IUSA

Hoosiers end road trip with victory

A record-setting night for two Hoosiers propelled the IU women's basketball team (4-4) to a 70-64 victory over Eastern Michigan Wednesday in Ypsilanti, Mich. Sophomore guard Nikki Smith had a career night with 17 points and five three-pointers, both breaking her previous records.

Lighting up the night

It is that time of year again. Christmas shopping has begun, popcorn and cranberries are being strung on the trees, and in downtown Bloomington, the annual holiday lights have been hung for all to see. Starting from the Courthouse, stretching down Kirkwood Avenue and outside local businesses, each year Bloomington nights are lit up to celebrate the season.

All systems go

What do an Armenian-American prog-metal quartet, a minimalist Detroit duo, Chicago's most outspoken rapper, a group of earnest Icelanders and some hairy jammers from Louisville all have in common? They're all counted on my list of the best albums of 2005. 1. System of a Down -- Mezmerize/Hypnotize

Shots fired at Legends Bar

Bloomington Police arrested a man Tuesday night after he allegedly fired a shotgun at a man he got into an argument with in the 2900 block of South Walnut Street. No one was injured from the shots, but Bloomington resident Marlon Caulton, 46, was preliminarily charged with attempted aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and pointing a firearm. Bloomington resident Mark Derico, the man police believe Caulton was firing at, was arrested for public intoxication.

Hispanics face workplace struggles

On a stormy Tuesday night with tornado warnings and sirens blaring, about two dozen people attended Mass at St. Paul's Church. But this was no ordinary Catholic Mass -- it was completely in Spanish. Most in attendance were part of the rapidly growing Hispanic community in the Bloomington area. According to the U.S. Census Data for Hispanics/Latinos, Monroe County has seen a 63.5 percent increase in Hispanic residents between 1990 and 2000, while Bloomington has seen a 73.4 percent increase. Of these Hispanic residents in Monroe County, there has been a 162.3 percent increase in those that were born in a Latin American country.

DECK YOUR EAR DRuMS

It's a look we've all grown more accustomed to seeing on our way to class: people walking around with little buds nestled snugly into the ears, white wires trickling down into coat pockets. It's something that's become a lot more than just a "look" -- it's a sign that millions of dollars across the globe are being spent on a product that many college students consider a near necessity.

Hundreds of video game junkies lined up in the early morning hours to get their hands on the Xbox360. What's so great about it?

There are few things in life that people will wait for in line at 8 a.m. on a rainy morning -- and fortunately for Microsoft, one of those things is the company's newest video game system, the Xbox 360, the sequel to the wildly popular Xbox console. Nearly 200 gamers queued more than 30 hours outside of a Best Buy in Manhattan for an Xbox 360 on Nov. 22, the system's launch date. And the Big Apple wasn't the only city to see Microsoft's brainchild fly off its shelves.

WISHLIST

Great news: after scavenging the streets of Kirkwood and the stores in The College Mall, the best holiday gifts have finally been discovered (and their top secret locations revealed). Feel free to brush that gift-buying stress right off your shoulders and let the enlightenment begin.

What's left

All semester, I've had a bunch of half-baked column ideas floating around in my head. None were long enough to develop into proper columns, so I'm just going to thrown then all out there in this, the last issue of the semester. 1. American Express Commercials -- Every time I see one of the new American Express commercials, I feel really cheated. They start off really cool, smoothly move into shots of American Express-using celebrities, and then -- and only then -- do I realize that I'm watching a commercial.

One arduous 'March'

On the surface, "March of the Penguins" is a simple documentary about Antarctic Emperor penguins, in the style of just about everything shown on Animal Planet and The Discovery Channel. After viewing, however, this film comes across more as a touching story about love, survival, and the harsh road these simple creatures take to create a family.

Mr. and Mrs. "Pitt" do it in style

It was the most talked-about movie of the year and was the start of a love affair between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Having been highly publicized, expectations of the movie were high, and "Bourne Identity" director Doug Liman delivers.

Murderball: a hell of a game

"Murderball" is a documentary about the Quad Rugby Paralympic team. Injured by accidents or birth defects, the team plays one of the most brutal and intense sports around, able-bodied or not. Divided into teams of 12, Quad Rugby players use all their upper body strength as they maneuver their Mad Max-styled wheelchairs against each other. Part soccer, part rugby, and part demolition derby, the game earns the nickname "murderball." As one player mentions, they don't get a pat on the back just for showing up.

King Lear and Kurosawa

Director Akira Kurosawa made "Ran" in 1985 after a strong renowned career in the '50s and '60s, followed by a slump in the 1970s. While the film isn't his final contribution to the world of cinema, it's safe to say that "Ran" is his final masterpiece.

'Pickpocket' steals your attention

In his 50-year filmmaking career, French director Robert Bresson only made 14 films and one could say that all of his work is equal in importance. "Pickpocket," featuring a cast of non-professional actors, is easily Bresson's most accessible film and one of his finest works.

Holidays with the Griffins

It's that time of year again! The time where Seth MacFarlane realizes he needs to buy his family Christmas presents so he puts out a new Family Guy DVD. Released much quicker than previous sets is the new "Family Guy: Volume Three" collection, which features three discs of episodes from as recently as September and spans back to the triumphant return of the show to television in May.

First from local rockers...rocks!

Sporting a cover that closely resembles a "Grand Theft Auto" game case, Emerson Rose introduces a new sound to the rock & roll lineup of this millennium. With lyrics, sounds and an attitude that cleverly mix music from the days of classic rock and the days of now, Emerson Rose gives the listener a feeling of familiar nostalgia -- of his or her days as a child, growing up with parents who listen to rock music on the radio. With 12 great songs, this album is a must-have for anybody interested in new rock.

Get your hands offa my new CD

As if the pressures of the dreaded sophomore release weren't intimidating enough, The Darkness have had a lot on their plate since the stunning Permission to Land debuted in 2003. Lead singer Justin Hawkins has made a name for himself by spending much of 2004 in a drug rehab clinic, and in October he called Coldplay frontman Chris Martin a "diva." After leaving the band, citing musical differences, bassist Frankie Poulain was replaced by guitar technician Richie Edwards.

Somewhere, Jane Austen is mad

With the exception of the BBC's 1995 version of "Pride and Prejudice," I have never seen a film adapted from a Jane Austen novel that was quite worthy of the author's original work. The smart adapters realize they can not duplicate the original Austen and instead reinterpret the material into something of an Austen tribute, combined with their own take on the material. Emma Thompson's "Sense and Sensibility" achieved just this.

Witty New Yorker's memoirs perfect for all sexualitites

Augusten Burroughs' compilation of true stories titled "Magical Thinking" is truly compelling. His personal stories are filled with the unique humor of a homosexual male trying to make a living in New York City, first working on advertising campaigns and then by becoming a writer who shares his personal life stories without hesitation for fear of judgment or criticism.

We need a ticket to another world