IUPD

Spend your Friday somewhere else

By Parker Witman and Parker Wittman · Wednesday, Dec. 4,2002 12:03 a.m.

So it's Friday again, and who would have guessed it, Craig (Ice Cube) and Day-Day (Mike Epps) are behind on their rent. The only difference this time is that the two perennial slackers had their rent money swiped by a ghetto-Santa-Claus-thief (that, as they often remind you, is how it goes in the 'hood...ha). What's more, their naggy old landlady won't bend on the rent deadline and has promised the duo an encounter with her recently paroled nephew, a former jailhouse acquaintance of Craig and Day-Day who would love to "get to know them better" on behalf of his dear aunty. And now it's just like any other Friday. Our slacker heroes have 24 hours to come up with cash to protect their precious "dignity," and as you can imagine, their journey for the dough will run them into all sorts of trouble, create all sorts of excuses for fart jokes and introduce them to all sorts of madcap ghetto caricatures (well, maybe just a bunch of busty women, a mini-pimp and some good, old-fashioned 'hood-rats).

Dead Poets Opus Society

By -Paul Straw · Wednesday, Dec. 4,2002 12:02 a.m.

"The Emperor's Club" is a feel-good movie that in the end just doesn't really feel that good. Kevin Kline plays Mr. Hundert, a Greek and Roman history teacher who excels at his job. Students respect him, listen to him and work hard. This is until the arrival of Sedgewick Bell (Emile Hirsch), a senator's son and a disruptive force within the classroom. Despite Bell's constant disregard for his studies, Hundert sees himself in Bell and takes the student under his wing. Bell suddenly finds the urge to work hard and rises near the top of the class.

Bond is back in 'Die Another Day'

By by Isaac Edwards and Isaac Edwards · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:53 p.m.

In his 40th year, James Bond has become the most successful franchise in film history, providing his audience with the staples of espionage: fast cars, faster women and stuff blowing up. Lee Tamahori's new installment into that long tradition, "Die Another Day," lives up to its predecessors. Starting with one of the best Bond action sequences to be shot on celluloid, our "double O" agent is chased across a landmine-peppered field in North Korea on hovercraft. Throughout the film, Bond becomes the globetrotting, PP-7-packing, explosion-inducing agent we have all come to know, but this is not what makes "Die Another Day" one of the best Bond films in recent decades.

Better Than Ezra thrives

By Jason Gaddis · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:47 p.m.

"Aha, it was good living with you." That's all it took, a man impersonating a guitar's wah pedal and a catchy phrase, to propel three guys from Louisiana from indie-rock status to No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Rock charts. Even now, Better Than Ezra"s "Good" stands as one of the most memorable tracks from the mid-'90s alternative rock-scene. Tonight, BTE will bring its sound to Axis for a Toys For Tots benefit show.

Planning a primo party

By By Ryan Heath and Ryan Heath · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:38 p.m.

It's Saturday night and you've decided to accompany a few of your friends to a party. The shindig is being held at a friend's house, and by the time you arrive the place is hoppin' with drunken revelry. After muscling your way through a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd and nearly falling on your face after tripping over a piece of furniture, you finally make your way to that permanent party staple: the keg. But after downing several cups of the golden brew, you find yourself waiting in a bathroom line so long that you begin to worry about either seriously damaging your bladder or finding the nearest potted plant that needs watering.

Groove to the music

By Kathleen Quilligan and Kathleen Quilligen · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:38 p.m.

A few stragglers run through the door, their footfalls unintentionally pounding out the beat of the music that blasts from the speakers. "How you guys doing tonight?" yells junior Diana Ballas above the music to the group assembled before her, all while her hips keep time. Her question is answered with cheers, whoops and claps, signaling the beginning of class. Ballas is one of the four Group X leaders who instruct a hip-hop dancing class at the SRSC.

Kiln Creations

By Emily Balters · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:38 p.m.

The sign on the door simply reads, "Welcome to Barb Lund's pottery studio. Hours by chance or appointment." After walking past the clever sign and through the door one is surrounded by shelves of pottery full of rich color. Porcelain pots with swirling colors reminiscent of Van Gogh's paintings fill the top shelf; dinnerware pottery that glows of deep blues, greens and turquoise fill the shelves below. Barb Lund strolls through her studio with a smile on her face.

Economic plan borrows tobacco funds

By Alexandra R. Moses and Mike Smith · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:18 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Some key lawmakers expect Gov. Frank O'Bannon to propose that Indiana borrow against its shares of the national tobacco settlement to pay for economic development programs or help plug the state's budget deficit. O'Bannon and Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan were expected to announce a major economic development plan Wednesday afternoon. Their media offices declined to discuss details Tuesday.

Bush - Hardly Captain Planet

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:17 p.m.

Hey, you might be inhaling more of such things as lead, carbon monoxide, sulfur, nitrogen oxides, oxides, particulates and ozones soon, if not already. Lungs burning yet? Well, you can thank the man in the Oval Office. The Bush administration recently lessened clean air regulations -- a move which will now allow factories, manufacturers and utilities to avoid the obligation of installing new pollution-control technologies when they modernize their establishments.

It's Shane's World

By Rory Starks · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:16 p.m.

Here's another piece giving Shane's Enterprises, a porn company, that "invaded" IU's campus in October, some free publicity. I'm sure they're upset. It's a difficult situation, though. I really don't think we should stand by and let such acts be committed on campus, but then again, some people would argue that filming a dorm resident getting favors from a porn star is an artistic expression, and we wouldn't want to upset these "artists," now would we?

Sage advice

By Joe Grace · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:15 p.m.

(A letter composed by the columnist to his nephew who just celebrated his third birthday.) Dear Timmy, At the age of six, I believed everything I was told. Everything! Even when my mother told me the reason the tooth fairy wanted my teeth was to make a giant sculpture of herself. Being older, I now know the tooth fairy uses the teeth in her quest to take over the world. Fortunately, she is stupid and collects teeth instead of nuclear missiles.

Protest is not extortion

By Cherry Blattert · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 11:14 p.m.

Today the Supreme Court will review the infamous case, Joseph Scheidler v. the National Organization for Women (NOW). The justices will be determining whether organized protests can be considered extortion under RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) -- legislation initially meant to convict mobsters. In this case, NOW sued a man who helped organize protests against clinics back in the 1980s. According to NOW's statements, even peaceful pro-life protests are "campaigns of terror against abortion clinics" and should be stopped with RICO.

State traffic fatalities decline significantly

By Alexandra R. Moses and Mark Jewell · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 10:50 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Traffic deaths in Indiana are on pace to drop nearly 23 percent this year compared with 2001, further boosting the state's ranking as one of the nation's safest places to drive. Several factors are believed to be behind what could turn out to be the biggest one-year decline in Indiana traffic deaths since record keeping began around World War II -- more people using seat belt, tougher traffic law enforcement, stricter drunken driving laws and favorable driving weather last winter.

Not much of a break

By Samantha Ganop · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 10:49 p.m.

Whether to sponsor holiday gift-giving, spring textbooks, or just to feed midnight pizza cravings, many IU students choose to work over winter break. Money is often the primary motivator in seeking seasonal employment. Junior Theresa Yaecker will be returning to her New Jersey job to have money for rent and food next semester. "My bills don't go away when I go away on vacation," Yaecker said.

Candyland for children

By Lindsay Baron · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 10:48 p.m.

Whoever thinks hunts for candy take place on a certain spring day in April hasn't heard about Bloomington's Candy Cane Hunt, a family-fun event celebrating winter's chilly arrival. The city's 3rd annual Candy Cane Hunt will take place this Sunday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Thomson Park, located southwest of downtown. The event, sponsored by Bloomington Parks and Recreation and the Village Deli, is open to pre-school through elementary age children and their parents. Admission costs $2.

Around the Arts

Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 10:31 p.m.

Eminem's former home up for auction, Lacroix to design Air France uniforms, Oasis members held after bar fight.

Operas, symphonies faces woes

By Verena Dobnik · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 10:28 p.m.

NEW YORK -- Tenor Placido Domingo, who always packs the house at the Metropolitan Opera, didn't always this fall. The Lyric Opera of Chicago and the San Francisco Opera have each dropped plans to produce two operas they had announced for next season. The San Jose Symphony declared bankruptcy last month.

Turkey fears Iraqi influence

By Abdullah AlShihri and Louis Meixler · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 10:22 p.m.

HAKKARI, Turkey -- To understand why Turkey is hesitant to back a U.S. attack against Iraq, just look at Hakkari, a mountain town near the Iraqi border where poverty and unemployment fuel anger at the government and support for Kurdish nationalism. Turkey's backing is crucial to any U.S. attack on Iraq, but the overwhelmingly Muslim nation fears that Saddam Hussein's removal could lead to the split-up of Iraq, with Kurds in the north declaring a separate state and providing an example for Turkey's Kurds.

UN teams inspect palace

By Abdullah AlShihri and Charles J. Hanley · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 10:21 p.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- International inspectors roared up to one of Saddam Hussein's presidential palaces Tuesday and demanded and received quick entry, in an early test of new powers to hunt for weapons of mass destruction anywhere, anytime in Iraq. In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan described Iraq's cooperation as good but cautioned "this is only the beginning." Annan's assessment appeared at odds with that of President Bush, who said Monday that early signs from Baghdad "are not encouraging."

Bloomington police report holiday break-ins

By Adam Aasen · Tuesday, Dec. 3,2002 12:46 a.m.

While many students were stuffing their faces with food, burglars stuffed their bags with belongings from Bloomington homes, police said. Over Thanksgiving break, Sgt. Bill Parker of the Bloomington Police Department said he received reports of several homes broken into and burglarized over the IU student vacation.