Region

Full House:

By Carrie Ritchie · Wednesday, Aug. 23,2006 12:08 a.m.

When two girls wandered into sophomore Greg Gier's new room in Briscoe Monday night, he was taken aback rather than flattered. Instead of looking for a guy, the girls were looking for a comfy couch and a TV. That's because Gier's new home happens to be a lounge, not a dorm room. "We'll just be chilling in the room and people keep coming in thinking it's a regular lounge," he said. "Every time I say I live in a lounge, people are like 'What?'" But Gier is not alone. This year about 100 students will temporarily live in lounges in Briscoe, Forest and Teter quads, Residential Programs and Services Executive Director Pat Connor said.

New conductor takes on leading Iran's orchestra

Wednesday, Aug. 23,2006 12:08 a.m.

OSNABRUECK, Germany -- Conducting the Tehran Symphony Orchestra requires some adjustments.

Around the Arts

Wednesday, Aug. 23,2006 12:06 a.m.

Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged)plays in Nashville

Vampire tale lacks substance

By Lindsey Landis · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:57 p.m.

Authors have been persistent in their attempts to modernize the story of Dracula and his bloodthirsty minions for centuries, and Elizabeth Kostova has taken a stab -- with a silver stake, of course -- at the heart of the vampire story in her novel, "The Historian." Although Kostova has made a valiant effort, she may be beating an undead horse.

Pacers re-acquire Harrington

By Alyson Brodsy and Cliff Brunt · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:56 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers finally completed a sign-and-trade deal Tuesday with the Atlanta Hawks for forward Al Harrington.

University supercomputer powers up for the first time

By Zachary Osterman and Zach Osterman · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:53 p.m.

IU faculty and visiting guests participated in the grand opening Tuesday of the IU's new supercomputer at the Wrubel Computing Center. The computer, the fastest academic supercomputer in the country, possesses the capability to do functions in five minutes that previously took an entire day. IU President Adam Herbert, who helped cut the ceremonial ribbon and ran the first program on the new computer, said the computer would also be made available to IU faculty and students statewide. Herbert said he was excited about the new avenues the computer opened to IU researchers.

Good ol' fashioned rivalries

By Alyson Brodsy and Jonathan Hines · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:53 p.m.

FORT WAYNE -- I'm talking Michigan-Ohio State pigskin classics in a stadium filled with 100,000-plus and a Big Ten Championship hanging in the balance.

Iran agrees to nuclear talks

By Alyson Brodsy and Ali Akbar Dareini · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:48 p.m.

Tehran, Iran -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator said Tuesday that Tehran was ready to enter "serious negotiations" over its disputed nuclear program but did not say whether it was willing to suspend uranium enrichment -- the West's key demand.

IU defeats No. 1 Maryland 1-0

By Chris Engel · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:48 p.m.

FORT WAYNE -- Although Friday night's game against No. 1 University of Maryland did not count for the record books, only one outcome was acceptable for the IU men's soccer team when it took the pitch against the defending national champions.

Food, fun and Wal-Mart runs

By Ryan McLaughlin · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:45 p.m.

The transition period that comes with being a freshman at a Big Ten school can be an overwhelming time for many new students, but IU groups are doing their part to make this time as easy as possible by bringing the time-honored tradition of Welcome Week to campus once again. An annual IU occurrence, Welcome Week gives freshmen an opportunity to experience what the University has to offer -- as well as a chance to meet new people -- through events hosted by various campus and local groups. "Attending Welcome Week events is the fastest way to become knowledgeable about the campus and is a great opportunity to get to know people, places and resources," said Melanie Payne, associate director of the IU Office of Orientation Programs and director of Welcome Week.

Soccer Showcase

By Michael Sanserino · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:44 p.m.

FORT WAYNE -- Don't try telling IU junior goalkeeper Chris Munroe the men's soccer team's victory against the University of Maryland was just another exhibition. He knows better.

An Arts page for everyone

By Michelle Manchir · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:39 p.m.

If you're not a self-identified artist, a theater guru or well-versed on Shakespeare, we have at least three things in common.

Progress made in search for next IU president

By Chris Freiberg and Warren Christopher Freiberg · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:34 p.m.

The IU trustees announced Friday that they hired a search firm to help find the next IU president. Trustee Sue Talbot, chair of the presidential search committee, said at a trustee meeting Friday at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis that Shelly W. Storbeck of Edward W. Kelly & Partners will serve as the consultant for the search. Storbeck has experience with presidential searches at several other universities and has also served as a consultant in IUPUI's searches for chancellor, executive vice chancellor and dean of the faculty, according to a statement from IU Media Relations. "They're a good firm with a good reputation," said trustee President Stephen Ferguson in a phone interview. "They have a lot of experience with presidential searches at top level institutions."

West Nile discovered in Bloomington

By Jessica Wolfe · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:18 p.m.

The Monroe County Health Department confirmed the first evidence of the West Nile virus in Monroe County on Monday. A community member asked the Health Department to pick up a dead bird found near Rose Hill Cemetery, near the west side of Bloomington, on Aug. 7. The bird was sent to Indianapolis, where the Indiana State Department of Health tested the bird for the West Nile virus. The confirmation of the disease in this community "re-emphasizes" that people should be careful about being outside in the early evening through dawn, Monroe County Health Department Administrator Bob Schmidt said. "That's when the mosquitoes are most vicious," he added.

Brown County man convicted in wife's death

By Alyson Brodsy and Associated Press · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:16 p.m.

NASHVILLE, Ind. — Jurors convicted a Brown County man of charges that he strangled his wife in their hot tub and then claimed she died accidentally. The jury deliberated about three hours Monday before returning the guilty verdict against Michael B. Smith, 61, after hearing 10 days of testimony. Prosecutors maintained that Smith killed his 55-year-old wife, Linda, as their business was failing and he wanted to collect more than $300,000 from her life insurance policies. Brown County Prosecutor Jim Oliver said during closing arguments Monday that while defense attorneys had raised several opposing theories about Linda Smith's death, no one else had a motive to kill her.

JonBenet suspect heads to Colorado

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:15 p.m.

LOS ANGELES -- John Mark Karr waived extradition Tuesday and agreed to be sent to Colorado to face first-degree murder charges in the slaying of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey.

Governor visits city's youth

By Kristi Oloffson · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:15 p.m.

High school senior Justin Tait will have hands-on experience in a city or county clerk's office before he even graduates. Tait was one of the students to fill the middle section of Bloomington High School North's auditorium Tuesday to hear Governor Mitch Daniels speak on everything from his own internships and college days to his beliefs about capital punishment. The high school juniors and seniors present for Daniels' speech were participating in a program that allows them to leave school for part of the day and extend their education beyond the classroom through community service, cadet teaching or a senior internship. Daniels encouraged the future leaders to take advantage of these opportunities to gain real-world experience while still in high school and reminded them that not all students have such chances.

Offline...

By Alyson Brodsy and Brian J. McFillen · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:14 p.m.

This week, I've been a reluctant time traveler. My beloved laptop has been rendered temporarily out of commission, and, as a result, I've been cast back into the world of the early '90's -- my hair's gone long and greasy, Pearl Jam's Ten dominates my CD player, chains have attached themselves to my wallet, I'm sprouting flannel ...

Resolve poverty for peace

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:13 p.m.

Ralph J. Bunche's mediation in the 1947-1949 Israeli-Palestinian conflict won him the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize. At the time, everyone thought these efforts would bring about enduring peace. In accepting the prize in Oslo, Norway, Bunche remembered his U.N. predecessor, Sweden's Count Folke Bernadotte, who paid the supreme sacrifice when he was assassinated in the area in 1948. That's why it's sad that the hard work for lasting peace by Count Bernadotte, Bunche and other U.N. leaders has been destroyed by the continuing bloodbath.

Behrman jury summoned

By Sarah Core · Tuesday, Aug. 22,2006 11:13 p.m.

A judge summoned more than 300 people to the Morgan County Courthouse on Friday, marking the beginning of the jury selection process for the trial of the 2000 murder of then-IU student Jill Behrman. John R. Myers II, 30, of Ellettsville, was indicted for the crime in April. The trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 16 and will run through Saturdays to expedite the process. The extensive screening process included a 16-page questionnaire potential jurors were required to fill out.