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(06/08/06 4:00am)
A unique building opened its doors Friday evening, to give Bloomington a taste of The Hospital. A renovated space with art and music studios in addition to a performance space set to hold dance parties, rock bands, and more, with modern art covering the walls. \nMark Rice and Aaron Deer also call the Hospital their home. Living and working in the space for the last month, they are excited about the self-proclaimed "labor of love." \n"Aaron and I are both musicians so it's great to have a studio here," Rice said. "Sometimes I'll find at 8 p.m. I haven't left the house yet, but I've gotten a lot done." \nRice, Deer and friends say they have spent a couple hundred hours getting the place ready for performances and have lots of ideas for the shows. They would ideally like to have close to ten events a month, with Deer stressing diversity when detailing his vision of the space. \n"We want as much variety as possible- not to forge a niche," Deer said. We don't want people to say, 'oh there's something at the Hospital tonight. It's going to be one of those shows.' We want to surprise people."\nDeer said the space will be an all-ages venue which, at least for now, does not sell alcohol and he hopes Bloomington will embrace it and help them guide the future of the space. \n"It's something everyone in the community can be involved in," Deer said. We've been in town long enough where we know enough people to have endless shows, but we want to open it up to everyone and stretch the boundaries of what art can be."\nPatrons of all ages came through The Hospital's open house were excited about the new space. More than a couple hundred people came to check out the space, a DJ, and lots of artwork. The artwork included photographs, sculptures, and a piece in which viewers opened a door to a projected screen image, which added a new object on every opening.\n"I think it's creative, edgy, and modern, but hard to find," said junior Amy Rickards, as she checked out some of the art work.\nLocated at 1021 S. Walnut, The Hospital is rather hard to find, tucked next to a scuba shop on the south side of town. The Hospital is not allowed to put up a sign due to restrictions on the property, but two lit up crosses highlight the area at night. \nThe Bloomington community that found the space seemed really excited about what can be accomplished there. \n"It's great," said Michael Anderson, Bloomington artist. "It's a perfect space for multi-media art. There's a lot of potential here." \nThe Hospital has come to be through the dedication of 13 artists, who share the space for a multitude of creativity.\n"It's taken about a month so far to get the place ready," said Shelley Harrison. "It looks pretty good so far, but it needs some work. "Six of us have art or music studios, some people of us book bands, fashion and art shows, and dance parties."\nFrequently alternating modern art, hanging from its high, white walls and showcased in a number of creative ways will be a trademark of the artsy venue. There is also a sewing room and video editing equipment.\nThe space is similar to The Church, which was around for a few months in the fall of last year as a performance space, but one of its founders, IU Graduate Elaina Morgan sees more promise for The Hospital. \n"The Church was my baby, but it had a lot of problems," Morgan said. "It was kind of filthy and left something to be desired. This space is better equipped for everything we want to do."\nMorgan seems determined to keep the idea of a work and living space alive.\n"I think there's a lot of potential here," Morgan said. "I've seen three year olds to 50 year olds come through today and I'm getting requests for shows from people in the community everyday."\nRice said that he's excited about the band "Home" and has a friend in New York coming in to do installation art for the show. He has ideas for an "install off" where four artists use their corner of the space for whatever they want. \nMembers of the art community found a lot of good in the space at its open house. \n"I'm excited to have another all-ages venue," said Zak McCarty, member of the band Puppy vs. Dyslexia.\nAnother fan of the space saw it as a way to showcase work of people underrepresented in the Bloomington community.\n"It's nice to see a place for contemporary art that's not the University or Waldron Art Center," said local photographer Jeremy Hogan. "Others besides students and retired people do art.\nDeer said the venue could only have been set-up in Bloomington. What he calls a good town with a lot of great people in it. The name of the venue is certainly unique, but Deer has his explanation. \n"The Hospital name is kind of a metaphor for the art community," he said. "You need to come in, and help keep yourself in tune. And I recommend frequent checkups"
(06/08/06 12:57am)
HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa got a timely boost thanks to an $8.9 million federal grant to the IU School of Medicine, which will triple the number of patients that can be treated in Kenya. The president's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief contributed the money to complement the $15 million they gave to IU in 2004.\nThe grant comes just in time for the 25th anniversary of AIDS being recognized as a disease, which has killed more than 22 million people since 1982, according to the Web site until.org. \nThe funds will go to HIV treatment clinics IU has set up in Kenya and will provide treatment, including screening programs for pregnant women, and education and training for medical personnel in AIDS-ravaged Kenya. IU has a partnership with Moi University, located in Kenya, which is involved in using the resources that IU provides to give HIV prevention and treatment. \n"This funding will save tens of thousands of lives," said Robert Einterz, associate dean for International Programs in the School of Medicine and director of the IU-Moi program. "Both directly, in numbers of people prevented from getting HIV, and extending the lives of thousands more infected with HIV."\nMore than 42 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, and almost 75 percent of those infected are living in Sub-Saharan Africa according to until.org. \nThe clinics IU has been involved with have already made major strides, including cutting down the rate of mothers spreading the disease to their children from 50 percent to 5 percent in some areas, Einterz said. \nThe IU-Moi clinics have worked since 1990 and usually have approximately six full-time IU staff members and 600 Kenyans. The new grant will provide antiretroviral treatment for 18,000 people by September 2007, which will triple the number treated in the fall of 2005. \n"It's a good thing," Eintez said. "We can mobilize the community, embrace people infected and engage the problem."\nHIV and AIDS are still a significant problem in the United States and is still a threat for Hoosiers. Indiana has had its share of cases since AIDS was recognized in 1982. \nWilliam Yarber, professor and senior director of the rural center for AIDS/STD prevention, said that 243 cases have appeared in Monroe County, 574 in South Bend, 1338 in Lake County and 4,746 in Marion County. \nJill Stowers, the prevention coordinator for Bloomington Hospital's Positive Link, oversees a department of prevention and direct services for AIDS. They offer testing, support and information for Bloomington and the surrounding area. \nStowers said that they have one of most active prevention sites in the state. After a free, 20-minute confidential test, if the result is positive, Positive Link can start getting the patient into services that day. \n"I've been working in HIV for over five years," Stowers said. "It's amazing how much has improved in the treatment, but it also shocks me the stigmas people still associate with AIDS." \nStowers said that many people still think of it as a gay or a minority disease, and said it's time people realize that a person's sexual or ethnic orientations has less to do with contraction than does behavior. \n"The U.S. is leveling off at 40,000 new infections a year, but people are still practicing risky behavior," Yarber said.\nPart of the problem is that students coming out of high school may not be getting a comprehensive sex education. With recent studies showing that only 7 percent of Indiana high schools teaching proper condom usage, IU faculty think a change in education is necessary.\n"People have a right to all the information so they can make informed decisions," Yarber said.\nStowers encouraged anyone practicing unsafe sex with multiple partners or other risky behaviors to be checked. The tests -- painless oral swabs -- are free and easy, and yield results in only twenty minutes. Testing is completely confidential, she said.\nNational testing day is June 27, and free testing will be available all day from June 26-30 at Community Health Services, located at 333 E. Miller Dr. next to Iron Pit Gym. Call 353-3261 for more information. Regular testing is from 9 a.m to 4 p.m., Monday, Thursday and Friday. \n"There are enormous amounts of work to be done to fight AIDS," Einterz said. "But Indiana University has proven that HIV can be controlled on a very large scale. We can do it"
