Region

Media blues

By Alyson Brodsy and Peter Chen · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 1:26 a.m.

During 2005, two rather alarming stories got plenty of column space and air time across the country. Stories with names like "Hollywood box office woes" or "The press is in decline" found their way into American media outlets. With domestic box office receipts down about 5 percent, soothsayers told of a dismal future in which we no longer see movies or read newspapers. Such predictions seemed scary. And would be, if they were true. First of all, Hollywood execs make their money from the international box office and DVD sales, so slower ticket sales didn't hurt their wallets any. Also, a decline had to be expected after the historic box office year of 2004, which included the unprecedented success of "The Passion of the Christ" and "Fahrenheit 9/11." A drop in sales and revenue during one year hardly indicates a massive sea change in the state of movies. And let's not kid ourselves -- the $8.9 billion Hollywood raked in domestically isn't chump change.

Tell me lies

By -Kehla West and Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 1:23 a.m.

James Frey's rehab memoir "A Million Little Pieces" is coming under immense scrutiny for alleged exaggerations and fabrications. Thesmokinggun.com reported on it from the angle that Oprah Winfrey, who endorsed the book by giving it "Oprah's Book Club" status, had been duped by the author. The book tells of Frey's six weeks in a Minnesota rehabilitation clinic, how he ended up there and how the experience changed him. He tells of his sordid past, the failed relationship that broke his heart, his tumultuous relationship with his parents and the friends he makes in rehab. Frey also speaks of a substantial arrest record, which is apparently not completely factual.

You say you want a revolution?

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 1:20 a.m.

The world can't be changed overnight, but IU President Adam Herbert and the board of trustees tried their damnedest. Saturday, the trustees unanimously approved a "shock and awe" cosmetic makeover for the University. In one fell swoop, the board acted on Herbert's recommendations and overhauled the administration for the first time in 30 years. They disintegrated the IUB chancellor position, created a Bloomington provost, revamped the responsibilities of the IUPUI chancellor, expanded presidential oversight for IUB and filled the positions on an interim basis. Herbert himself announced he won't seek to renew his presidential contract when it expires in 2008.

Gore claims Bush 'repeatedly' broke the law with wiretaps

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 1:15 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Former Vice President Al Gore asserted Monday that President Bush "repeatedly and persistently" broke the law by eavesdropping on Americans without a court warrant and called for a federal investigation of the practice. Speaking on Martin Luther King Jr.'s national holiday, the man who lost the 2000 presidential election to Bush only after a ruling by the Supreme Court on a recount in Florida, called Bush's warrantless surveillance program "a threat to the very structure of our government." Gore charged that the program has ignored the checks and balances of the courts and Congress. Gore said that Bush's actions -- which the president has defended as indispensable in the war against terrorism -- represented a "direct assault" on the special federal court that considers, and decides whether to authorize, administration requests to eavesdrop on Americans.

Countries denounce Iran nuclear program

By Alyson Brodsy and Beth Gardiner · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 1:14 a.m.

LONDON -- Russia and China agreed with the United States and its European allies Monday that Iran must fully suspend its nuclear program, but the countries stopped short of demanding referral to the U.N. Security Council, Britain's Foreign Office said. Iran's ambassador to Moscow praised a Russian proposal to move the Iranian uranium enrichment program to its territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin also urged caution in dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue, saying that Tehran might still agree to the Russian offer and warning "it's necessary to work carefully and avoid any sharp, erroneous moves."

NASA set to launch spacecraft to Pluto

By Mike Schneider · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 1:03 a.m.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- An unmanned NASA spacecraft the size of a piano is set to lift off Tuesday on a nine-year journey to Pluto, the last unexplored planet in the solar system. Scientists hope to learn more about the icy planet and its large moon, Charon, as well as two other, recently discovered moons in orbit around Pluto. The $700 million New Horizons mission also will study the surrounding Kuiper Belt, the mysterious zone of the solar system that is believed to hold thousands of comets and other icy objects. It could hold clues to how the planets were formed.

Turn it down

By Alyson Brodsy and Audrie Garrison · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 1:02 a.m.

With the introduction and popularization of iPods, "earbud" headphones are being used more and more. IU hearing experts say that although earbuds may not have a direct impact on hearing loss, students should take extra caution when listening with them. Earbud headphones are small and inserted into the ear, rather than placed over them. Nancy Barlow, clinical assistant professor for the IU Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and director of the IU hearing clinic, said these headphones sometimes indirectly cause more hearing damage because they allow outside noise to enter the ear, causing listeners to turn their music up louder.

Children learn message of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

By Laura Jane Hyde · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:58 a.m.

A Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at Barnes & Noble in Bloomington Monday brought the holiday into living reality for elementary-aged children. The event was a collaboration between Big Brothers Big Sisters and Indiana Reading Corp., a volunteer reading program BBBS created, and Civic Leadership Development, a community service organization associated with the Kelley School of Business.

City observes 'day on'

By Ben Woodson · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:57 a.m.

At the Dr. Martin Luther King Birthday celebration Monday night at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, speakers recognized the legacy of King, but also emphasized that to truly fulfill his dream society needs even more work. MLK day is a different kind of holiday than others, said John Whikehart, chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College, and that is the reason it is his favorite.

