Region

It's all 'Dirty Water' from here

By Cassidy Flanagan · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:34 p.m.

For his third album, MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water, David Banner has included enough featured artists to make it a compilation CD of some of today's most popular rap artists instead of a solo disc. Although the album features artists such as Nelly, 8-Ball, Lil' Flip and Busta Rhymes, there is nothing spectacular about this latest disc from Banner.

T Bone Burnett goes back to roots, movies

By Cassidy Flanagan · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:33 p.m.

A combination of blue grass, blues and folk music, the soundtrack to the motion picture Cold Mountain has a charming feel to it. Produced by Grammy winner T Bone Burnett, the compilation includes new music from such award-winning artists as Alison Krauss, Gabriel Yared and Jack White, as well as the Sacred Harp Singers at Liberty Church. The greatest aspect of the album is the way in which many of the songs tell simplistic tales of people and their emotions in an easily relatable manner. The soft, flowing strings of banjos, violins and guitars take a backseat to the lyrics, which are filled with feeling.

MP3: Walk-out on the Walkman

By By Ryan Heath and Ryan Heath · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:33 p.m.

They're small, they're light-weight - some even call them sexy. No matter how you look at it, these tiny electronic wonders have grabbed a huge share of the portable audio market and are invading the homes of millions of Americans.

Rapper in the shadow of J. Hova

By -Brandon Tucker · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:31 p.m.

Jay-Z's retirement has everyone looking for the new big ticket at Roc-a-fella. Since its conception in 1996, Memphis Bleek was supposed to be Jigga's second coming. But after a career that has been a mild success (including a three-year hiatus filled with personal strife), those reigns seem more fit for Roc-a-fella's Kanye West, the hottest up-and-comer in hip-hop right now -- set to release his first solo album in February.

'Splinter'ing the gap between pop and punk

By Ryan Whirty · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:28 p.m.

Starting with its switch from indie fave Epitaph Records to mega-corporate Columbia in 1996, the Offspring has been fighting to retain its street cred as a hard-driving, honest band that plays a somewhat unique mélange of punk and metal. Unfortunately for the band, the massive success of 1998's Americana hinged on the runaway popularity of two singles -- "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" and "Why Don't You Get a Job?" -- that amounted to little more than punk-inspired novelty hits. That, for many listeners and critics, was proof that the once-hardcore quartet had gone hopelessly mainstream.

It's a jungle out there

By Kelly Phillips · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:20 p.m.

Three-year-old Uncle Fester's House of Blooze is typical of most bars: it's generally dark, loud, crowded, and rank with cigarette smoke, abandoned beer bottles and sweaty bartenders.

Investing in IU's future

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 1:03 a.m.

It seems as though our prayers have been answered. The national economy, as a whole, is improving. Wall Street posted its first winning year since 1999 -- unemployment fell in December to the lowest in 14 months. U.S Secretary of Treasury, John Snow, said improved job growth is on the horizon.

Concert to save forests

By Brian Janosch · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 1:03 a.m.

Heartwood and the Indiana Forest Alliance will be holding a benefit concert this Thursday to raise money in the fight to save Indiana's state forests.

Swimming icon impacted IU, world

By Josh Weinfus and Josh Weinfuss · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 1:03 a.m.

The swimming world lost one of its greatest men last week when James "Doc" Counsilman died in his sleep early Jan. 4 because of complications after his 25 year battle with Parkinson's disease. For the last six and a half years, Counsilman spent his time at Meadowood Retirement Community, where Marjorie, his wife of 60 years, said he became a prisoner in his own body because of the disease. "He had a wonderful career," Marjorie said. "I got to share all of that. I don't know how anyone could have been more fulfilled (with their life). He was obsessed with competitive swimming."

Girl killed in North Carolina collision

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 1:02 a.m.

MAXTON, N.C. -- A tractor-trailer slammed into a stopped school bus Tuesday, killing a 5-year-old girl who was boarding, and injuring the girl's mother and more than a dozen other students, officials said. About 20 to 25 children were aboard the bus, which was bound for Townsend Middle School and R.B. Dean Elementary School, said Henry Byrd, assistant superintendent of Robeson County schools.

Kernan addresses education, deficit

By Karen Green · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 1:01 a.m.

Governor Joe Kernan took to the podium for his first State of the State address Tuesday night and addressed a crowd of decidedly optimistic legislators. The night marked the four-month anniversary of the death of former Governor Frank O'Bannon. The first minutes of the speech seemed more like a football game than a formal address to state legislators, as the former lieutenant governor was greeted by cheering, clapping and the chanting of his first name.