(06/07/06 10:04pm)
A unique building opened its doors Friday evening, to give Bloomington a taste of The Hospital. A renovated space with art and music studios in addition to a performance space set to hold dance parties, rock bands, and more, with modern art covering the walls. \nMark Rice and Aaron Deer also call the Hospital their home. Living and working in the space for the last month, they are excited about the self-proclaimed "labor of love." \n"Aaron and I are both musicians so it's great to have a studio here," Rice said. "Sometimes I'll find at 8 p.m. I haven't left the house yet, but I've gotten a lot done." \nRice, Deer and friends say they have spent a couple hundred hours getting the place ready for performances and have lots of ideas for the shows. They would ideally like to have close to ten events a month, with Deer stressing diversity when detailing his vision of the space. \n"We want as much variety as possible- not to forge a niche," Deer said. We don't want people to say, 'oh there's something at the Hospital tonight. It's going to be one of those shows.' We want to surprise people."\nDeer said the space will be an all-ages venue which, at least for now, does not sell alcohol and he hopes Bloomington will embrace it and help them guide the future of the space. \n"It's something everyone in the community can be involved in," Deer said. We've been in town long enough where we know enough people to have endless shows, but we want to open it up to everyone and stretch the boundaries of what art can be."\nPatrons of all ages came through The Hospital's open house were excited about the new space. More than a couple hundred people came to check out the space, a DJ, and lots of artwork. The artwork included photographs, sculptures, and a piece in which viewers opened a door to a projected screen image, which added a new object on every opening.\n"I think it's creative, edgy, and modern, but hard to find," said junior Amy Rickards, as she checked out some of the art work.\nLocated at 1021 S. Walnut, The Hospital is rather hard to find, tucked next to a scuba shop on the south side of town. The Hospital is not allowed to put up a sign due to restrictions on the property, but two lit up crosses highlight the area at night. \nThe Bloomington community that found the space seemed really excited about what can be accomplished there. \n"It's great," said Michael Anderson, Bloomington artist. "It's a perfect space for multi-media art. There's a lot of potential here." \nThe Hospital has come to be through the dedication of 13 artists, who share the space for a multitude of creativity.\n"It's taken about a month so far to get the place ready," said Shelley Harrison. "It looks pretty good so far, but it needs some work. "Six of us have art or music studios, some people of us book bands, fashion and art shows, and dance parties."\nFrequently alternating modern art, hanging from its high, white walls and showcased in a number of creative ways will be a trademark of the artsy venue. There is also a sewing room and video editing equipment.\nThe space is similar to The Church, which was around for a few months in the fall of last year as a performance space, but one of its founders, IU Graduate Elaina Morgan sees more promise for The Hospital. \n"The Church was my baby, but it had a lot of problems," Morgan said. "It was kind of filthy and left something to be desired. This space is better equipped for everything we want to do."\nMorgan seems determined to keep the idea of a work and living space alive.\n"I think there's a lot of potential here," Morgan said. "I've seen three year olds to 50 year olds come through today and I'm getting requests for shows from people in the community everyday."\nRice said that he's excited about the band "Home" and has a friend in New York coming in to do installation art for the show. He has ideas for an "install off" where four artists use their corner of the space for whatever they want. \nMembers of the art community found a lot of good in the space at its open house. \n"I'm excited to have another all-ages venue," said Zak McCarty, member of the band Puppy vs. Dyslexia.\nAnother fan of the space saw it as a way to showcase work of people underrepresented in the Bloomington community.\n"It's nice to see a place for contemporary art that's not the University or Waldron Art Center," said local photographer Jeremy Hogan. "Others besides students and retired people do art.\nDeer said the venue could only have been set-up in Bloomington. What he calls a good town with a lot of great people in it. The name of the venue is certainly unique, but Deer has his explanation. \n"The Hospital name is kind of a metaphor for the art community," he said. "You need to come in, and help keep yourself in tune. And I recommend frequent checkups"
(06/05/06 3:05am)
IU officials said they hope the University's agreement last week with the company BioCrossroads will improve the transition from lab research to practical business applications for life sciences. \nBioCrossroads and IU will bring in Cynthia Helphingstine as a transitional scientific officer to ensure that work done in the lab is commercialized effectively in the marketplace. The goal is to take IU discoveries that might not have a clear marketability in the lab and get them realized and developed, said Jenny Siminski, BioCrossroads marketing director. \nIU President Adam Herbert said there will be great benefits that will come from the BioCrossroads partnership. \n"We are creating a means by which IU faculty and staff may realize the full potential of their scholarly work," Herbert said in a statement. "This initiative will bring long-term benefits to both Indiana University and the entire state. We have many life sciences research projects under way with the potential to produce significant new medicines and treatments for human health." \nThe agreement with BioCrossroads looks to supplement the work already being done by the IU Research & Technology Corporation located in Bloomington and Indianapolis. The IURTC stimulates growth in Indiana's technology sectors by helping companies develop commercially viable technology with the ultimate goal of creating jobs and growing the state's economy, according to their Web site. \nDr. Helphingstine was the CEO of Tienta Sciences and president of Biotron Group Inc., a consulting firm she founded to help health care and biotechnology companies understand and profit from changing markets and technologies. \n"This is a relatively new position," Siminski said. "It will build upon the life sciences plan in the medical school and in the Bloomington campus." \nHelphingstine will work as a facilitator to bring together scientists, the business world and IU administration. She will work with deans and administrators as well as technology-based economic and venture capitalist organizations. \nIndiana is a particularly strong state in life sciences, ranking in the top four states in number and concentration of jobs, according to a report last month by the Biotechnology Industry Organization and Battelle Memorial Institute. \n"IU has one of the nation's top biology and chemistry departments," Siminski said. "Their research is on the cutting edge and getting the information out there will help the health of Hoosiers and Indiana as a whole."\nBioCrossroads was started in 2002 as a privately funded organization that is dedicated to fully leveraging Indiana's existing world-class life science assets in order to create new jobs and spur new business opportunities in Indiana, according to their Web site. \nHerbert said he acknowledged the importance of this agreement in Indiana's development. \n"As we bring these discoveries to market through Indiana-based companies," Herbert said in a statement. "We will be strengthening the state economy and hastening the establishment of a robust life sciences corridor in our state"
(05/11/06 4:00am)
WHAT: Smithsonian Jazz Festival\nWHEN: Aug. 12, 8 p.m.\nWHERE: IU Musical Arts Center\nCOST: $14, $8 for IU students\nFestivals are all over the country, and right here in Bloomington we have shows all summer long on campus. The summer of inexpensive, and sometimes free, shows are capped off with the Smithsonian Jazz Festival in August. Featuring legendary Jazz musician David Baker and The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the performance will showcase some of the most important Jazz of the last 100 years. \nJelly Roll Morton, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and Quincy Jones are just a few of the impressive list of artists being covered. The show will also include some IU performers.\n"I'm thrilled that the all-star musicians who make up this orchestra will get a chance to visit our campus," Baker says. "And (they will) see firsthand what we're trying to do in our jazz studies department as well as in the rest of the School of Music."\nThe Jacobs School of Music also has chamber shows, orchestral concerts, jazz concerts, outdoor bands, choruses, the Opera "The Mikado" and free events all summer long.
