Region

'Oprah' giveaway closely watched

By Alyson Brodsy and Tara Burghart · Wednesday, Sept. 15,2004 12:35 a.m.

CHICAGO -- Pontiac wanted to draw attention to its brand-new sport sedan, and Oprah Winfrey wanted to celebrate the start of her 19th season. The result was a Pontiac G6s for 276 surprised audience members on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" -- and an event that marketing executives say could set a new bar for product placement.

Fall drama line-up offers unique mix of plays

By Jessica Dalsing · Wednesday, Sept. 15,2004 12:35 a.m.

Audiences will see a blood-sucking villain and a half-boy, half-bat, get a lesson on the human condition and meet a hero resembling Odysseus from the "Iliad." All these and more will be features in this semester's IU's Department of Theatre and Drama productions.

Gettin' dirty

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Sept. 15,2004 12:35 a.m.

Before Indiana Republican gubernatorial candidate Mitch Daniels could sit down for a quiet meeting with members of Indiana's gay and lesbian communities, news of the closed event was leaked to the state's conservative Republicans, according to www.Indystar.com. An e-mail sent to conservative Republicans across the state invited them to join "... candidate for governor, Mitch Daniels, in a meeting he has called to meet with leaders of Indiana's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community".

Buskirk screens film competition

By Olivia Morales · Wednesday, Sept. 15,2004 12:34 a.m.

The first page of the program for the annual Manhattan Short Film Festival boldly announces that this year is "undoubtedly the most exciting year in the festival's history." With a total of 621 entrants, the most in the festival's history, each of the 12 finalists has been chosen for public viewing out of hundreds of internationally submitted films, as well as American films.

Usher leads American Music Award nominations

By Alyson Brodsy and Anthony Breznican · Wednesday, Sept. 15,2004 12:33 a.m.

LOS ANGELES -- R&B casanova Usher, whose album "Confessions" steamed up the charts with songs about sex, affairs and breakups, received a leading four nominations Tuesday for the American Music Awards.

For the Love of The Gamble

By Rick Newkirk · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 10:50 p.m.

For freshman Gregg Arenson, the world of no-limit Texas hold 'em poker began in 2002 when an amateur poker player named Robert Varkonyi went head-to-head with the best poker players in the world and took home the coveted World Series of Poker bracelet.

Transfer pact reached

By Rick Newkirk · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:57 a.m.

The Ivy Tech State College Bloomington-IU-Bloomington partnership grew stronger Monday as administrators from the two institutions signed an articulation agreement allowing Ivy Tech biotechnology students the ability to transfer all their program credits to IU.

Herbert to discuss state of University

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:57 a.m.

IU President Adam Herbert will deliver his first State of the University address today at 2:30 p.m. in the Frangipani Room of the Indiana Memorial Union.

New director appointed to University Press

By Lori Geller · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:57 a.m.

After nearly a year of searching for a new director of the IU Press, members of the search and advisory committees realized the perfect candidate for the job was already among them.

U.S. strikes al Qaeda hideout

By Alyson Brodsy and Kim Housego · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:57 a.m.

12 wounded, 16 dead after response to surge of violence

You got 'Punk'd'

By Ryan Phillips · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:54 a.m.

I spent the weekend at Kilroy's Sports Bar watching football. No, I mean the whole weekend. Sixteen hours, 13 pitchers of beer (that I can remember), 18 chicken wings, 20-something televisions and two blood-shot eyes later, here is what I have to report: Did anyone else who watched the IU-Oregon game keep waiting for Ashton Kutcher to run onto the field and tell our players they had just been "Punk'd?" But seriously, great win for Gerry and the boys -- now really impress me by winning two-in-a-row on the road. The University of Southern California and quarterback Matt Leinart got back on track, and the Trojans added more than 300 yards on the ground.

Advocacy group finds leader in Kelley graduate

By Mike Malik · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:31 a.m.

The advocacy group Hoosiers for Higher Education appointed a new director Monday. Debbie Sibbitt will take over the reigns from former Director Kirk White, who was called back to the Indiana Army National Guard when his unit was deployed to Afghanistan.

Particles

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:22 a.m.

SALT LAKE CITY -- NASA scientists said Friday they have recovered some critical pieces of the Genesis space capsule intact and are optimistic the wreckage will yield valuable information about the origins of the solar system.

A Blurry Future

By Tony Sams · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:16 a.m.

The lowest resolution setting for a computer screen now is right around 640 x 480 dots per inch -- giving a picture which is still a higher quality than the highest quality analog television picture available, which has a horizontal resolution of only 500 dots. And right now, the United States has the technology to provide a television picture for all consumers that rivals that of a computer screen.

Wild card race heats up in Chicago

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:07 a.m.

CHICAGO -- Sammy Sosa homered for the first time in more than two weeks and Derrek Lee drove in three runs to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday night. Moises Alou and Neifi Perez also homered for the Cubs, who pulled within a half-game of idle San Francisco in the NL wild-card race.

Senior safety named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week

By Dan Patrick · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:06 a.m.

It's been a week of long-belated distinctions for the Hoosier football team. After Saturday's defeat of then No. 24 University of Oregon, IU garnered the team's first road win over a ranked opponent since 2001, the first 2-0 start since 1996 and now the first Hoosier Big Ten Player of the Week in nearly two years.

Hoosiers finding their scoring touch

By Steve Slivka · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:03 a.m.

SOUTH BEND -- Prior to the start of the 2004 season, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America named IU senior midfielder Danny O'Rourke and junior back Drew Moor to their preseason watch list for the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy given to the top collegiate soccer player in America. O'Rourke and Moor had a combined two goals entering the 2004 season, with Moor laying claim to both tallies.

Student threatens financial aid employees

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1:02 a.m.

An upset student made a potentially threatening statement to a financial aid officer but later apologized. An IU Police Department officer arrived at Franklin Hall on Friday afternoon after being called about a student making threats. The student was talking to a financial aid adviser and was asking for a short-term loan, according to IUPD reports. After the advisor told the student he could not receive the loan, he became frustrated and upset.

Sounds of Poland come to Lotus Fest

By Jennifer Griffin · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1 a.m.

In ancient Greek mythology, the lotus was a fruit that was said to produce a drug-induced state in those who ate it. The flower was mentioned by Homer in "The Odyssey," "all they wished was to stay in the land of the eaters of lotus/ drowsily nibbling the fruit and forgetting their hopes of return."

Vanderjagt eager to start new streak

By Alyson Brodsy and Michael Marot · Tuesday, Sept. 14,2004 1 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Mike Vanderjagt thinks he should make every kick for the Indianapolis Colts. Anything less is unacceptable in his world. So when Vanderjagt missed a potential game-tying, 48-yarder last week at New England, he grimaced, clapped his hands once and walked away feeling sick. Gone was the NFL record of 42 straight field goals and a 21-month stretch of perfection, but not the confidence that has made him one of league's top kickers.