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(09/24/10 4:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Less than a week after returning to the practice courts, the IU women’s tennis team will face its first competition of the season in the Indiana Hoosier Classic.“We don’t have any lofty goals with only five days of practice,” IU coach Lin Loring said. “The purpose of the fall tournaments is to get in a lot of play. We want to work on our doubles combinations.”According to Loring, early season tournaments are much different than regular season matches against a school with whom they can scout and match up against opposing players. The tournament results will count on individual’s records but not as a part of the team’s.Five other teams will play in this weekend’s Classic, including Cincinnati, Kansas State, LSU, Miami (OH) and Murray State.The action begins Friday at 10:30 a.m. with a singles match, followed by two doubles matches. Play on Saturday and Sunday will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday will feature a round of doubles, followed by singles, then more doubles action, and Sunday will consist of just one round of singles matches.Regardless of results, Loring is excited to see some competition.“It’s always good to get started and to see the freshmen play,” he said. “You learn a lot more about them after a match.”
(08/25/10 2:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It wasn’t supposed to end this way.They were supposed to be tears of joy, not tears of sadness. Tears in October, not in August.But there Lou Piniella sat, having witnessed yet another, albeit final, shellacking handed to his Chicago Cubs and trying unsuccessfully to fight back tears just hours after announcing he was going to retire — a decision that was to take effect immediately after last Sunday’s game.It has been a rough year for Piniella, to say the least. Call this the season from hell. Even by typical Cubbie standards, this has been one of the most disappointing and depressing seasons.But while his team has been mired in a season-long slump, been broken up by trades and seen more than a dozen rookies don big-league uniforms before September, it has been the health of Piniella’s family that dealt the deciding blow.After announcing on July 20 that he intended to retire at the end of the year, Piniella missed three games in late July to attend his uncle’s funeral and another four in early August to take care of his ailing 90-year-old mother. But upon receiving word of his mom’s failing health, Piniella decided he couldn’t hold retirement off any longer.Nor should he.This man has given nearly 50 years of his life to the game of baseball. It’s time Piniella does what he has to do and be with his family.Although the Cubs never achieved their ultimate goal under Piniella, the strides they made were numerous. Piniella brought a confidence, or as he called it, a “Cubbie swagger”.Payroll increased. Their marketability went up. And expectations soared.It was the infamous 2003 season that made Cubs fans pine for a winner, but it was Piniella’s back-to-back division titles in ’07 and ’08 that made Cubs fans expect a winner. For the first time in a century, Piniella managed to do what no other Cubs manager could by reaching the playoffs in consecutive seasons. He raised the bar to unprecedented Cub-levels, and for that he should be remembered.And while Piniella will certainly be remembered as one of the best Cubs managers, a strong case can (and will) be made for his Hall of Fame credentials, cementing his often-fiery and always-passionate legacy in baseball lore.Piniella’s 1,835 wins ranks 14th all-time among managers. Of eligible candidates, only Gene Mauch has won more games than Piniella and has yet to find his way into Cooperstown. And although Mauch won 1,902 games, he lost 2,037 games — a lower winning percentage than Piniella.During his managerial career, Piniella won 90-plus games with four different teams, including the Yankees, Reds, Mariners and Cubs. He is one of only five managers to have won at least three Manager of the Year awards. And to top it off, he won the 1990 World Series as a manager of the Cincinnati Reds.Piniella, who had clearly mellowed out during his tenure with the Cubs, represented the organization with nothing but class and dignity.When Piniella was introduced as the new manager in 2006, he clearly stated his intentions: “I was brought here to win.”Ultimately, however, he and his team fell short of the promised land they had planned to conquer.The expectations were high. The hope was even higher.There was going to be a champagne shower. A big parade in downtown Chicago. An unheralded celebration unlike any other.Now, it’s nothing but another disappointment. Another year of futility. Another “Cubbie occurrence.”It wasn’t supposed to end this way.
(03/22/10 10:49pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Intimidated by unfamiliarity and an estrogen-laden environment, Jon Bryson hurried through the crowd and back toward the drove of tanning beds, dodging each eyeball that shot his way.What was once a hallowed ground for women is no more.More and more men are entering a new world full of ultraviolet lights and a change in attitude spurred by a media onslaught of preference to buff men with a bronze tint. Even though UV rays play a key part in the development of skin cancer and cataracts, according to the World Health Organization, warnings against health risks have failed to curtail the climbing numbers. “I have guys who come in here and say they want to look like ‘The Situation’ from ‘Jersey Shore,’” Sol Spa Tanning manager Kristina Mrozinski said. “I’m just like, ‘OK, you’re an idiot.’”Thanks to a new crop of reality show stars, male tanning is more acceptable and the number of men who visit tanning beds has increased dramatically.Six tanning salons in and around Bloomington all confirmed the number of men who frequent their salons is climbing. At Sol Spa Tanning, the jump in men has been remarkable, Mrozinski said, and she could not be happier.Mrozinski said the number of men tanning jumped from the 80-90 range during August and September 2008 to 172 by August 2009, and has been consistently reaching the 200s for months — topping out at 244 male customers in the past month.But why the sudden increase in something that has been around for nearly three decades?“I think it’s the media — ‘Jersey Shore’ definitely helps,” Mrozinski said, laughing.Shows such as “Jersey Shore,” where a handful of young, tan, good-looking men and women are thrown into the same house, are increasingly popular with younger people. “Jersey Shore” spotlights the Italian-American “guido” stereotype, but in spite of the controversy surrounding the show, its season finale garnered 4.8 million viewers, landing among the most-watched television shows in the 12-34 age demographic, according to tvbythenumbers.com.Bryson agrees that the media have significant influence on how society works.“I think the media’s focus on being perfect in general has made it okay for guys to tan,” Bryson said. “We see people on TV in great shape, with a glowing complexion, and it’s only natural to want that for yourself.”Bryson, who tanned three to four times a week for a month prior to spring break last year, said the popular guido look is just a fad. But the increase in tanning, he said, is here to stay.“I think that tanning is more popular or socially acceptable because tanning itself is much more accessible, and the way society is today, people generally care more about superfluous and materialistic things,” Bryson said.Mrozinski believes the increase has to do with wanting a better appearance.“Some people come for legit reasons, but most just come to tan,” she said. Mrozinski added, though, that most men who come to Sol Spa always bring another guy with them and prefer dealing with other men while inside the salon.“They’re very shy, definitely bashful,” she said. “They feel more comfortable talking to guys.”Sophomore Kyle Brazeal started tanning a month ago when his friend wanted to get ready for spring break but had no one else to go with. Brazeal, sporting a fresh Sol Spa tan, acknowledged that its widely growing social acceptance has made it easier to go.“I think there was a stigma that it was only for women, but now it’s becoming more accepted,” he said. “It’s becoming more common. They want to look better.”Both Bryson and Brazeal admitted their initial experiences were uncomfortable.“The first few times, I felt awkward, mostly because it was a feminine atmosphere,” Bryson said. “I remember thinking it was extremely awkward walking past all the women sitting and waiting to go in and tan.”But since then, both men said they have grown more accustomed to it and no longer feel strange.Still, Mrozinski has noticed men typically remain in a rush to get in and out of the salon, never seeming fully comfortable.“They want to get out as quick as possible,” she said. “You can see them saying, ‘Get me out of here.’”
(02/05/10 6:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bummed that you will not be able to see Dwight Howard or LeBron James in this year’s NBA All-Star slam-dunk contest?Don’t be. The Super Bowl just might provide some relief.With the help of local producer and director Jo Throckmorton, McDonald’s has put together a remake of the classic commercial that once featured Michael Jordan and Larry Bird battling it out on the court for a McDonald’s lunch.Now, Howard and James will square off in a dunk contest that includes a visit from Bird, who was raised in French Lick, Ind.Throckmorton, who has been working on numerous projects, is ready for the commercial to air this Sunday during the Super Bowl.Throckmorton founded the full-fledged media production company Blue Ace Media and said he has been in this business for more than 20 years because of one passion.“I like to tell stories,” Throckmorton said.Before he could do this full-time, he had to find work.As a new college graduate, Throckmorton applied to work on the movie “City of Hope.” He attached a coupon to his résumé that read, “I’ll work for a week for free.”Shortly thereafter, he received a call to come in and help with the film, he said. Through hard work and an unwavering dedication to his job, Throckmorton was eventually given the title of promotions manager.“It’s scary because you don’t know if you’re going to work next week, but show up, work hard and they’ll call you back,” Throckmorton explained.Throckmorton now refers to this work ethic as the “Ed Wu model,” after an IU senior who has offered his time and effort on multiple projects for Throckmorton, just as Throckmorton once did for his respective employers.Wu, a triple major, first met Throckmorton when the producer came to Wu’s cinematography class to promote a project he was working on. Greatly intrigued and yearning for experience, Wu offered to help, going above and beyond and even staying late to prove himself, Wu said.Since then Wu has worked on several different projects for Throckmorton and Blue Ace Media, he said.“The fact that he’s giving me this opportunity to get in the industry and get experience is great,” Wu said. “I’m just trying to make them keep me in their minds.”The commercial’s head director, Joe Pytka, asked Throckmorton to be the assistant director for the ad.Pytka has filmed such projects as “Let It Ride,” “Space Jam” and the original McDonald’s commercial featuring Jordan and Bird.One of the few directors in Indiana with sufficient experience for such a large project, Throckmorton said he did shoot breakdowns, telling people on set how everything would work and making sure they were in the right place at the right time. He referred to himself as a “traffic cop.”The commercial took two full days to complete, he said.While most people would be in awe of the rim-rattling dunks and NBA superstars, Throckmorton said he was more concerned with making sure everything ran smoothly.“It’s very cool to work with big names,” Throckmorton said, “but to me, he’s a guy who has been hired and needs to be ready to go.”For Throckmorton, big names and city lights are nice, but in the big picture he said he’s more than happy to work and live in Bloomington.“I work on big commercials, but I’m able to help small businesses in Bloomington achieve what they want,” he said.One of those local small businesses Throckmorton has helped is Argentum Jewelry. He’s made TV commercials, photographed the staff and updated their Web site, said owner Sally Walker.“He’s great – very laid-back but very efficient,” Walker said. “You don’t waste a lot of time when you’re working with Jo, and that’s what I love about working with him.”With his laid-back demeanor and continued enthusiasm for the job, Throckmorton still loves what he does just as much as others love working with him. On Super Bowl Sunday, Throckmorton’s stories will continue to unfold when the dunk contest everyone wants to see comes to life.When asked how long he plans to continue working in the filming industry, Throckmorton’s answer was simple.“I’ll stay in it ’til I die,” he said proudly. “As long as people want me to tell their story, I’m happy to do it.”