(05/10/06 7:01pm)
WHAT: Smithsonian Jazz Festival\nWHEN: Aug. 12, 8 p.m.\nWHERE: IU Musical Arts Center\nCOST: $14, $8 for IU students\nFestivals are all over the country, and right here in Bloomington we have shows all summer long on campus. The summer of inexpensive, and sometimes free, shows are capped off with the Smithsonian Jazz Festival in August. Featuring legendary Jazz musician David Baker and The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the performance will showcase some of the most important Jazz of the last 100 years. \nJelly Roll Morton, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and Quincy Jones are just a few of the impressive list of artists being covered. The show will also include some IU performers.\n"I'm thrilled that the all-star musicians who make up this orchestra will get a chance to visit our campus," Baker says. "And (they will) see firsthand what we're trying to do in our jazz studies department as well as in the rest of the School of Music."\nThe Jacobs School of Music also has chamber shows, orchestral concerts, jazz concerts, outdoor bands, choruses, the Opera "The Mikado" and free events all summer long.
(05/05/06 5:02am)
Graduates and their families have a chance to reflect and celebrate their accomplishments at the 167th annual Baccalaureate service tonight at 5 p.m. tonight at the IU Auditorium.\n"Baccalaureate is an opportunity for graduates and their parents to pause, reflect and give thanks for academic efforts and achievements at the end of this very special stage of their lives," said Ken Beckley, president and chief executive officer of the IU Alumni Association.\nBeckley has been a big part of the ceremony for years and will give the Baccalaureate message, "Serving the World with Goodness." His speech will look at the major religions' focus on the concept of "good" and how graduates can apply that to their lives. He will apply readings from the major religions and relate them to honesty, sincerity, ethics and a positive attitude.\nFor years the ceremony was focused on graduation and featured alumni describing their paths since graduation. During the past five years, the Baccalaureate service has become more of a religious ceremony. The 45 minute ceremony will feature students speaking from each of the five major religions; Buddhism, Christianity, Hindu, Islam and Judaism, said Director of University Ceremonies Bill Elliott. \n"We used to have alumni and current graduates speak," Elliott said. "It used to be more reflective. Now it takes in more faith groups." \nEach faith group is represented by a prayer and a student, Elliott said. He said that another element of the ceremony is candles and sounds from gongs to Jewish Shofars representing each religion. \nNew to the ceremony this year is a performance by the African American Choral Ensemble. The choir has been guided by James E. Mumford who retired this year after 23 years at IU. \nAdministrative Assistant Rebecca Keith, who helped organize the event, said that there are usually around 400 attendees and she expects the same this year. Keith said the ceremony will have extra significance for Beckley.\n"I could tell he was touched when he was chosen to speak," Keith said. "This is his last Baccalaureate before he retires in January so it was important to him."\nAll are welcome to attend the free event which begins after the graduation send off at Bryan House. Keith said she looks forward to the event, which she describes as a celebration as well as a ceremony. \n"It's touching to see so many students, parents and faculty come together to reflect on their time at IU," Keith said. "It's a perfect place to come together and be thankful for the journey they've been on and look forward to the future"
(04/27/06 4:43am)
A study published this week by IU's Center for Evaluation and Education Policy has given new perspective to the debate to raise admissions standards at IU-Bloomington.\nThe research found that, though the state of Indiana has improved its rate of sending high school students to college, placing college students in remedial classes might do more harm than good.\nIU officials say high schools are attempting to better prepare students for college, which should decrease the need for remedial classes.\n"One would assume that the more rigorous the requirements for getting into an institution, the less need there will be for remediation," said Vice President for Institutional Development and Student Affairs, Charlie Nelms.\nThe survey said that "increasing enrollment in higher education, heightened competition in the job market and poor preparation in high school all affect the level of need for remedial education."\nWhile Purdue University and Ball State University offer no remedial classes, the survey reported that one in seven IU-Bloomington students take at least one remedial class. Numbers for IUB's remedial classes have slowly risen the past few years, according to the study.\nIU Chancellor Ken Gros Louis said IUB graduates 71 percent of its students -- the second highest rate of all public universities.\n"I'm a big believer in public education," Gross said. "I think it's important that students who graduate in top half of their class should be able to experience all that IU has to offer." \nJanet Stake, director of guidance at Bloomington High School South, said that four-year universities aren't for everyone and that remedial classes are often counterproductive.\n"I don't agree with Indiana University-Bloomington offering remedial programs," Stake said. "I see a lot of students get accepted to IU, and I know they aren't going to make it. It's a travesty for students who aren't going to succeed taking loans to pay for remedial classes that won't allow them to catch up."\nStudents taking more than one remedial reading class earn a bachelor's degree only nine percent of the time according to the study, compared to 54 percent for students who required no remedial education.\nOverall, 23 percent of students across the state of Indiana took at least one remedial class in college, with most taking classes at Ivy Tech Community College, a facility that teaches more than three quarters of remedial classes in Indiana, according to the study. Those numbers are growing rapidly. In the last five years, more than 1,000 class sections were added, and 25,000 more students were enrolled in them, according to the study.\nBridging the gap between high school and college is a way to help students avoid remedial programs, high school advisers say. Some four-year universities, such as California State University, have started programs to help students get the skills they need before it's too late.\n"The Early Assessment Program has high school juniors take a test to determine who's ready for college-level math and reading," said Helene Mandell, system-wide director of CalStateTEACH. "The program has shown success in getting students prepared for the transition to higher education." \nStake argued that not all students are fit for four-year universities and should consider other options out of high school.\n"Just because Indiana University is a public school, it doesn't mean everyone should have access to it," she said. "Ivy Tech is a good option, as are technical schools. We need electricians and plumbers, too." \nOn the other hand, the survey pointed out that sending all remedial students to community colleges creates a larger gap between the "haves" and "have-nots." The survey warned of a caste system where two-year institutions will be seen solely as remedial schools. \nReworking the Core 40 program is one step high schools are taking to better prepare students for college. Core 40 is a set of required classes from all fields that students must complete to graduate. It has been around for years but will become mandatory for all incoming high school freshmen in fall 2007. Now students will not be able to opt out of the Core 40 program without a parent and adviser conference.\nThe program is important because, according to the survey, the quality of courses completed in high school is a greater predictor of success than test scores, class rank or grade point average. \nBloomington High School North Principal Jeff Henderson said reworking the Core 40 program is just one of a number of steps Indiana high schools are taking to give students a better education. \n"We've currently engaged in discussion of the future of high schools," Henderson said. "We're looking at eight models of high school reform and looking at small learning communities and are working to open up communication." \nPart of the issue is "senioritis," which Henderson said he hopes to overcome by keeping students involved.\n"We must keep seniors engaged and participating," he said. "Involving them in programs like internships, senior projects and increasing communication with parents and teachers is important to students' success in high school and whichever path students choose"
(04/25/06 3:32am)
A new course looks to explore why women in video games are over-sexualized, men are hyper-masculinized and all Asian people seem to be ninjas. Professor Konrad Budziszewski looks to shine light on these issues, in addition to the ongoing debate of whether video games make us more violent in C337: "Games, Gamers, Gaming Culture." The course will be offered for the first time in the second summer session through the Department of Communication and Culture.\nStudents will not receive lessons in game design or get credit for playing Xbox but will instead be involved in a critical exploration of the relationship between games and gamers and the way the content of these games affects us as a society.\nVideo games are a major force in the entertainment industry, taking in more than $7 billion a year, according to the Entertainment Software Association. Budziszewski argues that it's time to study games the way people study film and television.\n"Fifty or 60 years ago people thought it was pointless to study film," Budziszewski said. "Now people are making the same point about video games, but I think it's an important part of American culture." \nThe course looks to explore the way gender and sexuality are presented and will also examine the gamers themselves.\n"Half of (all) Americans play video or computer games, and it's not just kids' stuff anymore," Budziszewski said. "The average age for a gamer is over 30, and it's time we look at who's playing what games and what it means about our society." \nA 2001 study titled "Fair Play? Violence, Gender and Race in Video Games" showed the extent of stereotyping in games. Eighty-six percent of heroes were white males, and seven out of 10 Asian characters were fighters or wrestlers. White female characters outnumbered females of every other racial group combined, and when black women were in games, they were victims of violence twice as often, according to the study. For more than a decade, there has been debate about whether the violence in video games such as "Mortal Kombat" and "Grand Theft Auto" breeds more violence. The course will explore both sides of the argument. \nIn 2004, an 18-year-old blamed "Grand Theft Auto" for his crime spree, during which he shot two policemen and a dispatcher before stealing a patrol car, according to a story on "60 Minutes" in March 2005. \nBudziszewski said he personally doesn't believe violence in games would make someone act out violently but acknowledged they probably do make some difference. Numerous court battles and studies have gone back and forth on the issue.\n"Do video games makes us more violent?" Budziszewski asked. "Hell, who knows? We can't answer all the questions, but we can see how those arguments have played out."\nThe class meets every weekday morning, with a film screening every Monday night. Screenings will include documentaries on games, news clips of violence blamed on violent games, and portions of movies based on games.\n"I have a lot of ideas for the class," Budziszewski said. "I'm excited to see what the students bring to discussion. I'm really looking forward to it"
(04/19/06 4:05am)
Doom should be inevitable to businesses who stop paying their employees. But the note-taking branch of IU's Disability Services for Students' new, more efficient business plan has done exactly that -- stopped paying its employees. \nFor the past few years, student note takers received a $25-per-credit-hour stipend for their semester's lecture notes. Disability services found that the time it took to acquire and maintain paid note takers was overwhelming.\n"The whole process of hiring, orienting and dealing with paperwork was a nightmare," said Martha Jacques, director of disability services. "This semester the program has run smoothly, with fewer complaints than in the past."\nDisability Services looked at other universities, which were already successfully using volunteer note takers, and followed suit. Through cooperation from professors who announce the need for volunteers, note takers are paired with students in need.\nNote-taking services are on the rise, with 105 students receiving notes for 461 class sections last semester, up from 80 students for 317 class sections in the fall of 2004.\nIU undergraduates Benny Goldman and A.J. Punjabi launched Hoosier Notes this semester. The pair was looking to provide a paid service for all college students. The Web site began by offering lecture notes and study guides for some of the larger lecture classes such as calculus, finite math and economics.\nGoldman said the Web site never really took off in its first semester, as it focused on increasing awareness of the product and working out the kinks. He said they are going to regroup this summer and come back next semester with a better product.\n"We're expanding our Web site and launching again with a better course selection in the fall," Goldman said. \nGoldman said that Hoosier Notes pays its note takers significantly more than disability services did, but was inefficient compared with disability services. \nCatherine Beeker, note-taking coordinator for IU's service, said that it's been an easy transition to get willing volunteers. \n"Usually we just have professors send out an e-mail asking for note takers and we get a few responses," Beeker said. "Students want to help out or want something positive to put on their resume."\nIt remains to be seen if the students who are not provided for by IU's volunteer note takers will embrace paying for supplemental notes from business like Hoosier Notes.
(04/17/06 3:57am)
Contrary to popular opinion, "frolf," or sometimes, "frisbee golf," is not just a nonchalant game for hippies to play barefooted. For starters, it's called disc golf and the sport is flourishing in Bloomington, which is home to three courses and an active club, which takes its sport seriously.\nThe Bloomington Disc Golf Club competes in league-play twice a week and holds frequent tournaments, even in the winter.\nSaturday the club will sponsor the Seventh annual Limestone Open at Crestmont Park with four divisions to accommodate all skill levels. Participation is open to all who register before 9:30 a.m., and the singles event will begin at 10 a.m. Disc golfers will play two rounds of 18 holes to compete for cash, trophies and disc golf related prizes. \nThe rules of disc golf are similar to regular golf, with the object being to get your disc from a tee area into a chain link basket a few hundred feet away in as few throws as possible. Disc golfers carry anywhere from two to 10 or more discs with driving, putting and midrange discs for various shots. The discs cost from $8-$20 each, and a round can be played in about 45 minutes. \nClub co-founder and Bloomington resident Mark Moore started playing disc golf more than 20 years ago and became hooked, playing almost every day. Ten years ago, he moved to Bloomington from Terre Haute and found that Bloomington didn't have a disc golf course. \n"When I moved here, most people didn't even know what disc golf was," Moore said. "It was hard to get the park's approval for park space." \nOne of the people he had to convince was Monroe County Parks Department Administrator Chuck Stephenson, who needed some convincing to approve the course.\n"I had never (even) heard of disc golf a few years ago, but it's become so popular," Stephenson said. "People have been filling up the course every day, even in the winter."\nFive years ago, Moore and Chris Golden, both of whom often finish at the top of the tournaments, teamed up to form the BDGC to encourage more players and have regular tournaments and events. \nThe club meets Wednesdays and Saturdays for a "tag" game in which participants are given a weekly ranking based on how low of a score they shoot. The tags are added up week after week to determine standings for the season, which runs from March to September, according to the club Web site. \nA dozen golfers typically attend tag events each week, and more than 40 participants played in the various divisions of the Limestone Open last year. \n"The club is good how it is," Moore said. "We have a good-sized group and the tournaments are always competitive." \nJust like golf, disc golf courses have unique personalities based on their physical layouts. Karst Farm has nine long, more wide-open holes, while Crestmont Park's 18 holes are often shorter but feature skill shots through the abundant trees of the park. The countless trees and hills coupled with the fact that it's the only 18-hole course, make Crestmont Park the choice for most tournaments and league play.\nClub members have taken issue with the recent decision to remove the last nine holes from Bloomington's first course, Karst Farm Park. \n"Those were my favorite holes," senior Eric Weiler said. "I tried playing the old part of the course where the holes used to be, but it's just not the same. It's depressing." \nTo ease the loss of their course, a new nine-hole course went up this past year at Sherwood Oaks Church. The new course and the prospect of another excites Moore. \n"Courses are going up everywhere," Moore said. "I'm excited for the future of this sport."\nFor more information on disc golf, visit www.bdgc.org.
