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Wake Forest defenders swarm IU's Malik Story as he attempts a shot during IU's 83-58 loss Wednesday night in Winston-Salem, N.C. Wake Forest's defense forced 26 turnovers.

Men's basketball faces another tough challenge in No. 5 Gonzaga

By Matt Dollinger · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 11:35 p.m.

Gonzaga’s glass slipper no longer fits. Once an annual Cinderella story, the Zags have evolved into one of the top programs in the country. The northwest school that used to be regarded as the feel-good story of college basketball now has opponents worried sick about playing them. “There really is not anything that doesn’t concern us (about Gonzaga),” IU coach Tom Crean said in a Thursday teleconference. With a balanced scoring attack, talent at every position and “tremendous” chemistry, Crean said he thinks the Bulldogs have been one of the best teams in the nation for more than a decade. “I don’t think you’ll find any college basketball coach or player that has competed against them that wouldn’t refer to them as one of the best programs in the country,” Crean said. On Saturday, the Hoosiers (4-3) will try and create a feel-good story of their own when they face No. 5 Gonzaga at 1:30 p.m. in the Hartford Hall of Fame Classic in Indianapolis.

Britney's circus

By Rachel Goldberg · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 10:24 p.m.

My favorite recording artist since 1999 has been Britney Spears. Until the past few years, she was just some bubblegum pop artist, dancing around with boa constrictors, kissing Madonna – the usual. But then something happened. It appeared that Spears started to go mad. And the world ate it up and wanted more. This past Sunday, Spears’ documentary, “For the Record” premiered for her to set the record straight, just two days prior to the release of her new album, “Circus.” There was something extremely sad about Spears and how we as a culture perceived her. After she married Kevin Federline, who was seen as a talentless nobody, her image was shaken. Spears was seen as a pop princess, and the most extreme thing she’d done to this point was show off skin.

Change or monotony?

By Shane Springer · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 10:23 p.m.

Many Republicans called him a socialist, some a Marxist, and prior to his run for presidency, many considered him the most liberal senator in Washington. Now President-elect Barack Obama begins his transition into the Oval Office, and many conservatives wonder whether his cabinet appointments will reflect their predictions. Is this the end of Democracy and capitalism, or is this the beginning of the “change” he so relentlessly campaigned for? During these final weeks of Obama’s transition to the White House, it can be confusing and often mind-numbing to keep track of who is being appointed and to what position. So here is a quick rundown of the major appointments thus far to help bring those behind up to speed.

Thanksgiving break: nothing but a tease

By Julia Boriss · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 10:22 p.m.

Thanksgiving at my house was the usual. A student from the local university none of us had met before ended up at our dinner table performing magic tricks, and as we stuffed our faces with turkey and mashed potatoes, Mom made another attempt to convince my sister not to sell her eggs on the black market. If you think I’m making any of this up for the sake of comedy, you are more than welcome to stop by next year and see for yourself. After we ate our turkey, we all sat back and patted our stomachs as is tradition in America, land of plenty, and announced that we were so full that we might never eat again. I always say this when other people do because it is important for me to fit in and not look like a fatty, but the truth is that I have never in my life felt so full that I have stopped fantasizing about my next meal even momentarily. While I’ve noticed that my family stays somewhat true to their word and doesn’t eat again for at least the rest of the day, I generally only last about two hours before I find myself rummaging through the refrigerator, already ready to sink my teeth into another tender, flightless bird. I think we can all agree that the best part about Thanksgiving is making dozens of delectable sandwiches with the leftover turkey, which is definitely more instantly gratifying than expending all the energy it takes to remember to be thankful for things like health and family.

College costs on the rise

Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 10:20 p.m.

Throughout the presidential campaign, Barack and Michelle Obama talked a lot about the educational opportunities they were afforded as young adults. Through education and family support, they claimed to have climbed up the metaphorical ladder from working class backgrounds to Washington’s inner circle. But it’s unclear whether the country Barack Obama will take over on Jan. 20 is living up to its responsibility to provide current students and future generations with the same opportunities partially responsible for Obama’s own success. College costs are eating up more and more of family incomes. That doesn’t come as a surprise to many students. And it’s why Indiana, along with 48 other states, has been flunked in affordability. The cost of higher education has increased 439 percent nationwide from 1982 to 2007, even while median family income rose only a more modest 147 percent during the same period, according to the recent report, “Measuring Up 2008,” released by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

House should stay home

Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 10:18 p.m.

There are certain privileges that our government has the right to deny us. The ability to drive, for instance, is a privilege, which the State may revoke at any time. Marriage on the other hand, is not. It is instead a right, and the denial of this right to any group of citizens of the United States of America is a travesty.

Outsourcing the news

By Mitchell Blatt · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 10:16 p.m.

James Macpherson’s Web site PasadenaNow.com offers thousands of local stories about Pasadena, Calif., written by reporters in India. This, Macpherson says, is the future of journalism. MediaNews Group, which owns 54 daily newspapers, is considering outsourcing preproduction and layout offshore, according to a Nov. 29 column in the New York Times. The Orange County Register began outsourcing some of their copy editing to India this summer.

Rice: Pakistan ‘focused on the threat’ of terrorism

Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 9:27 p.m.

Pakistan’s leaders know what’s at stake after the terror attack in Mumbai and have acknowledged their duty to evict terrorists and prevent future attacks, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday.

Indian govt., air force on high alert at major airports after new attack warnings

Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 9:26 p.m.