(10/19/09 12:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sending non-traditional female students back to school is the message and goal for female legislators of Indiana’s general assembly.Together, Democratic and Republican women legislators have created the Political Organization for Women’s Education and Representation scholarship program. For more than a decade, POWER has helped female students 25 years and older either go to college for the first time or return after a hiatus.“It was designed to help women in Indiana who want to invest in their future through education,” press secretary for the General Assembly Peg McLeish said.By raising money through fundraisers, POWER is able to provide a $1,000 and $750 scholarship in each of the nine congressional districts in Indiana.“It is something to encourage them, empower them and help them in some practical way to pursue their dreams and their goals,” Rep. Peggy Welch, D-Bloomington, said.This year, one of the fundraisers auctioned off an opportunity to skydive, which was purchased by an Indiana lobbyist and immediately returned to the POWER organization with an eye on using the gift to raise even more money.There was a catch, however – Welch had to skydive.She said when she first heard the proposal, she “said ‘Are you trying to get rid of me?’”Welch agreed to the idea and made the jump Friday at Skydive Greensburg, all in the name of furthering education.“We know that most jobs today require some type of secondary education,” Welch said. “They need more education to find a good paying job.”Whether these women stopped going to school because they got married, had kids or never attended college in the first place, the scholarships make college and vocational schools a more viable and realistic option.Few know this better than Sara Burnett.As a wife and mother, Burnett had never attended college. She was working at Walmart when she decided to go against the grain – she wanted to return to school.“I never felt satisfied,” Burnett said. “As my children got older, I now thought it was about me fulfilling my dream.”Burnett began taking courses at Ivy Tech Community College, constantly battling the possibility that she might not be able to afford to return for each subsequent semester. But in 2007, she unexpectedly received a helping hand.At the age of 41, Burnett won a POWER scholarship and was given the boost she needed.“There were many times I didn’t know if I was going to be able to go back,” Burnett said. “I got this scholarship and it enabled me to go back to school.”But the scholarship did more than just let Burnett continue her studies.“It gave me the courage to go on,” she said.Having graduated and been employed as a nurse, Burnett could not be more grateful.“They helped enable me to reach that dream that I had,” she said, “and I really don’t know where I’d be without them to help me to continue on.”Receiving the scholarship also taught her a very valuable lesson.“Don’t give up,” Burnett said. “Never, ever give up.”
(10/08/09 3:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It is not often students have the chance to travel abroad and combine theoretical teaching from textbooks with practical experience from the real world.But for those involved with the Center for International Business Education and Research, it is nothing out of the ordinary.As a part of Title VI, CIBER is just one of several federally funded programs on the Bloomington campus. The purpose of the center is to help improve the competitiveness of American business through language training, cultural immersion and particular curriculums designed to prepare students once they enter the real world.“The key is helping our students coming out of higher education understand and develop a global perspective,” Managing Director of CIBER LaVonn Schlegel said.Students are sent for short-term, study-abroad assignments, typically lasting two weeks or less or the duration of spring break. By sending students to countries such as Brazil, China, Croatia, Ghana, India, Japan, Korea and Peru in 2008 alone, business students are much more prepared for their future.But it is not just business students who can take advantage of CIBER. Anyone can partake in this program.In fact, Schlegel said a lot more students are already involved with CIBER than actually realize it, citing the bevy of scholarships they award, their work with faculty to help tailor a class to better fit the students entering today’s business world and their work with Kiva and the School of Journalism, among other things.“It’s about life-long learning,” Program Manager Shawn Conner said. “You have to ask the right questions. ‘What do I need to go out and learn about this on my own? What are my resources and where do I find them? If it’s going to be a long-term assignment, maybe I can’t get by on my English language skills.’”In 2009, the center’s students already have plans to visit Dubai, Egypt, Hungary, Ireland and Israel. Schlegel said opportunities like these make the center a success.“It’s the connections and relationships we’ve been able to make, not just in the business school, but around the world,” Schlegel said. “We’re able to mix those ideas and make them real, and I think that makes us as successful as we’ve been able to be.”