Greek councils induct officers

By Dan Patrick · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 12:57 a.m.

The Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association held their annual installation ceremony Tuesday night in the University Club in the Indiana Memorial Union. In total, 16 positions were filled for the upcoming year. Junior Ryan Goldschmidt was named IFC president and senior Mike Trent was named executive vice president of the administration. Junior Sarah King and senior Colleen Corley were named as president and vice president of PHA.

J-school narrows dean list to 7

By Mike McElroy · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 12:57 a.m.

The IU School of Journalism Dean Search Committee will soon know who takes the reigns from retiring Dean and Associate Professor of Journalism Trevor Brown next year. The committee has narrowed its choice of candidates down to seven finalists and will begin to interview them face-to-face in Indianapolis this week. At 17 years, Brown's term is the longest of any dean currently on campus, said Professor David Nord, who heads the committee.

IU adapts to demand for apartments, suites

By Asma Khalid · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 12:57 a.m.

After one year of communal bathrooms, cold showers and flip-flops, junior Tonya Vachirasomboon decided it was time to move out of Eigenmann Hall -- what she called the "noisy, dirty" dorm in the midst of renovation -- and into the apartment lifestyle offered at Willkie Quad. Across the nation, universities are succumbing to student demands for more spacious dorms, according to the Associated Press. Willkie marks the beginning of the housing revolution on IU's campus.

Bush to advocate trip to Mars

By Rami Chami · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 12:57 a.m.

President Bush will give a much-anticipated speech outlining a new long-term vision for NASA today. The speech will include the proposals for a permanent research station on the Moon and a manned mission to Mars. The proposed plans have already begun to draw a lot of praise and criticism from various camps in the field of astronomy. Professor Richard Durisen, chairman of the astronomy department, supports both the lunar project and the manned Mars mission.

Late coach's memory lives on with IU, former swimmers

By John Rodgers · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 12:45 a.m.

Innovators. James Naismith and Abner Doubleday were some of the few. A pair listed on a short list of sports' inventors and innovators. But for what the well-known Naismith and Doubleday meant to basketball and baseball, respectively, former IU swim coach James "Doc" Counsilman meant just as much to the world of swimming and IU, said athletic director Terry Clapacs. That innovator died Jan. 4, 2004, at the age of 83.

O'Neill denies statements on Bush

By Alyson Brodsy and Martin Crutsinger · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 12:28 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill on Tuesday denied that classified documents were used in a controversial new book in which he paints an unflattering portrait of President Bush. He softened some of his criticism in the face of a strong counterattack by the administration. The Inspector General's Office at Treasury confirmed that it had begun an investigation into whether any laws or regulations had been violated when Treasury employees turned over 19,000 documents to O'Neill after he was fired by Bush in December 2002.

Tougher open container law passes

By Alyson Brodsy and Deanna Wrenn · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 12:12 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Senate committee passed a bill Tuesday that would prohibit open containers of alcohol in vehicles, a move supporters say would bring Indiana millions of dollars in federal highway construction money and prevent drunk driving. Indiana's current law allows passengers to have open containers of alcohol as long as the driver has a blood-alcohol level of 0.04 percent or lower -- half the state's legal limit to drive. The Senate bill would ban open containers in vehicles, including parked cars, even if the driver was sober. Alcohol could be placed in trunks and locked glove compartments, however, and limousines and buses would be exempt from the restrictions.

Kerouac's draft back 'on road'

By Alyson Brodsy and Ryan Lenz · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 12:11 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Like the highway that inspired it, the first draft of author Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" rolls over nearly 120 feet of paper, a wandering narrative told in a continuous block of text. Yellowed with age, smudged with editing marks and the author's own ink-covered fingerprints, the scroll is a relic of a literary phenomenon. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay bought the scroll two years ago for $2.43 million. Having already been on display in Indianapolis, Irsay plans to send what may be the beat generation's quintessential text back to the road from where it came.

Students manage dream teams online

By Eamonn Brennan · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 12:07 a.m.

It's a Sunday afternoon and freshman Jacob Moylan's favorite team, the Seattle Seahawks, is losing to the Minnesota Vikings, 35-7. Seattle has no chance of a comeback; nonetheless, Moylan is stuck to the online gamecast, yelling, hoping for another touchdown from Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Wrong team, right? Guess again. For the time being, Moylan's favorite squad is the fantasy team he manages, owns and operates online. Made up of players from different teams in the NFL, Moylan no longer roots for specific teams, but rather for specific players with hopes of carrying his fantasy team to a league title.