(04/14/06 4:12am)
Considering recent Time magazine reports on global warming and Earth's health, some IU student groups are hoping to make this year's Earth Week especially relevant.\nA campus-wide cleanup, film festivals and the Earth and Music Festival highlight the full slate of free activities lined up for Earth Week in Bloomington. \nEarth Week kicks off Saturday with a campus-wide cleanup organized by the Civic Leadership Development. Participants will meet at 2 p.m. between the Kelley School of Business and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. They will be given garbage bags and gloves and will then be assigned an area of campus to beautify. At 4 p.m., they will meet for free pizza, said junior Daniel Vollen who helped organize the event. \n"We had about 100 volunteers last year," he said. "Hopefully we'll get 150 to 200 this year. Any more than that, we'll run out of pizza."\nThe week is capped off by the Earth and Music Festival, which will run from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 22 in Dunn Meadow. The free event allows attendees to participate in hands-on workshops and tree planting, and gives them a chance to build their own sculpture. \nA block away from the festival, at Eighth Street and Fess Avenue, is the groundbreaking for IU's first student-run organic garden. The garden will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will include digging beds, plots, planting seeds and composting workshops.\nThe Kids' Earth Day Extravaganza is new to the festival. Children will have plenty to hold their attention with walls for painting, garden starters and trees of their own to plant, said senior Jesse Robinson of the Student Environmental Action Coalition. \nLocal musicians will play at the event every hour from 1 to 9 p.m. with funk/reggae band Spiritual Rez performing from 9 to 11 p.m.\nAcademic lectures are also scheduled for Monday through Wednesday. They will feature past Environmental Protection Agency administrators and published authors. Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan will attend a celebration of local green businesses to recognize environmentally friendly practices Wednesday.\nGraduate student Kassia Perpich, who helped plan Earth Week, encouraged everyone to come out and have fun while learning about the environment. \n"Earth Week is definitely a fun event," Perpich said. "But it's also an educational week"
(04/12/06 5:48am)
Less than 7 percent of Indiana high school sex education teachers educate students about proper condom usage, according to a recent IU survey. \nResearchers, who interviewed 400 Indiana high school and middle school teachers in a study to test the extent of sex education, said the results showed that many teachers are leaving out key aspects in their curricula. Fewer than half of sex education teachers reported discussing HIV/AIDS thoroughly, and only 35 percent discussed pregnancy. \nIU professors and Planned Parenthood representatives said they are worried that students are leaving high school without the knowledge they need to live sexually healthy lives. \nTheresa Browning, director of communication for Planned Parenthood of Greater Indiana, said part of the problem is that teachers are unsure of what they can teach. She said teachers are required to teach abstinence, but should teach safe sex and all information available to them. \n"We teach these kids math and English," Browning said. "We need to teach them all the facts on sex education as well so they can make smart decisions." \nShe said the lack of information is worrisome, especially with recent findings that 35 percent of all new STD cases in Indiana occur in teenagers. \nA recent national report found that Indiana recently ranked 49th out of 50 in preventing unintended pregnancy, according to a recent report by the Guttmacher Institute. \nThe lack of information is causing concerned parties like Browning to join coalitions such as Get Real, Indiana!, whose Web site says: "Schools have an opportunity and obligation to give young people information in a balanced manner that teaches abstinence plus facts about contraception, reproductive health, relationships, and decision making." \nThe campaign also stresses the importance of teaching abstinence, anatomy, body image, contraception, disease prevention, gender issues, pregnancy, relationships and sexual development. \nIU professor in the Department of Applied Health Science Michael Reece said he believes the key to improving the problem is to talk about the issues out of the classroom as well. \n"Schools need help," Reece said. "I recommend more open and honest discussions in the community." \nBrowning said that parents and religious groups have been pretty receptive to open, thorough communication. She said school representatives don't think parents support them, but studies show they actually do. She said she would like to see more organizations out there to help spread the right information. \nBoth Browning and Reece agreed that the key is to make sure young people's questions get answered and that they are given the full spectrum of information. \n"If I could give advice to IU students, it would be to start thinking about your own sexual education," Reece said, "and what you can do as members of the community to support open and honest communication"
(04/06/06 4:00am)
Bloomington car lovers don't need Xzibit to pimp their rides. They do it themselves. Ten-switch hydraulics, custom paint and window designs, crushed velvet interior and enough bass to wake up Martinsville are featured in rides pimped right here in Bloomington. \nFor more than 10 years, members of Bloomington car club, "The Player$," have been traveling to car shows to show off their rides. Many of them have been obsessed with cars their whole lives, buying their first show car at age 16. The love of bikes started at age five for Doug Smith, 26, manager of Ackerman Auto Detail who rode dirt bikes before he could get a street bike. \nAckerman Auto Detail and Shakespearience Car Audio are stationed next to each other on North Jackson Street, near 17th street, to pimp Bloomington's rides. Shakespearience Car Audio provides amps, security systems, remote start and CD changers in addition to speakers, and Ackerman's flyer advertises itself as complete reconditioning specialists who do interior and exterior detailing. \nBloomington resident Brian Clarke has spent the last decade transforming his '94 Mitsubishi Eclipse into Vegas on wheels. A thorough, vivid paint job on the hood depicts his car on the Vegas strip in front of the fictional "Player$ Hotel" with great detail. Almost every inch of the car is decked out in the Vegas theme, with dice and cards etched into the windows by Visual Alterations' Chris White, who also did the vibrant paint work. The newest addition is a shamrock cut out of canvas on the rear window. \nIt was no surprise that Clarke's self-made, crushed velvet dice design won the trophy for best interior at Phi Kappa Sigma's philanthropy event. The green and black velvet puffs out of the car as it thumps chest-rattling bass and rocks 10 different ways with its custom hydraulics. \nClarke says the car doesn't ride that smoothly because of all the work he has put into it, but loves the way it looks. \n"I've been adding to it whenever I can," Clarke says. "I've been in over 100 shows and I think the car is finally just how I want it." \nEager to get the car back on the road after having been in storage all summer, he blasts the sound system to deafening levels. With two 12-inch subwoofers and two Rockford amps from Shakespearience Car Audio, the car is rocking even when the 10-switch hydraulic system is off. \nBloomington's audio guru Joe Richards, 29, who manages Shakespearience Sound, has given his car the pimping it deserves. His white 1971 Chevy Impala Custom has truly become customized since Richards started work on it when he was 16. A 10-switch, four-pump hydraulic system bounces on wide white wall tires, which he says make the car just right. \nHe used his audio expertise to hook up two 15" subwoofers, two amps and four other speakers hidden throughout the black swirl velvet interior. Richards did all of the paint, stereo and hydraulic work on the Impala himself and says he drives the ride as much as possible. He's had the car for 13 years, and has won a number of awards despite only showing it for three years. \nRichards estimates they do custom work on one car a week at Shakespearience Sound. Just last week he did custom sub and amp work on a Subaru STI and a Mercedes AMG. He enjoys restoring cars so much he plans to completely redo his seemingly perfect Impala this winter. \n"I'm ready for something new," Richards says. "I'm always looking for a new challenge." \nDetailing in Bloomington is fairly common. Smith says they do over 40 details a week in the summer and had a stretch of eight months where they did 500 jobs. \nSmith brought his '03 Suzuki 750 yellow motorcycle to the show and popped wheelies and raced up and down the parking lot, exciting spectators. The thrill of the crotch rocket comes with a couple of setbacks though. Smith says he has had to go to defensive driving class four times and has had driving privileges suspended three times. He wasn't even caught cruising at top speed, claiming he has peaked at 150 M.P.H. \nIU students are part of the "ride pimping" as well. Freshman Neil Mohan has been working on the audio for his 2002 black BMW car for two and a half years. He has created a dynamic sound system, with two 12-inch aluminum subs and 14 speakers all together. \nWhile Richards and Clarke are concerned with flair, Larry Wells is more concerned with what's under the hood. His yellow 1966 Chevelle Super Sport won best in show at the Phi Kappa Sigma auto show due to its power and style. The Super Sport packs around 550 horsepower under the hood, with enough chrome to pimp half a dozen rides. \nHe bought the car in 1977, used it in drag racing in the '80s, and took it off the frame in '97 to do a complete restoration. Wells is protective of his car and wanted to make sure he had someone who shared his passion before he gave him the project. \n"I've been a paint and body guy for 48 years," Bob Lake told Wells. "And if I could go back and do it all over again, you know what I'd be? A paint and body guy." \nWells was convinced Lake was right for the job and allowed the Bloomington resident to be a part of the restoration. He used numerous custom built pieces, a vintage air conditioning system and a custom tri-coat florescent paint job to give the car its flourish. Lake takes on three antique cars a year and is currently working on a '67 Firebird convertible with a '68 Mustang planned next. As summer approaches, the cars will start coming out of storage, cruising the streets of Bloomington. If the hydraulics and sound don't catch your eye, look for the cast metal, brass plated "Player$" signs on a couple of the tricked out rides.
