Region

Out for blood

By Paige Harden · Friday, Jan. 23,2004 12:29 a.m.

The IU Panhellenic Association, along with the American Red Cross River Valley Blood Services Region (RVR), hosted the second annual Fraternity vs. Sorority Blood Challenge, which acquired 190 pints of blood. Organizers hoped that the blood drive would combat the recent nationwide blood shortage. According to the RVR Web site, surgeries have been postponed in the river valley region as a result of the blood shortage. Amber Richardson, donor recruitment representative for IU, said she hoped 375 people would give blood, but 210 people showed up and 190 pints of blood were collected.

IU ranks high in Peace Corps volunteers

By Stacie Vasko · Friday, Jan. 23,2004 12:29 a.m.

IU now ranks 11th among large universities in the number of college graduates who join the Peace Corps, according to a 2003 study. With over 7,500 volunteers currently serving as active or training members, the Peace Corps continues to see rising numbers -- on average, 15 percent -- in college alumni across the nation, the highest since the 1970s, a press release reported Tuesday. With the University of Wisconsin-Madison in first place, the Peace Corps announced IU at eleventh among large universities, with a total of 71 alumni -- 11 joining last year.

Students hold candlelight vigil on anniversary of Roe v. Wade

By Lindsay Lyon · Friday, Jan. 23,2004 12:27 a.m.

Nearly 35 students and members of the Bloomington community gathered at Dunn Meadow Thursday night to express their feelings of discontent with the 31st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that gave women the right to have an abortion. They stood in a large circle with their eyes closed and their heads bowed as a prayer was said. "We must work in the face of abortion so that lives may be saved," said Father Atkins of the St. Paul Catholic Center.

Bloomington Parks to look for artists to display works

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Jan. 23,2004 12:12 a.m.

From IDS reports The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation is encouraging residents to get involved. Parks and Recreation is accepting applications from artisans and craftspeople who would like to display their wares at this summer's "A Fair of the Arts." The fair takes place the second Saturday of each month from May through October. Criteria for selecting artists include style of work, quality of work, price of work, variety of artists and previous participation in the fair. Full consideration will be given to applications postmarked by March 1. For more information, contact Leslie Kaiser at 349-3738.

Feds join vote fraud case

By Alyson Brodsy and Ken Kusmer · Friday, Jan. 23,2004 12:12 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS - A joint federal-state-local task force investigating vote fraud and public corruption in Lake County has identified more than 100 targets it may seek to indict, a prosecutor said Thursday. Federal prosecutors will join a 13-member task force of deputy state attorneys general and Lake County prosecutors in an investigation that began four months ago, Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter and Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter announced at a Statehouse news conference. They had been joined by U.S. Attorney Joseph Van Bokkelen at an earlier news conference in Lowell in the northwest Indiana county.

Piling up Post-It notes

By Scott Gorsky and Scott J. Gorsky · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:24 p.m.

I'm not what you might call a (how do you say?) "neat freak." I think a better way to describe myself is whatever the opposite of a "neat freak" is. I hate to use the words "total slob" when referring to myself, but someone who doesn't know me might have trouble thinking of anything else to say after seeing my room. Then again, if people who don't know me are seeing my room, that probably means I need to install new locks on my doors. But, yes, I admit it. When it comes to my living conditions, I tend to employ a philosophy of laissez faire. I'm know I'm not alone in this. Everyone, at some point in their lives, has used the "smell test" to see if an item of clothing is suitable for wear.

Democrats' state of disunion

By Jonathan Blanks · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:23 p.m.

After a strong State of the Union address by President Bush, the Democrats had the opportunity to productively counter the administration's policies or put forth well-planned ideas of their own. The Democrats failed in both respects. In her rebuttal, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California looked like a deer caught in headlights as she attempted to play down the president's goals and achievements at home and abroad. She misled the public and set impossible goals for the government while simultaneously trying to portray the Democrats as the party of reason. The gap in policy and truth between Democrats and the GOP is growing, and it shows.

Silly politicians

By Cameron Thibos · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:22 p.m.

I have a bone to pick with the Democratic candidates. It stems back to something I learned during my first-ever government lesson in the fifth grade. I seem to recall Mrs. Heffernan mentioning something about mud-slinging. However, when she talked about it, mud-slinging was something inept candidates did against the other party in order to make themselves look good. She never mentioned anything about digging up dirt on your own party's members.

Bush moons the nation

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:20 p.m.

The Bush Administration made a bold move when it announced a few weeks ago the president would be interested in sending a man back to the moon. The plan entertains the notion of using the moon as a launching pad to Mars. The prospect may leave scientists starry-eyed, but the national budget would experience astronomical effects. The moon and Mars idea wasn't well received with the public -- neither was his plan to start a work program for immigrants, which also came out the same week -- and the Bush people decidedly left both topics out of the State of the Union address Tuesday night.

