IUSA

Author Tucker Max to visit Sigma Chi, sign books

Tucker Max -- notorious to some for his actions he describes as inappropriate and unsafe -- will be signing copies of his book "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" on campus at 7 p.m. today at Sigma Chi.

Half-heartedly Hoosier

The IDS Editorial Board invited both of the IU Student Association tickets to a discussion Friday to determine whether to endorse Hoosier or Red Hot for this year's election. To our dismay, neither ticket swept us off our feet. Fighting through campaign rhetoric, unrealistic idealism and misguided platforms helped obscure and confound our decision-making process even further.

5 groups back Hoosier party

Leaders of several student groups announced their support for IU Student Association ticket Hoosier on Monday. The executive boards of the College Democrats, the College Republicans, IU Dance Marathon, the Interfraternity Council and the Student Athletic Board have agreed to back Hoosier in the IUSA election. The Council for Advancing Student Leadership executives voted to support Hoosier but withdrew that support after realizing that CASL's charter prevents it from backing a single party.

IUSA elections begin today

Voting in student government elections that current student body president Alex Shortle called the most important in 30 years begin at 10 a.m. today. Students can vote online in the IU Student Association polls at www.indiana.edu/~iusa through 10 p.m. Wednesday. Elections coordinator Keith Johnson said he foresees a smooth election this year with an announcement of the winner coming Thursday afternoon. This year, two tickets, Hoosier and Red Hot, are vying for the chance to represent the student body in University governance.

Little 500 concert up in the air

Little 500 has had a rich tradition for not just amateur athletics, but also for music. Since 1960, five years after the first race, a big-name concert for students has been part of the tradition of the "World's Greatest College Weekend." But for many seniors, last year's Little 500 concert featuring hip-hop band The Roots was the first since their freshman year.

Hospital program monitors outbreaks

A new software program at Bloomington Hospital now registers patients by their names, addresses and "chief complaints" or symptoms to prevent the rise of certain health issues. The Public Health Emergency Surveillance System collects information on patients' symptoms from the emergency room check-in desk and local pharmacies. Epidemiologists analyze this information in Indianapolis at the Regenstrief Institute, an internationally recognized informatics and healthcare research organization.

IU finishes 15th in weekend's Lady Puerto Rico Classic

What hampered play for his squad wasn't a mystery to IU women's golf coach Clint Wallman as it played this past weekend at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. "We did some good things ... but I thought the wind gave us some trouble," the coach said. Heavy winds and the rust of an offseason were two big factors that kept the IU women's golf team from hitting full stride in its first event of the spring season. Not that all was bad: the Hoosiers' overall score of 969 (322-321-326) put the Hoosiers in 15th place after all was said and done. Senior Shannon Johnson spearheaded the charge for the cream and crimson as she continued to show why she is one of the best in the Big Ten after carding 17 consecutive rounds of below 80. She fired a 73 on the opening day and followed with rounds of 78 and 77, respectively. Her three-day score of 228 was good enough for a 31st finish overall.

No. 31 Hoosiers face undefeated Fighting Irish squad

Coming off an upset of No. 28 Tennessee last weekend, the IU women's tennis team faces a challenge on the road this afternoon in South Bend. The No. 31 Hoosiers will take on in-state rival and undefeated Notre Dame. The No. 7 Fighting Irish are off to their best start in 20 years, winning their first nine matches of the season, including wins against No. 10 North Carolina and No. 13 Harvard. "We have to play awfully well (to win)," said IU coach Lin Loring. "I think if we get off to a good start, it will be a good match."

Early combine results include Young Wonderlic rumors, controversy

INDIANAPOLIS -- Houston Texans general manager Charley Casserly would not rule out trading the No. 1 pick in the draft to try to improve his 2-14 team. Casserly named three players as standing above the rest: Quarterbacks Vince Young from Texas, Matt Leinart from USC and all-purpose back Reggie Bush, also from USC. Most analysts believe the Texans will take the multitalented Bush. But Casserly left several possibilities open, including trading the pick. "We need a lot of things," he said. "I think we've got a nucleus. I don't think we're as bad as our record, but we're not a playoff team. We can make a jump here if things are hit right between free agency and the draft."

Flat on your face

The Olympics should be a big deal -- kind of like Ron Burgundy. Imagine an NFL season that only came around every four years or the NASCAR season appearing as often as a presidential election. Well, OK -- I wouldn't mind NASCAR coming around every decade if possible, but hey -- another time, another column. In fact, the Olympics were as interesting as men in cars driving in circles, and well, nothing innovative here.

