, from those replies he gathered that faculty members are hoping for a president who understands the unique administrative structure of IU and one who will work more closely with the state.\n"A number of comments said this relationship is not what it needs to be, and the next president needs to work to improve this," Miller said.\nBrad Rateike, a spokesman for Gov. Mitch Daniels, said the governor is aware of the presidential searches at IU, Purdue University and Ivy Tech Community College. He has offered to help any way he can but is not directly involved in any of the searches.\n"He appointed the trustees," Rateike said. "That's enough."\nHerbert announced in June he would step down when his contract expires in 2008 or sooner if a replacement can be found. He came under heavy criticism from faculty last year after a lengthy chancellor search failed to name a candidate.\nThe BFC also discussed the first draft of a new policy on intellectual property. That 18-page document hopes to answer complicated questions about the ownership of patents and copyrights filed by faculty members.\nThe policy will be reviewed again next week at the University Faculty Council meeting, with a reading of the second draft scheduled for the Nov. 14 meeting.\nThe BFC will next meet Oct. 31.