IUSA

No love for 'Guru'

It’s been happening a lot lately. Instead of waiting for a good idea to strike them, writers are just cranking out movies, putting pen to the page and hoping that what comes out is up to par.

‘Big Willie Style’

This summer may as well be called “The Summer of the Superhero.” And everyone seems to be pleased about it. For writers, superhero movies are relatively easy pieces of popcorn cinema, and viewers get a comfortingly familiar story.

Obama to open campaign office in Bloomington

On Monday, Obama's presidential campaign will be opening a new office in Bloomington at the old Tortilla Flat restaurant building, 501 N. Walnut St. The opening party will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday.

Over 400 insurgents killed by U.S. troops in Afghanistan

A U.S. Marines commander said Wednesday his troops have killed 400 insurgents in southern Afghanistan since late April.

U.S. joins pilot program

The United States is joining with Europe and Australia in coordinating inspections of factories in China and India that produce raw materials for prescription drugs.

Senate to vote on privacy act

The Senate finally is expected to pass a bill Wednesday overhauling rules on secret government eavesdropping, completing a lengthy and bitter debate that pitted privacy and civil liberties concerns against the desire to prevent terrorist attacks.

Developing nations pledge to back global warming issues

A joint gathering of major developed and developing nations on Wednesday agreed that climate change was “one of the great global challenges of our time” and pledged to back a United Nations effort to conclude a new climate pact by 2009.

U.S. consulate in Turkey attacked

Men armed with pistols and shotguns attacked a police guard post outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on Wednesday, sparking a gunbattle that left three attackers and three officers dead.

US agriculture secretary confident meat is safe

The U.S. agriculture secretary expressed confidence in the nation’s food safety system, but said the meat processing industry will always face challenges because the bacteria that animals carry evolves.

Iran tests long- and medium-range missiles during military exercise

Fuel prices cause travelers to ‘change their patterns’

Richard Hatch and his family used to spend their summers traveling. Years ago, Hatch and his wife used to go across the country participating in arts fairs in various cities. And just last summer, his family traveled all the way out to South Dakota to visit other family members.

Local artists able to benefit from Lilly Endowment

The Bloomington Area Arts Council is encouraging local artists to report all financial losses from recent flooding. Local artists who submit damage reports will be able to benefit from the recent Lilly Endowment of $50 million toward statewide disaster relief.

Mood matters

Your grades could be affected by your state of mind, researchers announced recently in a study on how mood affects creativity.

Kellen Lewis reinstated

Junior quarterback Kellen Lewis will be reinstated and will report with the team when training camp opens August 4, said IU head football coach Bill Lynch in a press release Monday

The Dark Knight backlash

After months of viral marketing, cryptic trailers and impatient waiting, “The Dark Knight” is almost here. The film and the buzz surrounding it are virtually everywhere as we enter the final marketing stretch. Everyone is talking about it, describing it as possibly the best comic-book movie ever and even a solid candidate as a “great film.”

IU single-game football tickets go on sale July 15

The IU Athletic Department announced individual tickets will go on sale July 15.

Flip-flopping

According to John McCain’s presidential campaign (resembling in recent days an Orwellian “Ministry of Truth”), Barack Obama is a flip-flopper. And they’re actually being serious about this.

Hegemania

Two weeks ago, British Broadcasting Corporation columnist and BBC World News America anchor Matt Frei complained about the failure of the United States to lead a global charge against the autocracies in places like Zimbabwe, Burma, the Sudan and Iran.

Adopt a senior

While at a movie theater Monday afternoon my friend Nate said something that, I feel, speaks volumes about the current Social Security crisis and our generation’s role in it. When we had arrived, he held the door for a senior citizen and afterward remarked to me that, “If you ever want me to do something, just get an old person to ask for you.” Nate, like many, is a sucker for sweet old people.

Our forgotten friend

It was the sort of blow against terrorism operations we in America only hope for, and part of a campaign that enjoys success that is rare elsewhere in the world. On July 2, the Colombian army carried out a daring hostage rescue where not a shot was fired. Posing as terrorists, Colombian Army units tricked FARC, a Colombian terrorist group, into giving up their hostages, putting them in a helicopter and heading to an Army base. Among the captives freed were three American defense contractors and former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt.