Region

Hoosiers head south for break

By Jordan Majewski · Friday, March 10,2006 12:03 a.m.

After picking up its first win of the season Tuesday, the IU baseball team is looking to build some momentum. It has the perfect opportunity to do just that during spring break. The Hoosiers will travel to Bradenton, Fla., for a stretch of seven games in seven days beginning Sunday at 1 p.m. against Eastern Illinois University. The series concludes March 18 against the University of Illinois-Chicago.

IU is red hot

By Andy Romey · Friday, March 10,2006 12:02 a.m.

IU travels to Indianapolis today for the second time this season. And IU coach Mike Davis realized he has felt this way before. Davis described his team's current mindset as "perfect," saying this team right now compares to the IU that defeated Kentucky 79-53 in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis early in the season. "You've seen us play the last four games," Davis said. "It's a different basketball team. It's the team that you saw against Kentucky and all those teams. Their minds are free."

Divers vie for NCAA spots

By Joel Sanders and Joel Sansers · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:46 p.m.

Members of the IU men and women's diving team hope to punch their tickets to the NCAA Championships as they start competition today in the Zone C Diving Championships in Columbus, Ohio. "We're just trying to stay positive," said junior Jesse Rappaport. "The diving championships are just as hard as the Big Ten but with less hype. We just have to stay mentally focused." The men's team is two weeks removed from winning the school's first swimming and diving Big Ten Championship in 21 years, a boost of confidence that might play a role in the team's performance at the diving championships.

Four athletes to compete for national titles

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:45 p.m.

This weekend four Hoosier athletes will journey to Fayetteville, Ark., to compete in the 2006 NCAA Men's Indoor Track Championships. The trip should be a familiar one, as the event is held at the Randal Tyson Track Center where the team competed in the Tyson Invite earlier this year.

Women's trio falls short of NCAA Championships

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:43 p.m.

What might have been a captivating weekend for three Hoosiers who qualified provisionally for the NCAA Championships ended up never coming to fruition. The championships for women's indoor track, which will be held in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday and Saturday, will be without any Hoosier flavor as the three provisional qualifiers from IU did not qualify for the national meet.

ONLINE ONLY: The tyranny of diversity

By Adam Sedia · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:41 p.m.

On the Monroe County Jail, facing Seventh Street for all passers-by to see, is the police department's motto: "Integrity. Respect. Service. Diversity." It makes me laugh -- I'll give you four guesses which of these was tacked on to be politically correct, and the first three don't count.

Invade Texas-22

By Alyson Brodsy and Kirk Nathanson · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:40 p.m.

"Space," the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy begins, "is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind--bogglingly big it is." It's dark, empty and conspicuously devoid of intelligent life -- not unlike Houston, Texas.

What's in a name?

By Alyson Brodsy and Matt Peyton · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:39 p.m.

How many of you can say there was a newspaper article written directly to you this week? According to www.iub.com, there are five of you. I don't know if you caught it in the Indianapolis Star or online, but there was an article on The Associated Press wire with the headline, "Is your last name Peyton? If so, a free education awaits."

Column for sale

By Alyson Brodsy and Bryan Schmidt · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:38 p.m.

My Indiana Daily Student colleague Peter Chen wrote a column the other week in support of public broadcasting. Shortly afterward, he received an appreciative package from local public broadcasting station WTIU. This package included a note, but more importantly, it contained hilarious Monty Python Flying Circus specials and a lovable Big Bird stuffed animal.

Military moolah

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:37 p.m.

The Supreme Court ruled Monday in a unanimous decision delivered by Chief Justice John Roberts that universities receiving federal money cannot bar military recruiters from coming to campus in the name of free speech if they disagree with military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. That decision was a tough one, but it was ultimately the correct one.

Dubai company will abandon U.S. port deal

By Alyson Brodsy and David Espo · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:25 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- Bowing to ferocious opposition in Congress, a Dubai-owned company signaled surrender Thursday in its quest to take over operations at U.S. ports. "DP World will transfer fully the U.S. operations ... to a United States entity," the firm's top executive, H. Edward Bilkey, said in an announcement that capped weeks of controversy.

IU professors take on Iranian nuclear crisis

By Anne Banfich · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:23 p.m.

International efforts to stall Iran's nuclear program appear to have failed as the issue is now being referred to the U.N. Security Council, opening the prospects of political or economic sanctions, according The Associated Press. The move is another in a series of steps taken by Tehran since new Iranian President Mohammad Khatami assumed office that have included further intentions to pursue uranium enrichment for a nuclear program and calls for the destruction of Israel.

HERO

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:21 p.m.

Christina Dunn stands with her children Jared, 12, and Sarah, 4, holding homemade signs as they wait for the funeral procession of U.S. Army Sgt. Rickey Jones in Kokomo Monday. Jones was killed in Iraq Feb. 22. People lined the streets along the funeral procession with flags and signs of support for the soldier and his family.

7-year-old killed in fallen log accident

By Elisha Sauers · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:19 p.m.

A 7-year-old boy died Saturday from injuries caused by a log rolling off a brush pile, just a few miles outside Bloomington. After the Owen County Sheriff's Department received the emergency call, dispatchers ushered an ambulance to the scene -- a wooded area between Bloomington and Spencer, Ind. "The kid was playing on an old log pile," said Owen County Sheriff Harley Melton. "From what I understand, the log rolled over the child."

Large sum to fund social services

By Roy Maurer · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:19 p.m.

The Bloomington Common Council unanimously recommended the allocation of more than $850,000 of federal grant funds for social service programs and physical improvements to the city Wednesday. "We are funding important needs in the community," said Councilman Chris Gaal. "But I encourage people to support those social service agencies in the community that we were unable to fund because they need and deserve community support."

2 Bloomington women receive city's recognition

By Elizabeth Dilts and Liz Dilts · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:18 p.m.

They came tip-toeing in high-heeled pumps through overflowing street puddles. They walked into the Bloomington Convention Center, shaking umbrellas that hadn't prevented their overcoats from getting waterlogged. Pulling the necessary tools from their overstuffed purses, they performed the quick once-overs to dispel any impression that it might be hard to look presentable after coming in from soaking sheets of rain.

ARTiFACT

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:16 p.m.

WHAT: Showalter Fountain WHERE YOU CAN FIND IT: In the Fine Arts Plaza in front of the IU Auditorium

ARMED AND READY

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:14 p.m.

Taiko drumming masters of Japanese group TAO perform on stage, during their spectacular percussion-dance show in Zurich, Switzerland, Thursday. The show is part of the "TAO - Art of the Drum" world tour.

Spring break in bed

By Bethany Bannister-Andrews · Thursday, March 9,2006 9:07 p.m.

Happy spring break! If you're reading this, you probably haven't yet left for your sunny destination of Acapulco or Daytona Beach. I'm sure you're all going to have a great time partying, drinking and tanning on the beach. If that is your goal, have a safe trip. Yet, this is moot for the majority of people reading this.

Live music, food to be offered at fundraiser

By Stacey Laskin · Thursday, March 9,2006 8:57 p.m.

Beer brews and kazoo music will be offered at the first annual 4th and Walnut Block Party. The celebration will run from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and is a fundraiser for the Bloomington Area Arts Council and WFHB, a local volunteer radio station.