Region

Debut will lead to future 'Employment'

Surfing the new wave of New Wave -- think: Franz Ferdinand and the Killers -- comes Leeds, England-based band the Kaiser Chiefs (named after the South African football club). Cribbing off rock luminaries from the '60s (the Kinks), '70s (the Jam and the Clash), '80s (Adam Ant ... when he still mattered) and '90s (Blur), the Chiefs do chiefly what Kasabian -- the British band whose debut I reviewed last week -- didn't. They've taken their influences and run freely with them.

Moby's 'Hotel' is musically vacant

Moby's newest album didn't change my life. Moby likely didn't change his life recording the two-disc release either. It doesn't deliver mind-altering riffs or weighty lyrics nor redefine Moby as an artist or break any molds. The record does have plenty of Moby's familiar beats and melodies. All of the tracks flow together well and all are pleasing to the ear, and yet none of the songs are terribly innovative and most have an unremarkable feel. This isn't a CD I would listen to if I was looking to find myself through music. Hotel would be great background music for a low-key, intimate party where no one is paying too much attention to the stereo.

'Lullabies' doesn't really 'Paralyze'

It's no secret that Josh Homme, guitarist, singer and songwriter for Queens of the Stone Age, sacked longtime bassist Nick Oliveri last year. As a result, some fans have speculated that the absence of Oliveri would leave the Queens' new album without its essential rock 'n' roll sprit, but Lullabies to Paralyze, the first Queens' album since 2002's Songs for the Deaf, illustrates that those fears are, by and large, unfounded.

Beck back with 'Guero'

While most everyone has a tale of heartbreak, few have articulated it as Beck did on 2002's Sea Change. Presented in breezy acoustic arrangements and worn-out vocals, Beck's look at his breakup with a longtime girlfriend saw the eternally-choirboy-looking recording artist extremely bummed, bringing about such melancholic triumphs of abandonment and failure as "The Golden Age" and "Lost Cause."

Cinema pubs drawing crowds with movies, food, drink

WESTERLY, R.I. -- When Emily Steffian and Daniel Kamil moved from California with thoughts of opening their own movie theater, they wanted to show films that were off the beaten path, but they didn't expect to land there themselves.

Dedication fuels motivation for crew

Adam Carroll and David Mickler grew up across the Ohio River from each other on the border of Indiana and Kentucky. They both came to IU in 2001, and they lived on the same hall in Wright Quad as freshmen.

'The Scarlet Letter' comes alive

Teen arrested in Minnesota shooting

RED LAKE, Minn. -- The chairman of the Red Lake band of Chippewa confirmed Monday that his son was arrested in connection with last week's deadly school shootings but maintained that the teen is innocent.

Iraqi parliament breaks down

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's fledgling parliament failed Tuesday to agree on who would be its speaker, with the interim prime minister and president storming out of the chaotic session that exposed deep divides among the National Assembly's Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish members.

Annan cleared in oil-for-food inquiry

NEW YORK -- Investigators of the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq said Tuesday there was not enough evidence to show that Secretary-General Kofi Annan knew of a contract bid by his son's Swiss employer. However, they criticized the U.N. chief for not properly investigating possible conflicts of interest in the matter.

Johnnie Cochran dies at age 67 from brain tumor

LOS ANGELES -- Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., who became a legal superstar after helping clear O.J. Simpson during a sensational murder trial in which he uttered the famous quote, "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit," died Tuesday. He was 67.

Around The State

Court rules parents can't sue for death of fetus INDIANAPOLIS -- Parents cannot recover damages in the death of an unborn child under Indiana case law even if the fetus might have been able to survive outside the womb, the state Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

Senate approves bill meant to toughen open-container laws

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would hold drivers responsible for open containers of alcohol found in their vehicles, but the bill's fate depends on how receptive the House is to change.

Will the FCC let them be?

Warning: The FCC has no jurisdiction over what you are about to read. I never thought I'd find myself siding with Rush Limbaugh and President Bush against an alliance consisting of Hillary Clinton and Rick Santorum, but alas, I suppose hell has frozen over.

Arctic oil wars

America is facing a serious energy crisis. Unless you haven't driven a car the last few weeks, you probably already knew that. How do we solve it? The immediate answer is that whenever the price of fuel increases, we must get more of it. We will not see lower energy prices until we increase supply.

Impatience with wages

Impatience is at the heart of the debate regarding Bloomington's new "living wage" ordinance. There's impatience over the stagnant federal minimum wage, which has clunked along at $5.15 an hour since 1997.

Shed light on the future

To hear Indianapolis Monthly tell it, IU is lagging behind other Big Ten universities academically, and according to the magazine's March cover story, it's possible that things might get better.

Friends mourn loss at vigil to honor student

The emotions that flowed from the remembrance session for IU senior Spc. Brett Hershey held at 9 p.m. Monday night included Hershey's demeanor as an all-around comedic guy, but kept returning to his love for Jesus Christ and the passion he felt for his faith. Hershey, a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, had many friends who had great memories of his leadership qualities.

Enrollment in IU schools fluctuating

A lot has changed since 1985. Back then, there was no Internet, Johnny Carson still hosted "The Tonight Show" and the IU men's basketball team made it to the final game of the NIT. Since then, IU has seen countless other changes, in particular student enrollment in the different schools on campus.

Remembering a fallen soldier

A land mine blast in Afghanistan has left a gaping wound in the hearts of those close to Spc. Brett Hershey. Hershey, an IU senior, and four other soldiers died after their vehicle drove over a land mine 30 miles south of Kabul, Afghanistan, while serving in the National Guard. The four deaths mark Indiana's largest one-day toll in combat operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq.