IUSA

Justifying the means

By Ashley Ames · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 11:11 p.m.

Something has changed in the McCain camp. The Straight Talk Express has essentially derailed; reporters now travel separate from the candidate, something previously mocked by McCain, and open-ended question time has dwindled due to McCain’s newfound clench on his specific talking points. He has refused to answer hardball questions such as one asked by a “Time” reporter: “Is there anything so far about this campaign that you wish you could take back or you might revisit when it’s over?” No response.

Armed teachers will likely endanger the safety of Texas students

Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 11:07 p.m.

The Wild Wild West is an integral part of American cultural history. We’ve all watched at least one old movie with John Wayne, some vigilante justice, and a showdown at high noon, preferably one that combines all three. But we draw the line at turning cowboy-movie psyche into living reality. That’s exactly what the school board in tiny Harrold, Texas, is doing with its decision to let select teachers carry concealed handguns at school, which it claims will deter a Columbine-style school shooting.

Auditor holds press conference in reaction to investigation

By Kelly Cochran · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 8:52 p.m.

Monroe County auditor Sandra Newmann held a press conference Wednesday to address a petition requesting a special prosecutor be appointed to investigate allegations of wrongdoings and illegal activity of the Monroe County auditor’s office.

Man dies in motorcycle accident

By IDS staff · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 7:27 p.m.

A 21-year-old man died early Wednesday afternoon after his motorcycle failed to negotiate a turn on Old State Road 37.

Valencia, the band is almost as awesome as valencia, the oranges.

A reason to believe in pop-punk

By Cory Barker · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:52 p.m.

Instead of perusing the completely charted waters of heavy production, Valencia have concocted 11 tracks oozing with raw emotion. Believe is jam-packed with soaring hooks and thumping guitar work without being overly poppy.

The Verve: Last cool when you were still learning long division.

Not moving ‘Forth’

By Amanda Lowry · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:48 p.m.

Forth has some good music, but it doesn’t even touch The Verve’s previous efforts about discovering love after alienation and becoming whole through sound, and the music doesn’t have the grip and power of their Britpop days.

Hope isn’t gone for Slipknot fans

By Tyler James Perry · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:42 p.m.

Iowa metal band Slipknot has turned plenty of heads since their inception in 1999. They are most known for donning masks on stage, something that has garnered them some fame. On All Hope Is Gone the band grinds out many gritty metal songs and even a slow piece or two.

Nose rings still don't make you cooler than John Popper fellas, sorry.

Blues Traveler Encourages Self-Mutilation

By Alex Benson · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:38 p.m.

Some of the songs on North Hollywood Shootout could at best make for passable background music at a place like Applebee’s. However, the rest of the album is full of bad inspirational choices.

Sidetracked

Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:33 p.m.

Three IDS reviewers tackle the newest tracks.

This is your magazine

By Amanda Lowry · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:31 p.m.

I don’t know what WEEKEND has been to you. But I hope that this semester, you’ll find WEEKEND to be a magazine about who you are.

"Wait, I sense...a mostly terrible plot."

Superheroes that super-suck

By John Barnett · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:25 p.m.

Although the first season’s attempt at creating an enduring “Lost”-like mythology fell flat, each individual hero’s discovery of their powers was modestly compelling. Season two feels stagnant, with our heroes in their own personal holding patterns.

Rich, white people suddenly find themselves living out of their car.

Style trumps substance on 'Gossip Girl'

By Stefania Marghitu · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:20 p.m.

If you thought “The O.C.” was vapid and shallow, don’t even bother with “Gossip Girl.”

Matt Kaufman and Kevin Lawless, seniors, play cornhole before the IU vs Western Kentucky football game Saturday, August 30, at the tailgating fields.

An American tradition

By Suphie Wesner · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:19 p.m.

As I wandered about the stadium parking lot Saturday, I was struck by the sheer number of people who turned out for the tailgate. It was a new experience for me, as I had never attended a football game, let alone a tailgate, before then (the sport has simply never appealed to me). It was much larger and more chaotic than what I expected; I surveyed the sea of crimson and cream and even saw a few wacky costumes like a girl in an afro wig, oversized sunglasses and neon-green knee-high socks.

Intimate success

By Wes Jakacki · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:16 p.m.

While Intimacy is consistently good, it rarely reaches the level of their fantastic debut Silent Alarm. However, it is a step back on track for a young band that hopefully have tons of great music left in them.

We clearly lost Eva Cassidy way too early.

'Somewhere' worth going

By Paul Mattingly · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:11 p.m.

Somewhere will most definitely keep long-time Cassidy fans interested and attract newcomers to a great talent who left us way too early.

Don Cheadle and Jeff Daniels are clearly upset about wearing the same leather jacket.

America's terrorist fetish exposed

By Doug Evans · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6:06 p.m.

“Traitor” reminds us that Muslims and terrorists are mutually exclusive, and that a few misguided fanatics do not mean that one group is inextricably linked to the other.

"Do these tween girl clothes make me look fat?"

Elementary-level jokes for the middle-school crowd

By Cory Barker · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 6 p.m.

Although the film’s R rating allows for a fair amount of nudity, swear words and attempted sexual innuendos, “College” is simply not funny. The film should be titled “Middle School,” because those in that age group have to be the only people who enjoy this.

"Disaster Movie" currently sits atop IMDB's Bottom 100 movies of all time.

The worst movie of the year

By Megan Clayton · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 5:55 p.m.

Kids, if you feel like losing a good portion of your brain mass, just do drugs. Tripping out to the patterns that Chinese dragons make on the insides of your eyelids is much more amusing than “Disaster Movie” could ever be.

Surf Bloomington

By Allison Tyra and Ashley C. Nichols · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 5:51 p.m.

Most travelers follow a set formula for every trip: Take a plane or car, pay around $100 or more a night for a decent hotel room, then proceed to wander around your new exciting destination with a guidebook in hand. But for the more than 700,000 users of the international networking site CouchSurfing.com – including more than 200 in Bloomington – the experience is entirely different. When “couch surfers” decide they want to experience the wonders of a new travel spot, instead of flipping through the phone book for hotels, they search the CouchSurfing Web site for listings of local couches available in the area of their destination. Using an online directory, Surfers find a number of hosts in the area with whom they can stay, free of charge, during their trip.

"Babylon" is the eighth film starring Vin Diesel as Vin Diesel.

Snooze-a-thon A.D.

By Brent Williamson · Wednesday, Sept. 3,2008 5:46 p.m.

Everything about this movie is cliche. It is boring, hackneyed, slow paced and lacks any setup or sense of setting to bring the audience into the story and make them care about the characters. Instead of ponying up $9 at the theater, stay home and watch “The Fifth Element” and “Blade Runner” at the same time, with the sound turned off. Even that way, they’ll make more sense than “Babylon A.D.”