(04/06/06 4:00am)
Bloomington car lovers don't need Xzibit to pimp their rides. They do it themselves. Ten-switch hydraulics, custom paint and window designs, crushed velvet interior and enough bass to wake up Martinsville are featured in rides pimped right here in Bloomington. \nFor more than 10 years, members of Bloomington car club, "The Player$," have been traveling to car shows to show off their rides. Many of them have been obsessed with cars their whole lives, buying their first show car at age 16. The love of bikes started at age five for Doug Smith, 26, manager of Ackerman Auto Detail who rode dirt bikes before he could get a street bike. \nAckerman Auto Detail and Shakespearience Car Audio are stationed next to each other on North Jackson Street, near 17th street, to pimp Bloomington's rides. Shakespearience Car Audio provides amps, security systems, remote start and CD changers in addition to speakers, and Ackerman's flyer advertises itself as complete reconditioning specialists who do interior and exterior detailing. \nBloomington resident Brian Clarke has spent the last decade transforming his '94 Mitsubishi Eclipse into Vegas on wheels. A thorough, vivid paint job on the hood depicts his car on the Vegas strip in front of the fictional "Player$ Hotel" with great detail. Almost every inch of the car is decked out in the Vegas theme, with dice and cards etched into the windows by Visual Alterations' Chris White, who also did the vibrant paint work. The newest addition is a shamrock cut out of canvas on the rear window. \nIt was no surprise that Clarke's self-made, crushed velvet dice design won the trophy for best interior at Phi Kappa Sigma's philanthropy event. The green and black velvet puffs out of the car as it thumps chest-rattling bass and rocks 10 different ways with its custom hydraulics. \nClarke says the car doesn't ride that smoothly because of all the work he has put into it, but loves the way it looks. \n"I've been adding to it whenever I can," Clarke says. "I've been in over 100 shows and I think the car is finally just how I want it." \nEager to get the car back on the road after having been in storage all summer, he blasts the sound system to deafening levels. With two 12-inch subwoofers and two Rockford amps from Shakespearience Car Audio, the car is rocking even when the 10-switch hydraulic system is off. \nBloomington's audio guru Joe Richards, 29, who manages Shakespearience Sound, has given his car the pimping it deserves. His white 1971 Chevy Impala Custom has truly become customized since Richards started work on it when he was 16. A 10-switch, four-pump hydraulic system bounces on wide white wall tires, which he says make the car just right. \nHe used his audio expertise to hook up two 15" subwoofers, two amps and four other speakers hidden throughout the black swirl velvet interior. Richards did all of the paint, stereo and hydraulic work on the Impala himself and says he drives the ride as much as possible. He's had the car for 13 years, and has won a number of awards despite only showing it for three years. \nRichards estimates they do custom work on one car a week at Shakespearience Sound. Just last week he did custom sub and amp work on a Subaru STI and a Mercedes AMG. He enjoys restoring cars so much he plans to completely redo his seemingly perfect Impala this winter. \n"I'm ready for something new," Richards says. "I'm always looking for a new challenge." \nDetailing in Bloomington is fairly common. Smith says they do over 40 details a week in the summer and had a stretch of eight months where they did 500 jobs. \nSmith brought his '03 Suzuki 750 yellow motorcycle to the show and popped wheelies and raced up and down the parking lot, exciting spectators. The thrill of the crotch rocket comes with a couple of setbacks though. Smith says he has had to go to defensive driving class four times and has had driving privileges suspended three times. He wasn't even caught cruising at top speed, claiming he has peaked at 150 M.P.H. \nIU students are part of the "ride pimping" as well. Freshman Neil Mohan has been working on the audio for his 2002 black BMW car for two and a half years. He has created a dynamic sound system, with two 12-inch aluminum subs and 14 speakers all together. \nWhile Richards and Clarke are concerned with flair, Larry Wells is more concerned with what's under the hood. His yellow 1966 Chevelle Super Sport won best in show at the Phi Kappa Sigma auto show due to its power and style. The Super Sport packs around 550 horsepower under the hood, with enough chrome to pimp half a dozen rides. \nHe bought the car in 1977, used it in drag racing in the '80s, and took it off the frame in '97 to do a complete restoration. Wells is protective of his car and wanted to make sure he had someone who shared his passion before he gave him the project. \n"I've been a paint and body guy for 48 years," Bob Lake told Wells. "And if I could go back and do it all over again, you know what I'd be? A paint and body guy." \nWells was convinced Lake was right for the job and allowed the Bloomington resident to be a part of the restoration. He used numerous custom built pieces, a vintage air conditioning system and a custom tri-coat florescent paint job to give the car its flourish. Lake takes on three antique cars a year and is currently working on a '67 Firebird convertible with a '68 Mustang planned next. As summer approaches, the cars will start coming out of storage, cruising the streets of Bloomington. If the hydraulics and sound don't catch your eye, look for the cast metal, brass plated "Player$" signs on a couple of the tricked out rides.
(03/30/06 5:00am)
A fan spat onto the lead singer of The Methadones from the balcony of Uncle Fester's, located on Kirkwood Avenue. \n"That's not cool," the singer said, glaring at the fan. "Keep playing you pussy. It's a punk show," another fan retorted. The singer threw water, the fan threw beer and the singer leaped onto a speaker, launching himself into the balcony to fight. The fight was broken up and the singer came back down and finished the set.\nIt sounds typical for a punk night, but its founder, Josh Johnson, insists it's the only real incident they've had. Regulars at Fester's have been welcomed to the working week with three or four punk bands every Monday night since punk night started in November 2004. \n"Punk night in Bloomington is awesome," says singer Bang Sugar Bang and guitarist Matt Southwell agrees. "Especially for a Monday night. Most Mondays on tour are dead. We've never played a Monday that rocked so hard." \nThe camaraderie and brotherhood of the bands is evident almost immediately. The audience is made up of a large majority of other band members, with band members often being interchangeable as bands find their groove.\n"A lot of the scene is pretty inbred as far as band members go," Johnson says. "Lots of guys play in more than one band. There's only like 20 bands and everyone knows each other." \nMany of the bands tour constantly and are established on successful independent labels such as S.O.S., TKO, Taang, Punkcore and No Idea. Punk night regulars, Bang Sugar Bang, have been on tour so long that the members put their stuff in storage and sold their homes.\n"Yeah, we're pretty much homeless now," Southwell says. "We're on tour until October and then heading to Chicago to record our third album." \nAs for Punk Night? Johnson modeled the event after the punk night his friend Greg Brenner has run in Indianapolis for the past few years. \n"There was nothing going on in Indy, rock wise, six years ago," Brenner says. "We had our Goth night shut down, so I decided to start a punk night myself and it grew from there."\nThe punk scene is part of a bigger movement to get more bands to make stops in Indiana on their tours.\n"It's been my philosophy that local bands meet out of town bands, network and start playing out of town gigs," Brenner says. "Bands used to go from Cincinnati to Chicago and just drive through without stopping in Indiana."\nThrough their online booking, www.byofl.org (Book Your Own Fucking Life), Johnson and Brenner have bands coming to them to play.\n"We played the second punk night ever and we've played a shit ton since then," says Dave Adicted of the band Nicotones. "It's provided a much needed venue for a consistent style of music. I think it completely caters to people in the scene from the style of bands that play, to the $3 cover, to the really cheap booze."\nBloomington is the last day of the four day mini-circuit of punk which starts in South Bend, Ind. on Friday, goes to Indy on Saturday and Evansville, Ind. on Sunday. Making the last stop Bloomington on Monday nights.\n"I started punk night to bring legitimate punk rock to Bloomington on a consistent basis," Johnson says. "We usually get around 70 people, but on big nights we get up to 200. It's always the best in local, regional, national and international punk rock. We've had bands from Italy, England and even Japan." \nMany of the local bands and out of town bands have formed a tight bond supporting each other, breaking down gear or making one another feel welcome.\n"We got to Fester's a little early for our first gig not knowing anyone, and the Nicotones came up to our van," says Southwell of Bang Sugar Bang. "They were like, 'you guys wanna drink some beer?' We've been close ever since."\nLeather jackets, mohawks, dyed hair, tattoos, studded belts and black band t-shirts are prevalent in the audience and band members alike, but Johnson says not everyone looks like the stereotypical punk.\n"A lot of people look more normal than you'd think," Johnson says.\nBut a punk night regular has other ideas on the disparity of the crowd's attire.\n"You can tell some of the fans have just wandered in from Jungle Room and are a little intimidated, but sometimes they stay and get into it," says senior Nick Detrich. "I've been coming to punk night every Monday since I turned 21. It's always a great show and you can't beat $1.50 well drinks." \nJohnson says he's not worried about punk imploding because they stick to mid-level bands. He admits some punk like Green Day can get watered down, but isn't worried about that affecting punk night.\n"We aim to bring an environment in which aggressive rock 'n' roll bands can have a place to play," Johnson says. "And in turn, fans can have a consistent venue every week to experience the amazing qualities that original rock 'n' roll possesses. Bloomington has a long and rich tradition of incredible independent rock 'n' roll. I am glad to be a part of something that attempts to perpetuate that reputation. There will always be an underground punk scene. Always"
(03/30/06 12:02am)
A fan spat onto the lead singer of The Methadones from the balcony of Uncle Fester's, located on Kirkwood Avenue. \n"That's not cool," the singer said, glaring at the fan. "Keep playing you pussy. It's a punk show," another fan retorted. The singer threw water, the fan threw beer and the singer leaped onto a speaker, launching himself into the balcony to fight. The fight was broken up and the singer came back down and finished the set.\nIt sounds typical for a punk night, but its founder, Josh Johnson, insists it's the only real incident they've had. Regulars at Fester's have been welcomed to the working week with three or four punk bands every Monday night since punk night started in November 2004. \n"Punk night in Bloomington is awesome," says singer Bang Sugar Bang and guitarist Matt Southwell agrees. "Especially for a Monday night. Most Mondays on tour are dead. We've never played a Monday that rocked so hard." \nThe camaraderie and brotherhood of the bands is evident almost immediately. The audience is made up of a large majority of other band members, with band members often being interchangeable as bands find their groove.\n"A lot of the scene is pretty inbred as far as band members go," Johnson says. "Lots of guys play in more than one band. There's only like 20 bands and everyone knows each other." \nMany of the bands tour constantly and are established on successful independent labels such as S.O.S., TKO, Taang, Punkcore and No Idea. Punk night regulars, Bang Sugar Bang, have been on tour so long that the members put their stuff in storage and sold their homes.\n"Yeah, we're pretty much homeless now," Southwell says. "We're on tour until October and then heading to Chicago to record our third album." \nAs for Punk Night? Johnson modeled the event after the punk night his friend Greg Brenner has run in Indianapolis for the past few years. \n"There was nothing going on in Indy, rock wise, six years ago," Brenner says. "We had our Goth night shut down, so I decided to start a punk night myself and it grew from there."\nThe punk scene is part of a bigger movement to get more bands to make stops in Indiana on their tours.\n"It's been my philosophy that local bands meet out of town bands, network and start playing out of town gigs," Brenner says. "Bands used to go from Cincinnati to Chicago and just drive through without stopping in Indiana."\nThrough their online booking, www.byofl.org (Book Your Own Fucking Life), Johnson and Brenner have bands coming to them to play.\n"We played the second punk night ever and we've played a shit ton since then," says Dave Adicted of the band Nicotones. "It's provided a much needed venue for a consistent style of music. I think it completely caters to people in the scene from the style of bands that play, to the $3 cover, to the really cheap booze."\nBloomington is the last day of the four day mini-circuit of punk which starts in South Bend, Ind. on Friday, goes to Indy on Saturday and Evansville, Ind. on Sunday. Making the last stop Bloomington on Monday nights.\n"I started punk night to bring legitimate punk rock to Bloomington on a consistent basis," Johnson says. "We usually get around 70 people, but on big nights we get up to 200. It's always the best in local, regional, national and international punk rock. We've had bands from Italy, England and even Japan." \nMany of the local bands and out of town bands have formed a tight bond supporting each other, breaking down gear or making one another feel welcome.\n"We got to Fester's a little early for our first gig not knowing anyone, and the Nicotones came up to our van," says Southwell of Bang Sugar Bang. "They were like, 'you guys wanna drink some beer?' We've been close ever since."\nLeather jackets, mohawks, dyed hair, tattoos, studded belts and black band t-shirts are prevalent in the audience and band members alike, but Johnson says not everyone looks like the stereotypical punk.\n"A lot of people look more normal than you'd think," Johnson says.\nBut a punk night regular has other ideas on the disparity of the crowd's attire.\n"You can tell some of the fans have just wandered in from Jungle Room and are a little intimidated, but sometimes they stay and get into it," says senior Nick Detrich. "I've been coming to punk night every Monday since I turned 21. It's always a great show and you can't beat $1.50 well drinks." \nJohnson says he's not worried about punk imploding because they stick to mid-level bands. He admits some punk like Green Day can get watered down, but isn't worried about that affecting punk night.\n"We aim to bring an environment in which aggressive rock 'n' roll bands can have a place to play," Johnson says. "And in turn, fans can have a consistent venue every week to experience the amazing qualities that original rock 'n' roll possesses. Bloomington has a long and rich tradition of incredible independent rock 'n' roll. I am glad to be a part of something that attempts to perpetuate that reputation. There will always be an underground punk scene. Always"
