Region

Dungy announces return to Colts for 2006 season

By Alyson Brodsy and Michael Marot · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:54 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Tony Dungy needed one week to decide he still wants to be an NFL coach. Now it's back to pursuing that elusive Super Bowl run. The Indianapolis Colts said Monday that Dungy would return as their coach next season, ending speculation he might retire following the December death of his 18-year-old son, James. "I was always coming back unless I said I wasn't," Dungy said through the team . Dungy and team president Bill Polian were en route to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., Monday and were unavailable for comment. The Associated Press left a phone message for team owner Jim Irsay.

Tuesday night 'golden' opportunity for IU

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:53 a.m.

Like the men that once originated the nickname, this year's Hoosiers are heading west for a "Gold Rush." But unlike the Hoosiers of yesteryear, the 2006 variety is guaranteed to strike gold -- and plenty of it. The Hawkeyes and all their fans will be clad in their metallic-yellow getup for the program's first-ever "Gold Rush Game." "We're hoping to have a little fun and give our fans a chance to be a little student-like," Iowa coach Steve Alford said in a statement. "Because, as you know, the Hawk's Nest does a pretty good job of being gold on game night." Crowds and colored uniforms are the least of IU coach Mike Davis' worries as his No. 11 Hoosiers (12-3, 4-1) seek their first conference road win of the season. Davis said the Hawkeyes should be extra motivated after suffering a 30-point loss to Michigan State on Saturday. The last time Iowa (14-5, 3-2) lost before that, it responded with three straight victories, including an upset against No. 8 Illinois at home. "I thought (Iowa) was one of the top two teams in our league before the season started," Davis said. "It's going to be a difficult task."

God is hate?

By Alyson Brodsy and Levi Harris · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:48 a.m.

I've lived a sheltered life. As the son of a preacher man, I grew up naively believing that God was a being of unconditional love. But as it turns out, God hates America. Protesters from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., are trying to spread the word by picketing at the funerals of fallen American soldiers, even here in Indiana. When I read about the protesters, I was alarmed. If God hated America, he probably hated other things. It seemed important to find out what those things were, so I did some research. According to people in the best position to know what God thinks, i.e. fundamentalist Christians, He's actually quite hateful.

Has Bush-bashing gone too far?

By Alyson Brodsy and Peter Chen · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:46 a.m.

We love to laugh at the misfortune of others. It's a piece of human nature. That's why blooper reels, banana peels and "Family Guy" are funny. We have even incorporated a German word to describe this very phenomenon, schadenfreude, into semi-common usage. I mean, that's all "The Daily Show" really does. Yet, when this extends to the real political realm, I think we get into rather murky territory, both abstractly and pragmatically. As a liberal, I feel a certain duty to make catty comments about President Bush constantly. Every time he poorly conjugates a verb, I grin. When a bad Bush policy initiative stalls, I laugh. But sometimes, the liberal hate of the Almighty Bush becomes our own misfortune, making us both hypocrites and idiots.

We're just better

By Alyson Brodsy and Jacob Stewart · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:45 a.m.

We all know IU is better than Purdue. It's almost implicit in all of our souls. Even Purdue students, deep down inside, want to be IU students. They'll deny it, but we all know the truth. In a recent Indiana Daily Student article, IU administrators, students and faculty gave a list of 10 reasons why IU is superior to that other place.

Bounce the blank check

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:42 a.m.

Shortly before Christmas, The New York Times revealed President Bush had authorized the National Security Agency to wiretap and monitor phone calls within the United States to identify possible security threats. While there is already checks-and-balances protocol set in place for such action, the president says sometimes the actions must be taken immediately and that the order falls within the boundaries of the law.