Students construct quilt in honor of King

By Kim Cullman · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:50 a.m.

On the 77th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., IU students gathered at Eigenmann Hall to participate in a celebration of remembrance. A room filled with excited chatter and laughter fell silent after the presentation began. Jada D, a contemporary poet, opened the event by passionately reciting poetry that questioned civilization, the government, treatment of the poor in society and much more.

Visiting civil rights history

By Alyson Brodsy and Kacie Foster · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:49 a.m.

South Carolina State University student Henry Smith probably didn't know he was a leader. He just knew he was outraged when police beat two women on campus. In a protest against police brutality and segregation in 1968, police opened fire to control the angry crowd and killed Smith and two other students. He was 19. The defendants were acquitted.

Day of dreams

By Brittany Hart · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:48 a.m.

IU students and Bloomington residents gathered Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. two-part remembrance event, which included an open mic session followed by a march. Held in the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, the march route led to the Monroe County Courthouse, with stops at Dunn Meadow and Peoples Park. Spoken word artist and sophomore Steve Gaskin passionately delivered an excerpt from his writings on black empowerment and racial segregation at "What Would Martin Do? Part 1," which was held prior to the march in the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center's Grand Hall.

Freshman rewarded for devotion to gaming

By Candace A. Smith and Candace Smith · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:44 a.m.

During childhood, playing video games usually amounts to nothing more than sore thumbs and sweaty palms. For freshman Chris Roberts, his deep-rooted devotion to gaming and technology was rewarded with an all-expenses-paid trip to Microsoft's Xbox 360 launch party in the Mojave Desert last fall. Roberts entered Microsoft's "Hex 168" contest with a group of five other students. The contest required applicants to submit a short video "expressing the unusual." "The gist of the video was that there was a role reversal between sled dogs and people," Roberts said.

Rape reported at Teter

By Audrie Garrison · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:43 a.m.

A female reported an attempted rape by two male friends in her room in Teter Quad early Saturday morning, said IU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger, citing a police report. According to the report, the subject said she and her two male friends had been out drinking at a house party and returned to her Teter-Boisen room at about 3 a.m. The subject said she had been friends with the two males since grade school and that they were visiting from out of town. She reported she had never dated either of them.

Man assaulted, blamed for broken window

By Audrie Garrison · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:39 a.m.

A male subject was checked into Bloomington Hospital's emergency room after reportedly being chased and assaulted by four males in the Teter Quad courtyard early Sunday morning, said Lt. Jerry Minger, reading from the police report. The subject reported that at about 4:30 a.m., he and a friend were walking toward Teter past Ashton Quad when he knocked on the window of a dorm room that he believed was his friend's.

Students protest Coca-Cola's presence at IU during meeting

By Michael Zennie · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:37 a.m.

Eight students lying face down with faux morbidity in pools of their own red blood made of felt were of little concern to those in attendance at Saturday's trustee press conference. The droves of reporters, professors and IU administrators in the lobby of the mezzanine floor of the Indiana Memorial Union only glanced at the students as they stepped over them.

Ban on birds hurts small business

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:30 a.m.

BAMAKO, Mali -- For caged Senegalese parrots chirping away their morning in captivity, a European ban to combat an Asian virus might mean freedom. Or starvation. In late October, a quarantined parrot from South America died in the United Kingdom from H51N strain of the avian bird influenza, prompting the European Union to impose a blanket prohibition on the importation of all exotic birds.

Young consumers depend on plastic

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:30 a.m.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Consumers born in the 1980s are the leading edge of a generation that is shunning paper payments like no other before it. These young consumers so consistently reach for debit and credit cards that Visa USA has anointed the age group "Generation Plastic," or "Gen P." Plastic payments, including online commerce, now account for 50.4 percent of the spending among consumers ranging from 18 to 24 years old. Consumers 25 to 34 years old spend about 45 percent either way, while everyone older still uses cash and checks at least half the time, according to Visa, the nation's largest payment network.

New Web site delivers services

By Amy Carol Wolff · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:29 a.m.

It's 7 p.m. Another day filled with classes, responsibilities and appointments has passed and it's time for dinner. On top of all of this, the house is still a disaster from the party held the night before. Without access to transportation and ambition, these situations can become quite a dilemma. Enter www.Straight2yourdoor.com, a Web site created by two IU students that currently provides services to increase convenience.

Minus 10 points for style: The online trends of yesteryear

By Alyson Brodsy and Derek Kagemann · Tuesday, Jan. 17,2006 12:15 a.m.

This year marks a special anniversary for one of the granddaddies of online humor. In 1996, college student Nehal Patel posted "Mr. T Ate My Balls" (www.geocities.com/nkpatel/mrt/). It was juvenile, it was pointless, and it conquered the Web. Patel followed up his first page with "Chewbacca Ate My Balls," and from there the phenomenon spawned countless celebrity "Ate My Balls" pages. Everyone from Bill Gates to Seinfeld found their pictures amended with not-too-witty word blurbs or crudely drawn gonads. "Useless" pages like these were how we entertained ourselves before broadband. It was considered by many to be the first Internet phenomenon -- at least among those unaware of Kibology (www.kibo.com).