IUPD

Taliban same as 'Religious Right?'

Democrats appear to be considering a provocative campaign theme for 2002. They might be gearing up to depict the Religious Right -- more generally, the right end of the Republican party -- as an American equivalent to the Taliban. A vote for the Democrats, then, would be a vote for tolerance and freedom of religion, conscience and choice. That's the plan, at least.

Two local stores evicted

Nary sword nor dagger can be found in the mall, nor can a vixen be found downtown. Upset landlords evicted them all. Arms merchants and escorts were left with a frown.

The best band you've probably never heard of

A plea for wisdom, not lectures

In four years at IU, I've never had a 4.0 GPA. Not that I couldn't; I've chosen not to. My parents consistently wonder why I don't strive for higher grades and why my GPA is never as good as they know and I know it could be. My brother, with grade weighting, will have better than a 5.0 GPA when he graduates high school in the spring. I'll be lucky to have a 3.4 GPA for my four years here.

Kirkwood determined to win

Sophomore Bill Gray, the Kirkwood ticket candidate for student body president, has never been involved in IUSA but he refuses to let that get the best of him.

It's Official

At 2:55 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, during a grand official ceremony, IU President Myles Brand officially named the Theatre/Neal-Marshall Education Center a part of the IU campus. The ceremony was the finalization of the dreams of many, including staff and students from both the Theatre and Afro-American Studies Departments. Representatives from each department spoke to a diverse capacity crowd of more than 400 at the Ruth N. Halls Auditorium. Brand called the celebration "the culmination of many years of hard work by numerous people and organizations." Descendants from both the families of Marcellus Neal and Frances Marshall, the first black male and female IU graduates, were also present to welcome the new center.

Baker's Junction: Battling 'communism,' Bloomington zoning

Every morning when Beverly Deckard looked out her kitchen window, she was greeted with two signs of affection from her neighbors across the street. The first, a giant middle finger fashioned out of rusted sheet metal. The second, a huge billboard with the endearing love note: "Kiss my ass you commey-planning zoning. We have the right zoning and permits. I am not closing or moving, you commey-bastard neighbors can move."

Dissent

Delta Lambda Phi is "not exactly" a gay fraternity. "It is open to any males who want to be in it," said junior Jeff Alewine, secretary of the new fraternity, set to colonize on Jan. 19. It may not be a gay frat, but is that how it will be perceived? If that is how it is perceived, will that promote or inhibit diversity on campus?

Taliban planning comeback

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Protected by sympathetic clerics, up to 1,000 Taliban and al Qaeda leaders are hiding in Pakistan and planning a Taliban comeback in Afghanistan, according to Taliban members and others familiar with the Islamic movement.

TKE rebuilding for future

Tau Kappa Epsilon has long been the "homeless" fraternity. Bouncing from one place to another, the members of TKE never had a permanent place to display their letters. But now, the house that never had a home can call 1440 N. Jordan Ave. its new permanent address. TKE was established on campus in the late 1940s. Through the years, membership dwindled. By the mid 1990s, chapter membership was low and eventually disbanded. Nothing much was said of the fraternity until the spring of 2000, when a recruiter from the national organization came to initiate a new pledge class for the house and to help revive the long-standing chapter.

Weekend Happenings Calendar

Union Board Summer Concert Series presents Amy Stephens Group USA International Harp Competition World-Wide Sale; 30 percent off Peoples Park Kid City Lemonade Stand

Spacey spins a psycho story

Bike paths unveiled

City officials hope to reduce traffic congestion and lessen Bloomington residents' reliance on automobiles over the next decade. Friday, Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez unveiled the city's 10-year plan for alternative transportation routes and greenways. It calls for the construction of bike-pedestrian sidepaths on heavily traveled streets and a network of connected paths that loops the city's perimeter.

Tensions in Mideast hurting French Jews

CRETEIL, France -- The call came in the middle of the night. When Rahamim Oliel picked up the phone, he learned that the Ozar Hatorah school he directed -- the Jewish place of learning he had cherished for 28 years -- had been set ablaze. That same night, vandals tried to deface the only synagogue in Creteil, a grim suburb just south of Paris where the city blocks are studded with cheerless, socialist-style apartment complexes. Despondent, Oliel, a small man who wears the black hat and long beard associated with conservative Jews, said he realized then that a climate of open anti-Semitism had returned to France some six decades after the Nazi horror.

Aussies support Prime Mimister's refugee stance

CHRISTMAS ISLAND, Australia -- For nine days, Prime Minister John Howard faced a barrage of international criticism for refusing to let a boatload of refugees enter Australia. But opinion polls Tuesday showed Australians overwhelmingly supported his hard-line stance.

Students 'let the good times roll' for Homecoming

It's official: "Let the Good Times Roll." IU students will be rolling across campus today continuing the week-long homecoming celebration with a parade around Bloomington. The parade starts at 5:30 p.m. with entrants lining up in front of Willkie Quad, 150 N. Rose St. From there, the parade will follow south, turning west onto Third Street. Participants will then turn north onto Indiana Avenue, with the parade concluding at the Sample Gates.

Judge pushes back Kirby sentencing

MARTINSVILLE -- A Morgan County Superior Court Judge has reset Judy Kirby's sentencing from today to June 13. On March 25 last year, an allegedly suicidal Kirby sped the wrong way up Ind. 67 for 1.7 miles, plowing into Thomas Reel's minivan. Reel and his children, Jesica and Bradley, died in a crash that the police estimate occured at a combined speed between 159 and 177 miles per hour. The collision also claimed the lives of Kirby's children, Jordan, Joney and Jacob, and Jeremy Young, a nephew in her care.

Jordan River Forum

'Liberal' disorientation helps humanity IDS wording unfortunate Holding signs doesn't offer solutions

More walkouts threaten racism talks

DURBAN, South Africa -- Under threat of a devastating European walkout, the World Conference Against Racism held closed-door meetings Wednesday to try to find compromise language on the Israel-Palestinian conflict and reparations for slavery. France warned it and the European Union could follow the United States and Israel by quitting the U.N. meeting, which was meant to highlight discrimination around the world but has been marred by discord over efforts to condemn Israel for "racist policies." The conference, which began Aug. 31, is scheduled to end Friday.

Hoosiers head into four-game weekend

Heading into the Indiana Invitational this weekend, the IU softball team looks to hone its skills before getting too far into the spring season schedule and into Big Ten play. The Hoosiers gained vital game experience over spring break as they played 12 games in 11 days and moved their record to 6-10-1. IU's three games scheduled for this past Wednesday and Thursday were postponed because of inclement weather.