Wiretapping program raises legal questions

By Anne Purcell · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:35 a.m.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Bush administration made a commitment to defeat terrorism in every way it knew possible. Now some people think it has gone too far. Last month, The New York Times reported that a government insider had leaked information showing that the Bush administration has been allowing the National Security Agency to conduct warrantless international wiretapping on calls from a person in the United States to a person abroad on terrorist suspects and those tied to terrorists since Sept. 11, 2001. Some claim what the president is doing is unconstitutional and illegal, while President Bush and supporters defend his right to exercise his commander-in-chief powers, overriding the other two branches of government for the sake of national security. Law professor Dawn Johnsen is troubled by Bush's policy.

Snake befriends hamster dinner

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:31 a.m.

TOKYO -- For one snake, dinner became an unexpected roommate. Zookeepers at Tokyo's Mutsugoro Okoku zoo were stunned to find that a 3.5-inch dwarf hamster they had offered as a tasty meal to their four-foot rat snake instead became friends. "I've never seen anything like it," said keeper Kazuya Yamamoto.

Critics say FBI safeguards not enough anymore

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:30 a.m.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Critics question whether safeguards put in place a quarter-century ago following FBI wiretapping misconduct are strong enough to prevent abuse in the 21st century. Others fear the information superhighway is turning out to be a fast path to mass surveillance. What makes the White House surveillance program, acknowledged after The New York Times disclosed it in December, a cause of such concern is that it skirts existing laws and employs techniques resembling a wide-mouthed vacuum before the fine-toothed combs can be wielded. It's being performed by the ultra-secret National Security Agency, which is believed to have the most advanced information vacuuming technology available.

Antibiotic may be linked to liver problems

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:30 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Researchers reported Friday three cases of severe liver problems, including one death, in patients at a North Carolina hospital after they began taking a novel antibiotic. Federal regulators said they were reviewing an unknown number of U.S. cases involving the drug, telithromycin, and were consulting with their counterparts overseas. One patient at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., died after taking telithromycin, which is marketed as Ketek, researchers at the hospital said. Another required and received a liver transplant, while the third recovered from drug-induced hepatitis after treatment with Ketek was stopped. The severity of the cases warranted the researchers alerting doctors to what they called a "possible link with telithromycin," said Dr. John Hanson, who works in the liver transplant center at Carolinas Medical Center.

Epilepsy foundation elects professor

By Matt Cunningham · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:29 a.m.

The National Epilepsy Foundation elected Janice M. Buelow, Ph.D. to their national advisory board Dec. 13 in Washington D.C. Buelow is an assistant professor in IU's School of Nursing and an expert on the impact of epilepsy on children. She currently teaches in the Department of Adult Health. Buelow called the invitation to join the group a great honor. "Being involved with the national organization allows me to work with other professionals to improve the quality of life of persons with epilepsy on a national level," Buelow said.

Hoosier Bus adds Purdue route

By Nellie Summerfield · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:23 a.m.

Beginning Feb. 3, Hoosier Bus will add Purdue University to its route to fit riders' demands, allowing students to travel between the two campuses on select weekends and breaks. "The Purdue route was created in response to many requests from students both at IU and Purdue, as well as family members in Chicago," said Yvonne Pevitz, public relations coordinator for Hoosier Bus. Hoosier Bus' coaches will travel from IU to Purdue to Chicago and back select Fridays and Sundays, giving transportation opportunities to those who don't have cars or who do not want to fly.

Board advises against Bieghler clemency

By Alyson Brodsy and Ken Kusmer · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:21 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Parole Board voted unanimously Monday to recommend against clemency for Marvin Bieghler, the self-professed "King Kong of Kokomo" sentenced to death for the execution-style slayings of a Howard County couple in 1981. Barring a last-minute reprieve from Gov. Mitch Daniels or the courts, Bieghler, 58, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City early Friday. Bieghler, an admitted marijuana dealer, was convicted of killing Tommy Miller, 20, and Kimberly Jane Miller, 19, whose bodies were found Dec. 11, 1981, in their mobile home near Russiaville, Ind. Tommy Miller had been shot six times and his pregnant wife three times. Authorities contended he killed the couple because he believed Tommy Miller had told police about his operation moving marijuana from Florida to the Kokomo area and also felt Miller owed him a drug debt.

Consortium bids on toll road

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:21 a.m.

• Statewide Mobility Partners, which has bid $3.8 billion to operate the Indiana Toll Road for 75 years, is a consortium of Spain's Cintra and Macquarie Infrastructure Group of Sydney, Australia.

Indiana Senate bill could give IU $8M

By Michael Zennie · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:20 a.m.

A bill in the Indiana General Assembly would give IU some much-needed assistance on building repair and upkeep. University leaders are keeping their eyes on three pieces of legislation proposed in the legislature this session, said J. Thomas Forbes, IU's executive director for state relations. A bill in the Indiana Senate proposes paying nearly $8 million in delayed appropriations for facility repair and restoration back to the University. A House bill would give IU more flexibility in issuing bonds to raise money for new buildings and large projects. A third bill would allow the board of trustees to officially meet via teleconference or other electronic means.

Assault reported at Willkie Quad

By Audrie Garrison · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:15 a.m.

A female told the IU Police Department Friday that she believed she had been sexually assaulted in her Willkie Quad room the night before, said Lt. Jerry Minger, reading from the police report. According to the report, she said she went to several bars with friends Thursday night and went back to her room with a male friend. Minger said she reported that when she woke up at about 9 a.m., she was disrobed, and her male friend was in the room.

RHA to hold leadership retreat at Fourwinds this weekend

By Kim Cullman · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:08 a.m.

Gray days and huge amounts of schoolwork are enough to get anybody down. However, the National Resident Hall Honorary Retreat might be the perfect solution to the January blues. The NRHH is hosting its 16th annual retreat this weekend at the Fourwinds Resort and Marina on Lake Monroe. The cost for an entire weekend away at a hotel is only $20. Though the retreat is primarily aimed at first- and second-year students in the residence halls, the event is open to any IU student. "The content is beneficial to any student, even those who have been involved on campus for years," said senior and president of NRHH Jenn Leitner.

Senior receives prestigious national scholarship

By Candace A. Smith · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:07 a.m.

For one IU student, a passion for civic engagement and public service has turned into an academic honor only three other Hoosiers have received. Senior Katie Claussen is one of 12 students nationwide to receive the 2006-2007 George J. Mitchell Scholarship. A product of the U.S.-Ireland Alliance, the award began in 1998 and is named after former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, known for his contributions to peace efforts in Northern Ireland. Awarded to individuals who demonstrate the highest level of achievement and academic promise, the Mitchell Scholarship will cover the cost of housing and tuition for Claussen, an Indiana Daily Student staff member, to attend graduate school in Ireland.

Avoiding cold technology

By Alyson Brodsy and David Weisburd · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12:02 a.m.

It was Dec. 31. For me, this is the most exciting day of the year. Not because it's New Year's Eve but because it also happens to be my birthday. As the day went on I was getting tons of e-mails and Facebook messages congratulating me. While all of this was nice, I felt a little cold inside. The reason for this was that although I appreciated all the e-mails and Facebook messages, they felt much colder than the "in person" congratulations or phone calls. Later on in the day my closer friends began to call me and congratulate me. This lifted my spirits and I felt better about the day. In the afternoon many of my relatives came to celebrate my birthday and the cold e-mails became a distant memory.

Carving out a living

By Maria Fragnoli · Tuesday, Jan. 24,2006 12 a.m.

Sculptor Amy Brier sets up her home much like she sets up her business. Half-carved blocks of Indiana limestone and work benches are the only furniture in the studio of her Smithville, Ind., duplex. Plastic covers the beige carpet and a fine cloud of gray dust permeates the air. A lamp in what would be the living room illuminates the top of a sphere where Brier has carved a relief of fish swimming in a stony sea. In a bedroom closet, a two-foot tall clay model of a paramecium for the façade of IU's Simon Hall waits to be carved into the building this spring. Next door in her other apartment, art prints decorate the walls and a computer and fax machine sit ready in Brier's office for her to update her Web site or apply to another juried art show.