Musings of a DD

I worked Saturday night. From the hours of 5 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., I washed dishes, served customers and cleaned the little store I work at until my hands were wrinkly and dirty. For my services, I earned two things: money on my paycheck and a phone call. I picked up my phone after getting out of my late-night shower and heard jumbled expletives and yelling from which I could only decipher this: "Jake? -- Shut up I'm tryin' to talk to somebuddy -- Jake?! -- Are you sober? -- Jake, wait a minute -- HEY, GET YOUR DRUNK ASS BACK HERE -- Jake?! Can you come pick me up, I'd really 'preciate it -- there's a big fight and I think -- hold on -- HEY, DON'T HIT HER! -- JAKE, PLEASE COME GET US!" Click.

Who's the boss?

A university president clashes with an entrenched, frustrated faculty. The faculty scream for his head. The president decides to step down after five years. Quick, which college am I talking about? IU or Harvard? After Harvard President Larry Summers' resignation, the role of the embattled university president took another fateful step, and his fall seemed to mirror the fall of IU's own Adam Herbert. To be fair, differences abound between the two examples. Harvard is an inordinately well-endowed private university that many consider the flagship of American universities, while IU is a huge state school that rarely gets national limelight and that has various budget problems Harvard has rarely faced.

Black and white

The network FX is launching a show, starting March 8, called "Black. White." In it, two families switch races. Understanding and harmony, followed by world peace, follow. Right? Maybe, maybe not. I'm guessing that no, it isn't going to solve any problems, but I'm dying to see what kind of mayhem ensues. Let me explain the premise: The Wurgel family is from California and is white. The Sparks family is from Georgia and is black. All four parents are college-educated, and the two kids are older teenagers. Both families move into a house in Los Angeles and are transformed, via makeup and hair styling, into the other family's race. I have really mixed feelings about this show already, and it hasn't even aired yet.

Please IUSA, get something done

While we as an editorial staff have decided to grudgingly pledge our support to the Hoosier Party this year, it doesn't mean we have agreed with the way it, or either party, has presented itself to the campus. Upon listening to both groups discuss their issues, opinions and ideas Friday afternoon, we decided Hoosier was the "lesser of the two evils." However, the two tickets' inability to discuss and explore meaningful issues is a discouraging microcosm of the IU Student Association's ineffectual history, where trivial issues are displayed across the sky, while problems students are actually worried about get ignored. While it's each party's fault for being lackluster, the real problem is that IUSA has a historically and fundamentally flawed image because of rhetoric and past poor performances.

Republican governors worried about Bush's recent troubles

WASHINGTON -- Republican governors are openly worrying that the Bush administration's latest stumbles -- from the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina to those of its own making on prescription drugs and ports security -- are taking an election-year toll on the party back home. The GOP governors reluctantly acknowledge that the series of gaffes threatens to undermine public confidence in President Bush's ability to provide security, which has long been his greatest strength among voters. "You've got solid conservatives coming up speaking like they haven't before; it's likely that something's going on at the grass roots," said Republican Mark Sanford of South Carolina. "Whether it's temporary or not remains to be seen."

Officials believe kidnapped American journalist still alive

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's interior minister told ABC News he believes American journalist Jill Carroll is alive and will be released, even though the Sunday deadline set by her kidnappers had passed. Interior Minister Bayan Jabr also said he knew who abducted the 28-year-old journalist last month. "We know his name and address, and we are following up on him as well as the Americans," he said. "I think she is still alive."

STEEL DEAL

Community gardens will open soon for summer

For those who love gardening but don't have the room to plant their own plants, there is another option available for the summer. City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation allows people to plant a garden at Willie Streeter Gardens on S. Highland Street and at other plots on W. 16th Street in Bloomington. The gardens open April 1 and Michael Simmons, who runs the project, said he can hardly wait.

Two men arrested for alleged armed robberies

Local police officers arrested two men Monday morning in connection with two Sunday evening Monroe County armed robberies. A clerk for a Swifty's convenience store in Elletsville said a man tried to rob the store with a shotgun Sunday evening, said Monroe County Sheriff's Department Detective Shawn Karr. The clerk reported that two men in a white Chevrolet van pulled up in front of the store while one of the men exited the van and held the clerk at gunpoint, demanding the money from the cash drawer.

MTV series to feature state juvenile offenders

More than a dozen Indiana teens will have the chance of reaching Kelly Clarkson, Andrew Firestone or Omarosa status -- not by their talents or looks, but by breaking the law. In the truest sense of the expression "reality television," MTV will air an eight-week documentary series this summer called "MTV Juvies," based on 16 juvenile offender cases in Lake County, Ind., from the moment police take the teens into custody until they have attended their final hearings.