(03/28/06 5:10am)
The use of prepositions in a Niger-Congo language, bioterrorist agents, the effect of color on working memory and Turkish shadow puppets were a few of the topics on which 23 undergraduate Hutton Honors College students presented Sunday in the Dogwood Room in the Indiana Memorial Union. \nThe event featured students' 10-minute Powerpoint presentations in which students discussed their own specific fields of research. \nTopics were wide in scope and broken down into five sections. International Issues, Social and Cultural Studies and New Perspectives in Art presentations were given in the morning session, and Current Research in Science and Exploring Medical and Psychological Questions presentations were given in the afternoon.\nLynn Cochran, assistant dean of the Honors College, put on the event. She said she was pleased with the event. \n"It was a wonderful occasion for learning about a wide range of topics," she said. "Students stretched beyond their fields and everybody learned something."\nAttendance was sparse, with less than 15 people present, including the nine speakers, for the afternoon session. Dean of the Honors College Karen Hanson said the morning session had about 30 attendees at its peak.\n"Sunday is a hard day to get people on campus," she said. "But it was a pretty good, involved turnout."\nParticipants have spent anywhere from a few weeks to three years researching their topics, which they had to boil down to a 10-minute presentation. One presenter went to France for a semester to study a specific flower's population differentiation, while another read medical journals to find the potential dangers of current bioterrorist agents. Three presenters studied an immigrant family's struggle to learn English and recreated their life story in their presentation.\nSophomore Patrick McGhee's research found that bioterrorist weapons such as anthrax are unlikely to be released in a large scale attack.\nJunior Leah Fey's study showed people memorize words more easily when they are categorized. She said she was surprised by her findings that placing the words in random order didn't detract from people's ability to recall them.\nThe wide range of topics made it hard for Hanson to pick one that stuck out.\n"It's like asking me to pick my favorite child," Hanson said. "They were all fascinating"
(03/10/06 5:14am)
Students and Bloomington residents poured into Rawles Hall on a rainy Thursday evening, filling every seat as more than 30 audience members resorted to standing in the back or sitting in the aisles to hear noted author and philosopher Daniel C. Dennett speak on "Religion as a Natural Phenomenon." His lecture examined the Darwinian perspective on religion, the immense impact religion currently holds in society, and the possibilities of how it will shape our future.\nDennett gave his second speech of the week at IU as part of the prestigious Patten Foundation's series of lectures. His most recent book, "Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon" is a self-described "scientific, rational examination of religion that will lead us to understand what purpose religion serves in our culture." \nDennett laid out five possibilities on what religion will evolve into. His ideas ranged from religion sweeping the planet, religion being in the death throes and even the judgment day scenario.\n"Our lives depend so much on religion and what it will become," he said.\nBy comparing animals to humans, Dennett showed the humanism required for religion.\n"Are there any grandparents in the crowd?" Dennett asked. After a dozen hands went up, he asked, "How many of you judge your worth on whether you have more grandchildren than your contemporaries?"\nThe audience laughed, but Dennett insisted it is a uniquely human trait to have a higher goal of living to dedicate one's life to God, instead of merely propagating the species.\nDennett used an extended metaphor throughout his speech of Darwinian views on evolution to explain the staying power of religion.\n"If the survival of the fittest has any validity as a slogan, then the Bible is truly the fittest of texts," he said. "It has been copied the most times and survived the longest."\nThe crowd received Dennett warmly and attentively, even if some members' views did not reflect his.\n"The way he interweaves religion and science could almost be considered blasphemy," said senior Kari Stevenson. "But he remained respectful." \nA picture on his Powerpoint of a church sign that read "Good without God becomes 0" prompted Dennett to claim there is good outside of religion. \n"To say you can't be good without God is simply not true," he said.\nHe ended his speech by requesting that one policy from his book be implemented. He asked that whether public, private or home-schooled, students should be taught about the history, creed, rituals, ethics, commandments and prohibitions of all world religions. \n"It was a bit ambitious to approach religion as a whole," said graduate student Steve Harris. "But I think his idea of more education on religion was well-taken"
(03/07/06 5:54am)
Reversing the freshman 15 before spring break can seem impossible when pizza and Taco Johns seem like the only meal options. For freshmen and their mooching friends, the food courts offer a lot of healthy options as long as they know where to look.\n"I think we do a good job of providing lots of options," said registered dietitian Heidi Boruff, who helps plan and implement the menu at Residential Programs and Services. For breakfast, lunch and dinner, Boruff has compiled a sample week-long menu of varied healthy options that stress utilizing the salad bar and the Iron Kettle.\nBoruff recommends starting the day with breakfast items such as an English muffin with 134 calories, a scrambled egg with 75 calories, French toast with 150 calories or half a bagel with 170. For lunch and dinner, she recommends turkey and veggie sandwiches with no cheese, turkey burgers with 330 calories, chicken breast sandwiches with 260 calories, pasta with red sauce and the specials at the Iron Kettle. \nShe advises to eat items like taco salad with an estimated 770 calories, falafel with 550 calories and nachos with 570 calories sparingly. \n"I encourage eating at the Iron Kettle -- the vegetables are steamed and we have great specials," she said. "In general I'd avoid Taco Johns, except if you get the chicken taco salad without the shell, it's not bad." \nGresham Food Court Manager Gina Brooks understands the requests for more healthy options, but says there are \nobstacles. \n"We've done all kinds of vegetarian and vegan options, but they don't get eaten that often," Brooks said. "Part of the problem is that the healthy food is often more expensive than unhealthy and if people aren't ordering it, it's hard to keep it on the menu." \nAt Wright Food court, Manager Mark Winstead is working on a new concept called "Eat Wright." After spring break, the food court will have a new section devoted to healthier food options. \nWhile eating a healthy lunch at Gresham food court, two freshman girls were content with the current selection. \n"I like the salad, yogurt and egg-white omelets," said Freshman Angela Battafarano. "It would be cool if they had more options and specials though." \nFreshman Emily Levy said the selection at the food courts is good, but she would like more variety.\n"I wish they had organic food and different fruit like pears, peaches and berries," Levy said. \nBoruff is always working to bring new, affordable options to the food court.\n"Ideally we would like organic food, whole wheat breads and fresh foods, but students have to realize it costs more," Boruff said.\nFor those running low on meal points and still attempting to eat well, Boruff has developed ten meals for six dollars or less. Rather than spending $5.19 on pizza, fries and soda, for example, she recommends spending fifty cents more for a grilled chicken breast from Flamingo grill, a side of vegetables and cottage cheese. \nAs the food becomes all too familiar, Boruff encourages students to avoid fried food, utilize the salad bar and seek out good food. \n"Right now we have healthy options -- they're just hidden behind other things," Boruff said.