A&E

Alumnus, curator to speak at benefit dinner

Outside the School of Fine Arts, professors in bright greens and purples smoke cigarettes and watch the students: boys in skinny pants and overpriced loafers, girls with chunky glasses and rainbows for bangs. The smoke clouds drift over their heads and dissipate into the rain and wind. Everything in this building is art: the witchy cackles propelling the steam puffs, the swirls in the commercial carpet and the broken-pencil scent filling the hallways.

GONE

GONE -- Three-year-old Austin Brandt of Apple Valley, Minn., touches Snoopy's big red dog dish Wednesday at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. The Peanuts gang along with its branding will be removed after inhabiting the mall's amusement park, Camp Snoopy, for the past 13 years.

Remodeled IMU darkroom open

Photographers and artists alike have a new resource on campus to express themselves and be creative. The Union Studios opened its newly renovated darkroom for photographers in the Indiana Memorial Union Monday. In addition, a variety of six-week classes, including courses in pottery and ceramics, are offered for students through Union Studios this semester. The Union Studios is located in the IMU's Back Alley past the arcade. The darkroom has doubled in size and has a new ceramics studio, said Kera McElvain, Union Studios program director.

We think students with inspired style should be seen.

Today's model: Alaa Fadag, Graduate Student On her style: As a graphic designer, Fadag said she creates her style to be fun, but simple. With interesting color combinations and unique details, she strives to be both comfortable and sophisticated. "I put attention into my clothes, but I don't try to overdo it," Fadag said. "I like to incorporate a lot of color because I am an artist."

Gillian Anderson finds nothing alien about playing British in 'Bleak House'

PASADENA, Calif. -- Since "The X-Files" ended, Gillian Anderson has tried to move as far away as possible from her fame as Dana Scully, the skeptical FBI agent assigned to investigate the paranormal. In PBS's "Bleak House," she's probably completely succeeded. As the beautiful but tragic Lady Dedlock in this six-part "Masterpiece Theatre" adaptation of one of Charles Dickens' greatest novels, only Anderson's classic profile is a reminder of Scully.

Knitting to unwind

Clickety clackety. The steady sounds of knitting needles can be heard on campus this semester because of the steady rise in popularity of knitting among college students. The sudden interest has caused knitting groups to pop up like crocheted crocuses. "Student interest is very high," said Marla Dawson, knitting instructor at Yarns Unlimited. "It is the busiest I have ever seen it."

Another Oprah book club selection having issues

NEW YORK -- Another Oprah book club pick has raised the issue of fact vs. fiction.

Local volunteer orchestra gives more than just music

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra conductor Christopher Ludwa assures us orchestra has plenty of appeal. The BSO is an organization that brings together professional and amateur musicians from around the community to do what they love: make music.

'Walk the Line,' 'Transamerica' claim Golden Globe wins

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- "Brokeback Mountain" is moseying along the Academy Awards trail, its four Golden Globe wins -- best drama among them -- positioning the cowboy love story for Oscar glory.

Minus 10 points for style: The online trends of yesteryear

This year marks a special anniversary for one of the granddaddies of online humor. In 1996, college student Nehal Patel posted "Mr. T Ate My Balls" (www.geocities.com/nkpatel/mrt/). It was juvenile, it was pointless, and it conquered the Web. Patel followed up his first page with "Chewbacca Ate My Balls," and from there the phenomenon spawned countless celebrity "Ate My Balls" pages. Everyone from Bill Gates to Seinfeld found their pictures amended with not-too-witty word blurbs or crudely drawn gonads. "Useless" pages like these were how we entertained ourselves before broadband. It was considered by many to be the first Internet phenomenon -- at least among those unaware of Kibology (www.kibo.com).

Award-winning poet shares experience of oppression

One afternoon, award-winning writer Toi Derricotte and her mother went through her mother's homage to her ancestors, a memoir that had been 15 years in the making. Her mother died three days later.

Artist puts purchases on display in gallery

As a graduate student, Kate Bingaman kept all her receipts. In fact, she even took photographs of items she purchased, all the way down to a pack of gum. But it wasn't because she's a stickler for balancing her checkbook; it's because she's an artist.

Boxcar Books marks 4th year with charity auction

With the beginning of the new semester, students typically spend several hundred dollars on textbooks. While many students might dread this task, not all members of society, like prisoners, have the opportunity to learn through literature.

IU performers explore new frontiers by performing pieces

The Indiana University Departments of Kinesiology and Theatre and Drama unite this Thursday and Friday at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre to present "New Frontiers/Contemporary Traditions," a performance in its fourth year of production. The performance is open to the public and will consist of various forms of art including music, dance and video sequences performed by student dance groups.

Remembers his dream

As the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. draws near, opportunities around Bloomington and the campus abound, especially with regards to the arts.

"Our Town" comes to B-Town

Premiering in New York back in 1938, "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder is still running today. The play, which also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1938 according to www.pulitzer.org, revolves around the lives of two families in a small New Hampshire town. The audience will see the blood, sweat and tears of the characters' lives pour out to them in a simplified -- yet funny and touching -- manner. "Our Town" is playing this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. at Buskirk-Chumley Theater. The general admission price is $18, $15 for seniors (62 and older) and $13 for students with identification. There is also a special for the Saturday matinee where children under 16 pay only $8 with the supervision of an adult.

Madonna, Gwen Stefani and the spirit of Latin in 2006

Award-winning poet to share struggles in a 'white world'

Award-winning poet and author Toi Derricotte will share her experiences as a black woman living in a society where racism and sexism exist at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Grand Hall. The Office of Vice President of Academic Support and Diversity, the department of English, and the MFA Creative Writing Program are all sponsoring the event, according to a press release.

Students can develop new painting skills with art group

The Bloomington Watercolor Society's savings are so small, treasurer Carol Rhodes has to add up the numbers in her check book to remember if there is $437 or $439 in the club's bank account (it turns out to be $439).

Howard Stern returns to airwaves with promise of strippers, moderate cursing

NEW YORK -- Howard Stern began his new satellite radio show Monday by putting to rest rumors that he got married to his longtime girlfriend, model Beth Ostrosky. "I am not married. It's a nice feeling that we get along great. We're very happy and I don't want to (blank) it up," said Stern, who is finally free of government decency laws on Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. Stern has promised everything from stripper poles to live sex on his new show.