Airports in India went on high alert Thursday following fresh attack warnings as officials said India suspects two senior leaders of a banned Pakistani militant group orchestrated the deadly Mumbai attacks.

Haircutting marathon at dance studio will benefit local non-profit

Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 9:02 p.m.

This holiday season, cutting your hair is beneficial for multiple reasons: It improves tress-appearance for festive parties, prevents cold-induced split ends and raises money for charitable causes.

New ISTEP scores show slight decrease in English

By Amanda Bridgman · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 9:01 p.m.

Results for this year’s Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus show a slight decrease in scores across the state.

School of Law to be renamed after donor

By IDS staff · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 1:16 p.m.

The IU School of Law-Bloomington will be renamed in honor an alumnus who donated $35 million for law student scholarships, IU President Michael McRobbie announced today.

Club volleyball team’s history ranks among top

Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 12:51 a.m.

The IU men’s club volleyball team might not have the same record of dominance as the men’s soccer and men’s basketball programs, but its history ranks among the top of all IU sports. “Our alumni list is very long, and men’s volleyball is a club sport that goes back to the late ’70s, early ’80s,” said John McSorley, club president and senior. With history dating back four decades, the 2008-09 IU men’s club volleyball team is looking to carry on the tradition into the spring season.

Born to coach: Long career leads Orr to IU

By Tyler James Perry · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 12:50 a.m.

For Tom Orr, hockey was part of growing up. As a small child on a farm in Ypsilanti, N.D., Orr watched his uncle play hockey, which was the spark that began his life in the sport. By the age of 3, he was playing in a youth league. He played other sports in high school, including baseball, football and tennis. Still, he always seemed to come back to hockey.

IDS sportswriter Matt Dollinger, right, live blogs with Herald-Times sportswriter Chris Korman during IU's 81-79 win over Chaminade during the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational on Nov. 26 in Lahaina, Hawaii.

RUNNING THE FLOOR: BLOGus

By Zachary Osterman · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 12:47 a.m.

Last night, as with every other night the IU basketball team has played, we intrepid Indiana Daily Student folk teamed up with friends at HoosierNation.com, the Herald-Times and InsideTheHall.com to live blog/live chat the IU-Wake Forest basketball game with interested fans.

Ready for Miami

By Tyler James Perry · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 12:45 a.m.

Hockey fans looking for an intense rivalry are sure to find one at the Frank Southern Ice Arena on Friday night. The IU club hockey team is looking to build off the success of its big win before Thanksgiving break when the team beat Grand Valley State in a high-scoring 7-5 match. This weekend, the Hoosiers will take on the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks, a team that has a lot of history with IU. Back during 2001-2002 season, current IU coach Tom Orr was a player on the Hoosier team that season when it faced Miami for the Great Midwest Hockey League championship. Orr scored the game-winning goal, handing the league trophy to the Hoosiers.

STRAIGHT BIDNESS: Plax’s new name: Cheddar Bob

By Mike Abrams · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 12:44 a.m.

I was sitting in my media ethics class on Tuesday, though I wasn’t really all that awake. You can’t expect a column titled “Straight Bidness” to really embody media ethics, so I generally don’t give the most insightful input in the class. Rather than trying to figure out whether decisions are a means to an end or vice versa, (or something like that – I still don’t understand that lecture) I decided to daydream in hopes of coming up with a column idea. And then it hit me. I heard it, and it was like the angels were telling me to write this story. Someone in my class was speaking, and I heard it.

NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. prepares to climb into his car to begin practice for the Dollar General 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Oct. 10 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

MILLER'S LAP AROUND NASCAR: Time to dine

By Geoffrey Miller · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 12:42 a.m.

For the second straight year, NASCAR’s most popular driver won’t be taking the stage when the sport hands out the big checks and celebrates its 60th anniversary Friday night in New York City. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has been voted the most popular driver by fans each season since 2003, finished 12th in the final standings of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, and per NASCAR rules, only the top 10 drivers are recognized at the Sprint Cup Awards Banquet. The banquet is held annually in the New York City at the Waldorf-Astoria to culminate NASCAR’s “Champions Week,” which sees its top drivers awarded at the banquet on television shows and other media outlets.

Junior guard Devan Dumes goes up for a basket during the first half of IU's game on Wednesday night at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Frustrations turned over in N.C.

By Tom Kirby · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 12:42 a.m.

Even with all the warnings and premonitions of a stressful season, IU coach Tom Crean and the team’s exuberance at the start the season was contagious. But after their 83-58 thrashing at the hands of No. 15 Wake Forest, that exuberance turned to frustration. When asked how he felt his team handled playing in their first true road game, Crean responded, “I think 26 turnovers tell the story.” The 26 turnovers, along with the Demon Deacons’ 20 fast-break points compared to IU’s four, could be a result of the team’s lack of communication, Crean said. “Before we can learn to compete, we’ve got to learn to talk more to one another,” the coach added. “We’ve got to learn to listen better.”

Senior Lacy Simpson dances in the opening scene of the "Nutcracker" on Wednesday evening at the Muical Arts Center. Williams, along with her roomates Pablo Sanchez and Kimberly Williams, not pictured, portray various leads through out the performance.

Nutcracker performers split rent, share spotlight

By Katherine Hagan · Thursday, Dec. 4,2008 12:42 a.m.

Visions of sugar plums will dance in audience members’ heads when the IU Ballet Theater performs its 50th annual production of “The Nutcracker” at the Musical Arts Center this weekend. In addition to the typical sugar plums, this year’s version of “The Nutcracker” features choreography by Michael Vernon, chair of the ballet department.