Region

Music school donor dies at 103

By Paige Ingram · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 9:39 p.m.

Ione Auer, a public supporter of the IU Jacobs School of Music, passed away earlier this week. She was 103.

IUSA hosts call-out meeting for prospective candidates

By Beka Mech · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 9:21 p.m.

The IU Student Association will hold a call-out meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Indiana Memorial Union for students interested in IUSA elections. The room has not yet been announced.

IMU to display Human Race Machine this week

By Maggie Hames · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 9:19 p.m.

The opportunity to step into another's shoes rarely arises, but next week an "eye-opening" event will be taking place on IU's campus. The Human Race Machine is giving people a chance to see how they would look as another ethnicity.

Casino mogul pokes $54 million hole in his Picasso

By Larry Neumeister · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 9:10 p.m.

NEW YORK -- Casino mogul Steve Wynn sued Lloyd's of London Thursday, saying the insurance company failed to act properly on his demand to pay $54 million in lost value for a Picasso that was damaged when Wynn accidentally poked a hole in the canvas with his elbow.

The marble ceiling

By Rachel Fullmer · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 7:45 p.m.

"For our daughters and granddaughters, today we have broken the marble ceiling." Surely Nancy Pelosi's words on Jan. 4, spoken as she was formally elected speaker of the House for the 110th Congress, will be written in the history books and continue to echo long into our great country's future.

Johns Hopkins' 1st Amendment

By Edward Delp · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 7:43 p.m.

Imagine for a moment the following scenario. You organize a party and invite all your friends. Then you receive notice from your school's administration that some people found the theme of the party offensive and ordered you to remove advertisements for it. You complied, but held the party anyway. Then a few days later you were informed that the party was in violation of university policy and you would be facing disciplinary action.

In a stubborn state

By Aparna Venkatraman · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 7:38 p.m.

The Illinois Executive Inspector General's Office recently informed 65 professors and 190 other employees at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale that they might be reprimanded for violating the state ethics policy. Disciplinary action could include termination. What error in ethical judgment have the employees of SIUC committed that has left them filthy with academic dishonesty in the eyes of the state?

Sharper: Grossman talked trash during Bears' first win

By Alyson Brodsy and Rick Gano · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 3:52 p.m.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Minnesota safety Darren Sharper remembers it clearly, though it's been more than two months since Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman threw a late touchdown pass to beat the Vikings at the Metrodome. What happened next seems un-Rex like. The Bears' young quarterback started to talk trash to the Vikings. Apparently big-time. "In 10 years in the league I haven't had a quarterback do that any time to me, so we definitely remember that, and the guys in the locker room remember that," Sharper said Wednesday as the teams got ready for a rematch Sunday at Soldier Field.

Vials of sand

By Colin Dugdale · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 1:03 p.m.

When old people die, I sell their stuff on eBay. For years, I've bought pre-owned goods at local estate sales and resold them on the Internet. Antiques, books, clothes. It's like legalized grave robbing -- a peculiar profession I'll admit.

Residential zone

By Aparna Venkatraman · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 1:02 p.m.

In November 2006, Arizona passed Proposition 300, a ballot measure that stops students who are not legal U.S. residents from paying in-state tuition at public colleges and universities, from receiving state financial aid, and from taking adult classes held by the Arizona Department of Education.

Evolution of book clubs: What would Oprah say?

By Chelsea J. Carter · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:50 a.m.

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Lori Richardson perused the book shelves, picking up one book for consideration and then another. At first glance, there was little that appeared to tie the widely varying authors and genres together. But a closer inspection revealed shelf tags and signs promoting local book club selections.

Fully Exposed

By Katie Ingmire · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:50 a.m.

A tall, slender woman leans forward and firmly grasps the metal attachment on the canister of a vacuum cleaner with both hands. She places the attachment underneath a small, rectangular table, sucking up whatever dust remains on the gleaming tile floor. This description could conjure up images of a Dirt Devil advertisement if it were not for one element: Besides a pair of high heels and a garter belt to hold up her sheer stockings, the woman is entirely nude.

Mexican artist reinterprets brutal Aztec ritual

By Kimberly N. Chase · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:50 a.m.

MEXICO CITY -- Mexican artist Hector Velazquez leaned in close and picked dust from one of his sculptures in a dim alcove of his exposition space. "They attract flies," he said in a disheartened voice.

'Attractive' roommates collaborate for art show

By Michelle Manchir · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:50 a.m.

What do you call a mixture of bananas and mayonnaise in a jar with a mock-up of an actual mayonnaise label? At least three Bloomington residents call it art.

Bush sending 21,500 more troops to Iraq, setting up clash with Democratic Congress

By Terence Hunt · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:43 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush acknowledged for the first time Wednesday that he erred by not ordering a military buildup in Iraq last year and said he was increasing U.S. troops by 21,500 to quell the country's near-anarchy. "Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me," Bush said.

Increase in IU international students mirrors national trend

By Ryan McLaughlin · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:37 a.m.

The number of international students studying at U.S. universities is on the rise, and IU is no exception. Since fall 2005, IU has seen a 10 percent increase in foreign students, according to recent data from the International Student & Scholar Statistical Reports released by IU's Office of International Services.

University of Michigan pledges to end race, gender preference in middle of admissions process

By David N. Goodman · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:34 a.m.

The University of Michigan announced Wednesday it will comply with a new voter-approved ban on affirmative action and immediately stop considering race and gender in admissions. The move came in the middle of the admissions process for next fall's freshman class. The university has already begun sending out acceptance and rejection letters.

U.S. House passes minimum wage increase

By Jeannine Aversa · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:34 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic-controlled House voted Wednesday to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, bringing America's lowest-paid workers a crucial step closer to their first raise in a decade. The vote was 315-116, with more than 80 Republicans joining Democrats to pass the bill.

55 leave Friday for civil rights trip

By Sandra Arao Ameny · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:33 a.m.

For the fourth year in a row, students, faculty and staff will take a bus tour dubbed the "Civil Rights Immersion Trip" from Jan. 12 through 14 to Birmingham, Ala. They are scheduled to visit civil rights landmarks, such as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Kelly Ingram Park and the 16th St. Baptist Church.

Council opposes outsourcing

By Brian Spegele · Thursday, Jan. 11,2007 12:32 a.m.

The Monroe County Council unanimously opposed IU's proposed outsourcing plan in a letter to University officials Tuesday. The letter, which was signed by all seven members of the Council, outlined their resistance to why the University should reconsider plans to contract some services including the IU Motor Pool and IU Bookstore.