Region

Even Osama needs PR help

Dear Mr. bin Laden, Although Thomas E. Ricks of The Washington Post (Feb. 25) reports that you might still be alive and kicking in the rugged territory between Afghanistan and Pakistan, you seem like a distant memory over here in the states. I wonder if they're still selling Osama voo-doo dolls in Times Square.

Administrator described as 'friendly workaholic'

IU's new chancellor and vice president for academic affairs, Sharon S. Brehm, has been widely described as a "friendly workaholic," with an infinite amount of energy and a commitment to excellence. But really she just likes to read, travel and ride in fast planes. "I adore reading, and I always have like six books going," she said. "The ability to open a book and open a world will never lose its excitement for me."

Retaliation necessary

Missing: 4,763 Confirmed dead: 576 That is 5,313 fellow Americans who will always be a part of America but who will never again walk this great land. A town's worth of fellow citizens who were felled by an act of terrorism. At least 50 of them were soldiers and sailors who swore an oath to defend our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Implicit in that oath is the understanding that we, the American people, have a part in this pact. Our part is to not let their deaths go unavenged.

'Hart's War' a losing battle

In Hollywood's post Sept. 11 patriotic fervor, there was a literal invasion of War movies. Luckily, most moviegoers took a pass on "Hart's War," a dangerously flawed film. This Bruce Willis driven tank hits tons of landmines from start to finish.

Hoosiers have flawless weekend

Having just completed a road trip, the women's tennis team wanted to make a statement at the IU Tennis Center Saturday. Mission accomplished. The Hoosiers (10-6, 1-2 Big Ten) ripped through two opponents, defeating Illinois-Chicago in the morning and Butler in the afternoon, both by a flawless 7-0 score.

N. Ireland peace process needs more momentum, Irish leader says

The British and Irish governments must give renewed momentum to the Northern Ireland peace process, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said Sunday as he called on all sides to help ease simmering sectarian tensions.

Taken under advisory

Music censorship is nothing new to American culture. In fact, government officials and special interest groups have been trying to censor music since before the 1950s. From Elvis' appearances on the "Ed Sullivan Show" to Marilyn Manson concerts, popular music always seems to make someone mad. With "Parental Advisory: Music Censorship In America," author Eric Nuzum, a pop-culture critic and program director of WKSU-FM at Kent State University, details and follows the evolution of music censorship in America.

Housing laws continue debate

In June 1985, when most of the incoming class of freshmen was less than two-years old, the Bloomington city council passed an ordinance disallowing more than three unrelated adults from living in the same single family residence. Almost 17 years later, a panel of three appeals judges on May 17 unanimously ruled the ordinance unconstitutional.

Eastern conference always a battle

(1) New Jersey Devils vs. (8) Carolina Hurricanes This matchup features the deepest lineup in the playoffs against the shallowest. Heading into the playoffs, the defending champion Devils are undoubtedly the most likely candidate to take the East. Having Patrik Elias as white hot as he is (16 goals, 34 points in the last 19 games) only makes the Devils a scarier opponent.

6 athletes qualify for NCAA meet

Coach Randy Heisler did not have high expectations for his athletes going into this weekend's 15-team meet at Arizona State because of his team's recent intense training. Instead, he got a surprise from the three-day Baldy Castillo Invitational. The Hoosiers won six events and provisionally qualified six athletes for the NCAA Championships in six events.

Court nixes bid by smoker's widow

ORLEANS, France -- An appeals court denied a request Monday for damages by the widow of a three-pack-a-day smoker, ruling that it was the state-owned tobacco company's job to make money for the government. The tobacco company, Seita, "was not unaware of the correlation between smoking and the risk of cancer, notably to the lungs," the court said. But the court said Seita's status as a state-run company did not permit it to "make this information known to the public." The widow's lawyer called the decision a "total defeat" not only for his client but for public health, and said he would file a new appeal.

University of Michigan law school wins case

DETROIT -- With a narrow appeals court victory Tuesday, the University of Michigan law school won the right to continue considering race in its admissions policies as the school braces for a likely historic appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Scholar to focus on debate about Dead Sea Scrolls

One of the country's leading scholars on the Dead Sea Scrolls will help unravel the mystery of the scrolls and their connection to the history of Judaism in a lecture Monday. Lawrence Schiffman, a New York University professor and Dead Sea Scrolls expert, will present the Edward A. Block Lecture in Jewish Studies at 8 p.m. Monday in Lindley Hall Room 102. The topic is "Scholars, Scrolls, and Scandals: The Dead Sea Scrolls and the History of Judaism."

Jordan River Forum

Alexis Silas' dissent on the placement of the Benton mural depicting a Klansman ("Art belongs in museum," Feb. 18) not only demonstrates political correctness run amok but also displays a stunning lack of critical thought, which I fear may be held in common by many in the IU community.

The power of music

A dark-haired man in a worn-in Grateful Dead T-shirt sits on a blanket, bobbing his dreadlocked head up and down to the beat provided by Blue Moon Revue. To his right, an older, slightly balding man stands, gently tapping his foot to the music. To his left, two golden retrievers chase each other around in circles, eventually running after a young barefoot girl, her long brown hair windblown over her smiling face. Below her, the green grass blew in the wind while the blue but cloudy sky illuminates all of Dunn Meadow Saturday for this year's Calmfest.

'Planet of the Apes' a lot of monkey business

Tim Burton's dark remake of "Planet of the Apes" has a considerable amount of potential. But predictably enough, it fails to deliver. Burton's conceit is that this surefire blockbuster is a "reimagining" of the 1968 sci-fi classic starring a curmudgeonly Charlton Heston as an ill-fated astronaut. Burton even goes so far as to credit the inspiration to Pierre Boulle's novel in the opening credits.

Last day to buy basketball tickets

Today is the last day to purchase tickets for the 2001/2002 basketball season. Students can order tickets at Assembly Hall or online at

New program helps teachers

A group of approximately 30 educators met twice this month to learn how to review prospective teachers' portfolios. The pilot program at the IU School of Education was one of IU's reactions to changes in Indiana standards to require classroom teachers to be involved in the evaluation process of licensing new educators.

Have you had your 15 minutes?

Do the seats proud

Ever wonder what the 20,000 seats in Memorial Stadium that aren't filled do on Saturdays? The players know how bad it sucks to have a crowd that could be out-numbered by a state-wide meeting of the Athletes Foot Association. But what about those poor seats? It's the same seats week after week that aren't used -- you know, those seats in all four corners of Memorial Stadium. They're there to be sat on, sometimes stood on and occasionally slept on, no doubt in another IU defeat. Instead, they're usually limited to shining in the sun or collecting raindrops and empty cups. Poor, lonely seats.