Community Arts

Monroe County turns 185 in celebration Friday

By Benjames Derrick · Sunday, July 6,2003 9 p.m.

Monroe County celebrated its 185th birthday Friday. The county in which Bloomington resides was founded on April 10,1818. In previous years, the birthday had been celebrated on the actual date of "birth," but Monroe County decided to change the celebration to Independence Day in an effort to attract more people to the celebration.

Heavy storms kill 3

Sunday, July 6,2003 8:59 p.m.

At least three people were killed following heavy thunderstorms that swept through the state Friday and early Saturday. The storms continued Saturday evening, hampering cleanup efforts.

Eritrean cuisine provides a unique flavor

By Adam B. Steer and Adam Steer · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:55 p.m.

I am always up for trying new things. When I heard there was an Eritrean restaurant in town, I figured I would try it.

Jazz in July series plays at IUAM

By Nicholas J. Schmidt · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:54 p.m.

Thirteen years and approximately 48 performances later, IU's own Jazz in July concert series is the strongest it has ever been. Every July, the IU Art Museum plays host to a weekly series of free jazz concerts that are open to the public, with this year being no exception.

HarpCon coming to Bloomington

By Nicholas J. Schmidt · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:51 p.m.

Come Wednesday, Bloomington will be invaded by up to 500 people, as it will play host to this year's international harp convention -- HarpCon. People from all over the world will gather in Bloomington for four days, listening to world-renowned performers, taking part in interactive workshops and basking in the surroundings that HarpCon brings every two years. "HarpCon is fortunate to be part of such a rich community of talented harpers," according to their Web site.

R&B legend Barry White dead at 58

By Alyson Brodsy · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:50 p.m.

LOS ANGELES -- With his unique baritone -- a mix of velvet and gravel -- R&B great Barry White was the voice of America's bedroom, his throbbing compositions conspiring with purring vocals to seduce fans for more than three decades. White, who had kidney failure from years of high blood pressure, died Friday at age 58. He had been undergoing dialysis and had been hospitalized since a September stroke.

Hello mother, hello father ...

By Joe Grace · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:41 p.m.

There's nothing quite like going home for the holidays. Especially when it's not your home. In fact, it's your girlfriend's home. In Chicago, a city where hiring hitmen to "deal" with boyfriends can't be that hard to arrange. For four days, and this will be the first time you've met her parents. "Hi! My name's Joe. I have kissed your daughter. Can I crash here a few days?"

Don't fear gay marriage

By Alyson Brodsy · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:36 p.m.

Following a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court striking down anti-sodomy laws, a great debate has arisen regarding the future of sex, morality and the law. Considering that the Canadian provincial government of Ontario has legalized same-sex marriage, many are wondering if the new sodomy ruling will open the door to gay marriage in the U.S.

Nigerian president accepts offer of asylum

By Alyson Brodsy and Glenn McKenzie · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:33 p.m.

MONROVIA, Liberia -- Embattled President Charles Taylor accepted an offer of asylum in Nigeria on Sunday, but gave no time frame for quitting power and insisted the transition must be orderly, urging the United States to send peacekeepers.

Surgeons begin separating brains

By Alyson Brodsy and D’arcy Doran · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:33 p.m.

SINGAPORE -- Surgeons entered a critical phase Sunday in a dangerous, marathon operation as they began separating the brains of 29-year-old Iranian twin sisters joined at the head. The operation, which could take two to four days, could be fatal to sisters Ladan and Laleh Bijani.

Landslides killed 21 people in central China

By Alyson Brodsy · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:32 p.m.

BEIJING -- Landslides killed 21 people in central China, while authorities prepared Sunday to blast earthen flood barriers to divert river waters running at their highest level in more than a decade, officials and state media reported.

Mexicans select all 500 seats of congress

By Alyson Brodsy and Traci Carl · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:30 p.m.

MEXICO CITY -- Voters were choosing new lawmakers Sunday for all 500 seats in Mexico's lower house of Congress, an election key to determining whether President Vicente Fox can deliver on the many promises he made after his historic victory three years ago. Sunday's elections were the first nationwide vote since Fox's win in 2000. Polling began relatively peacefully, although campaigns were filled with allegations of misconduct -- including complaints about vote buying and Roman Catholic priests and bishops who urged Mexicans to vote against parties favoring abortion and gay marriage.

A vast fried-wing conspiracy

By Alyson Brodsy and Hank Grimes · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:12 p.m.

Last year, two teen-aged plaintiffs filed suit against the McDonald's Corporation, blaming the fast-food giant for their obesity. Their lawyer, Samuel Hirsch, claimed that, unbeknownst to consumers, Chicken McNuggets, Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, French fries and other menu items are so processed with additives and other ingredients that they can pose a serious health hazard. U.S. District Judge Robert Sweet dismissed the class-action lawsuit January 22 stating, "The law is not intended to protect people from their own excesses."

No-power hour

By Paige Gray · Sunday, July 6,2003 8:12 p.m.

Our nation just celebrated its 227th year. Wow. Think about all the huge, enormous, mind-boggling accomplishments and feats that have been achieved in that time block. One major advancement? The evolution of electricity.

Tinsley makes even Young sound bad

By Jessica Halverson and Jesscia Halverson · Thursday, July 3,2003 12 a.m.

This bastard actually wrote a song with the lines "What a time for love/love makes it alright." Hurrah, hooray, the man with such an impressive background (has played/is playing with BOTH Hootie and the Blowfish and the Dave Matthews Band) has made a solo album.

'Full Throttle' running on fumes

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, July 3,2003 12 a.m.

Admittedly, I found the first "Charlie's Angels" flick to be a superficially entertaining guilty pleasure. Its sequel, "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" is not. Sure, each film boasts overly wire-assisted fight sequences, scantily clad leading ladies parading about in fetishistic slut gear and a thorough catalogue of '80s cheese metal.

Zombie flick lacks zombies, but still decent

By Jake Bilinski · Thursday, July 3,2003 12 a.m.

Post-apocalyptic, zombie, survival, horror movies -- you gotta love em. "28 Days Later" has acquired a fair share of hype, and thus opened Friday to a pack of hungry, immature film-goers who unanimously declared their audible disagreement with seeing the protagonist's dong (really people, grow up). The question becomes: does this long-awaited flick live up to said praise? Yes, and sadly, no.

The few, the proud, the independently owned

By Robert Mixner · Thursday, July 3,2003 12 a.m.

Fireworks and books. They don't seem to have much in common: fireworks are a loud spectacle best appreciated with others; books, on the other hand, are enjoyed quietly, and alone. One produces sparks, the other is highly combustible. Yet they have closer ties to each other than it might seem. This Friday, fireworks will commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence; books fed the spirits and inspired the minds of many of those signers.

The best, um, only Emo-Prog record of the year

By Seth Forster · Thursday, July 3,2003 12 a.m.

Daily life seems to be a made up of extremes for The Mars Volta. There are no in-betweens, no subtle shades of gray for this band. Everything is done with such an intensity here that the lyrics could be an epic about washing the dishes and you'd still feel charged at the end of it.

The power of 'The Hours'

By Jessica Smith · Thursday, July 3,2003 12 a.m.

"The Hours" is a deliberately jarring and masterful examination of the lives of three women on the edge of one of the most extreme cliffs one can face in life: the choice to live or die. Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore, along with an incredible supporting cast including the talented Ed Harris, string this intricately woven plot along with acting so intense that even a mere glance expresses more emotion than "hours" of dialogue. All three women are alive during different time periods and live eerily parallel lives brought together by Virginia Wolfe's book, "Mrs. Dalloway."