Outburst of violence in Iraq leaves 9 people dead

By Alyson Brodsy and Vijay Joshi · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:17 p.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Attackers killed nine people in an outburst of violence, including four Christian women headed to jobs at a U.S. military base, and two American soldiers. South of the capital, the security chief of Spanish troops in Iraq was shot in the head during a raid.

Former Enron accountant indicted

By Alyson Brodsy and Kristen Hays · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:16 p.m.

HOUSTON -- A former Enron Corp. accountant described as "a principal architect" of a scheme to mislead government regulators and investors turned himself in Thursday, and pleaded innocent to federal fraud charges related to the energy giant's 2001 collapse.

Mars rover stops sending data

By Alyson Brodsy and Andrew Bridges · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:16 p.m.

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Spirit rover stopped transmitting data from Mars for more than 24 hours, mission managers said Thursday, calling it an "extremely serious anomaly." NASA received its last significant data from Spirit early Wednesday -- its 19th day on Mars. Since then, it has sent either random, meaningless radio noise or simple beeps acknowledging it has received commands from Earth, said Firouz Naderi, manager of the Mars exploration program at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The last such beep was received Thursday morning, Naderi said.

Academy prepares for frenzy

By Alyson Brodsy and Anthony Breznican · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:13 p.m.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - 5:38:30 a.m. -- That's the moment Hollywood hype turns hyperactive. It's the precise time Tuesday morning when the 76th annual Academy Award nominations will be announced to the world, creating a frenzy among all who make movies, make money from movies or make time to see movies.

A look at the punk scene

By Sarah Kanter · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:12 p.m.

"AfroPunk," a documentary that investigates the two worlds of race, identity and the punk rocker, will be shown tonight at Boxcar Books, 310 A S. Washington. It interviews and explores the lives of four people who have committed themselves to the punk rock way of life. It embarks upon issues such as loneliness, exile, interracial dating and black power.

Local high schools perform tonight

By Jenica Schultz · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:11 p.m.

Bloomington High School North and South will combine their dramatic talents this weekend to perform Jean Giradoux's classic play, "The Madwoman of Chaillot." The students will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, Saturday, Jan. 24 and Sunday, Jan. 25 at The John Waldron Arts Center at 122 S. Walnut St. In "The Madwoman of Chaillot," corporate evil invades majestic Paris as prospectors plot to tear up its legendary streets for oil and wealth.

Don't say that word

By Patrice Worthy and Patricia Worthy · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 11:10 p.m.

One of my friends came up to me one day and said, you should write a column on metrosexuals. I thought to myself, "I am a fashion columnist, I think the Kinsey Institute should tackle that one." Obviously, I didn't know what a metrosexual was. Then he explained, you know the show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy?" If one of those guys was straight that would be a metrosexual.

Music school robbed again

By Dan Patrick · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 12:59 p.m.

After a string of thefts last semester, the IU School of Music was struck yet again over the holiday weekend. A lockbox containing cash and checks from the "Nutcracker" musical proceeds was stolen from room 308 in the Musical Arts Center during the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. The lockbox contained more than $1,000 in cash and checks from the ballet, IU School of Music faculty member Doricha Sales said. IU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger said the date of the theft is unknown because it was not noticed until after the holiday.

Iran's election crisis worsens with resignations

By Alyson Brodsy and Ali Akbar Dareini · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 12:30 a.m.

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's worst political crisis in years deepened Wednesday, with the government saying most of its ministers and vice presidents have submitted resignations to protest the barring of thousands of would-be candidates from upcoming elections. Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi warned unless the candidates are reinstated, "the country will face many problems, both at home and abroad."

Union Board seeks Little 500 concert

By Alex Hickey · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 12:29 a.m.

The Union Board is currently in the planning stages for booking a concert for Little 500 week this year. Last year, there was no concert. Instead, the Board scheduled alternate programming in the form of Hoosier Idol and the Little 5 Step-Down.

IU filling key posts at all levels

By Chris Freiberg and Warren Christopher Freiberg · Thursday, Jan. 22,2004 12:24 a.m.

It's not even spring yet, and IU is already cleaning the house. The resignation of the Kelley School of Business Dean Dan Dalton Tuesday has brought the total number of open academic and administrative leadership positions to seven. Other positions currently being filled are the director of faculties, director of the Kinsey Institute, dean of the School of Journalism and new leaders for the Indiana Memorial Union, IU Auditorium and Indiana University Press. "We have changes all the time," said IU Board of Trustees President Fred Eichhorn. "We just have to make sure that those who come in to replace those who leave are highly qualified and continue to positively influence the University."