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Weekend getaway

By Patrice Worthy and Patricia Worthy · Thursday, April 1,2004 12:57 a.m.

The fickle weather is really beginning to bother me. I have been waiting to write this column for some time now, but I can wait no longer. I thought I'd write a column about shopping when the weather is nice, but spring break brought snow and it still keeps raining. So, in an impatient tantrum I looked at the forecast for this weekend, and I am happy to report it will be partly cloudy with a 95 percent chance of shopping. The weather will finally permit for spring shopping to commence. What a blessing.

Baker's jazz band fuses talent into great sound

By -Jenny Kobiela · Thursday, April 1,2004 12:54 a.m.

IU students are lucky: Rather than having to travel to Indianapolis or Chicago to experience a great jazz concert, students can stay right in Bloomington and experience jazz magic from IU's top jazz band. Monday night, the IU jazz band, directed by world-renowned jazz musician, composer and music professor David Baker, performed its final single concert (it is slated to appear in a concert with IU's other jazz bands later this semester).

Success of gradutes inspires ballet students

By Josh Hamm · Thursday, April 1,2004 12:51 a.m.

Regarded as one of the top schools in the nation for ballet, IU regularly competes with other outstanding schools, such as Julliard, for the nation's top ballet students and programs. Like Julliard, the IU Ballet Theater has sent its graduates to some of the best professional theater companies in the country -- alumnae Dori Goldstein, Sarah Smith, and Sarah Roth are now with the Washington, American and Boston ballet theaters, respectively.

On Your Toe

By Jessica Dalsing · Thursday, April 1,2004 12:49 a.m.

The words hardworking, determined and talented could describe a 300-pound fullback, but they also ring true for a 110-pound ballerina. Ballerinas live in a world where they are constantly challenging their bodies and striving for perfection to get that one chance at making it to the big time. Senior ballet majors' second semester is dedicated to practicing for the Spring Ballet, much like the culmination of a sports championship game.

Around The Arts

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 1,2004 12:46 a.m.

Individualized major students create 'revival' dance series Six IU students in the Individualized Major Program will hold a modern dance serietitlted "Revival, A Rebirth of dance," a final project which they have been working on all year. The show starts at 8 p.m. Friday and 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Friday's show will be held at the John Waldron Arts Center at 122 S. Walnut, and Saturday's shows will be at the Willkie Quad Auditorium. Admission is free to all shows.

Annan presents Cyprus reunification blueprint

By Alyson Brodsy and Naomi Koppel · Thursday, April 1,2004 12:31 a.m.

FUERIGEN, Switzerland -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented his blueprint for the reunification of Cyprus Wednesday and set an April 24 date for islanders to vote on the plan, saying "the time for decision and action has arrived." Turkey's government quickly endorsed the proposal, but the Greek side was more cautious.

U.S. corpses dragged through Iraqi city

By Alyson Brodsy and Sameer N. Yacoub · Thursday, April 1,2004 12:29 a.m.

FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Jubilant residents dragged the charred corpses of American contractors through the streets Wednesday, hanging two of them from the bridge spanning the Euphrates River. Five American soldiers died in a roadside bombing nearby. The White House blamed terrorists and remnants of Saddam Hussein's former regime for the "horrific attacks" killing the four civilian contractors.

IU staffers face e-mail problems

By Rick Newkirk · Thursday, April 1,2004 12:03 a.m.

University Information Technology Services held a panel discussion Wednesday regarding the escalating problem of e-mail privacy. Panel member Fred Cate, distinguished law professor, said postal mail and e-mail are seen differently in the eyes of the law. "Opening mail not addressed to you is a crime," Cate said. "Opening e-mail not addressed to you is entertainment." The legislation in question is the Open Records Act, a law intended to disclose all public records to anyone in the state. Since the policy was enacted before e-mail was a prevalent form of communication, there is no provision excluding e-mail from the policy, and because the University servers hold copies of the e-mails, they are considered public record. The consequence is anyone in the state of Indiana can request the e-mails of any state employee -- including IU staff and faculty members. Further, the policy does not exclude personal e-mails, which is the reason some faculty members are upset.

Campus bus hits former IUSA President Bill Gray

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 1,2004 12:02 a.m.

Former IUSA President Bill Gray is finding out the hard way the truth behind a popular IU urban legend. Gray, who served as student body president during the 2002-2003 school year, was hit by an IU bus while crossing Woodlawn Avenue at its intersection with 10th Street. Gray declined to comment, saying he had a headache but walked away from the scene after turning down a visit to the hospital. Campus rumor has it that being hit by a bus equals free tuition. IU Police Department Officer Brice Boembeke said Gray was crossing Woodlawn on the south side of 10th Street, toward the Collins Living-Learning Center. He said witnesses saw the incident, although blame has yet to be assigned. "From the reports of the witnesses on the scene, the green light was east-west, and the bus was turning right on a red light, which is okay there -- you can do that," Boembeke said. "From what they said, the pedestrian crosswalk light said 'Don't walk,' but it's still to be determined whose fault it was." IU bus driver Michiael Shannon refused comment at the scene.

FDA-approved oral HIV test reduces waiting period for results

By Tim Callahan · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

The fight to identify HIV -- the virus that leads to AIDS -- has a new tool. The Food and Drug Administration approved an oral testing technique which takes approximately 20 minutes to administer and provides results based on the swab of fluids from the patient's gums. OraSure Technologies, the manufacturer of the test, hopes to reduce waiting periods for patients being tested for HIV from one week for a traditional blood test to 20 minutes for the new test.

Axl's 'One in a Million'

By Neal Taflinger · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

When I was elementary school, my father was a high school teacher, and he told me that only scumbags wore Metallica and Guns N' Roses shirts. Not coincidentally, those two bands shaped my taste in music more than any others. Since almost everything this band did from '87 to '92 is golden, most of this CD is a no-brainer.

Baseball sim a videogaming 'MVP'

By -Mitch Nelson · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

For those die-hard baseball fans who have finally realized that their dream of playing in the Big Leagues will never work out, "MVP Baseball 2004" is the next best thing. EA Sports took a great thing in last year's "MVP" title and improved upon it. Yes, like stretching a double into a triple, this game has been ironed out and damn near perfected to the point of near frightening realism.

They're 'Bad Boys for Life'

By -Brandon Tucker · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

For ten years, nobody has run the city quite like Diddy. Of course, Bad Boy Records' golden years will always be considered in the mid- '90s when Biggie Smalls was the co-king of rap, and rapper-turned-preacher Mase owned the party airwaves.

'Rundown' to your local video store

By -Jenny Kobiela · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

Many action movies appear to have only loose traces of a plot. The Rundown is no exception, but the incredible action, coupled with impressive DVD extras, is enough to merit any action fan's interest.

Pop-punk 'Descendents' take note

By Mattew Seremet and Matthew Seremet · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

Twenty-two years after Milo Goes to College changed the face of punk forever, the Descendents have returned to take punk rock to school once again. The Good Charlotte's of this world should grab a desk, as the professors of pop-punk offer a 30 minute course in perfection.

Paul Simon's 'Songbook' shines

By -Kehla West · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

The Paul Simon Songbook couldn't really be bad, could it? Originally released in 1965, Songbook is a collection of Simon's finest songs, including classics such as "I Am a Rock," "A Church is Burning" and "The Sound of Silence."

Usher's 'Confessions' should remain unheard

By Diana Tychsen · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

Speaking of confessions, it's only appropriate that all the ladies admit to our obsession with Usher, frequently referred to as the "Michael Jackson of Generation Y."

Risky movie for Smith: Way too cautious outcome

By Jenny Mancino · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

Writer/director Kevin Smith is most famous for edgy cult films along the lines of Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. With Jersey Girl he spins headfirst into mainstream filmmaking of the overly sentimental dramady sort. Smith stuck to his technique of combining drama and comedy (see Amy), but other than that this movie is completely different from his past works and not necessarily different in a good way.

N.E.R.D. 'In Search Of ...' something new

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

N.E.R.D. broke out from behind the boards two years ago with its critically acclaimed (and rightfully so) debut, In Search Of…. The group comprised of super-producers du jour the Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) and fellow Virginian vocalist Shay have issued a follow-up, Fly or Die, and while very good, it may not be dug by the masses.

Mermaid flick a charming tale

By Amy Hamblen · Thursday, April 1,2004 12 a.m.

Ron Howard's "Splash" is a charming film with a delightful story full of bubbly characters.