IUSA

Value of an A, thing of the past?

By Michelle Manchir · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:36 a.m.

Getting A's doesn't faze sophomore Megan Gold. "You have those classes where you get an A and you're just like, 'yeah, I expected that,'" she said. Like Gold, many IU students are receiving higher grades with no extra effort. This phenomenon, known as grade inflation, is not a novel issue regarding undergraduate grading, and it's not occurring only among Hoosiers.

Writing group offers assistance

By Hannah Lodge · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:36 a.m.

Among the plethora of remedies available to students suffering the pain of final exams -- coffee, Red Bull, caffeine pills, ginkgo biloba -- exists a healthier choice for students attempting to cram three months worth of knowledge into five double-spaced pages. The Campus Writing Program, which provides services such as Writing Tutorial Services, is available to both students and faculty through the end of the semester.

Resource center fights addictions

By Laila Hayat · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:35 a.m.

Although playing cards and gambling might seem harmless, they can be addictive. Even something as trivial as playing scratch-off lottery tickets and bingo can result in addictive behavior. According to its Web site, the Indiana Prevention Resource Center was created in 1987 to help Indiana-based gambling, tobacco, alcohol and other drug prevention programs improve.

Swing club offers lessons

By Sarah Walden · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:34 a.m.

All kinds of shoes twisted and turned on the vast, wooden floor. Black and white wingtips shuffled back and forth, weaving in and out of rubber-soled sneakers. Loafers kicked out a rhythm, and ballet slippers glided across the glossy strips of wood. All the shoes were swing dancing, and all the shoes belonged to members of the IU Swing Dance Club.

2 missing Georgia toddlers drowned in pool near home

By Alyson Brodsy and Errin Haines · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:31 a.m.

Autopsies confirmed Tuesday that two toddlers found dead in a sewage pond after disappearing from their home drowned, and the coroner said there appeared to be no sign of foul play. Jonah Payne, 3, and his 2-year-old sister, Nicole, were reported missing Saturday by their mother, who said they vanished after she went into another room. She said she found the front door open and the children gone.

Media struggles in legal battle to protect confidential sources

By Alyson Brodsy and Pete Yost · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:30 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Unfavorable court rulings have the news media facing their most serious challenge in more than three decades over protecting the identities of confidential sources. The latest defeat came last week when a federal appeals court in Washington declined to reconsider a three-judge panel's ruling compelling Time magazine's Matthew Cooper and The New York Times' Judith Miller to testify before a federal grand jury about their sources or go to jail for up to 18 months.

Bush gives embattled DeLay strong show of support during public discussion in Texas

By Alyson Brodsy and Jennifer Loven · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:29 a.m.

GALVESTON, Texas -- President Bush gave embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay a high-profile, in-person show of support Tuesday, warmly thanking the Texas Republican, who is facing allegations of ethical improprieties, for his leadership in Congress. Bush traveled to Galveston to pitch his proposal to add private investment accounts to Social Security. DeLay didn't participate in the public discussion and sat several rows back in the audience.

Official: Leading terrorist suspect eluded capture by U.S. military

By Alyson Brodsy and John J. Lumpkin · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:27 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. forces in Iraq believe they just missed capturing most-wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in a February raid that netted two of his associates, a senior U.S. military official said Tuesday. The official, who discussed the operation on the condition of anonymity, could provide no details regarding how Zarqawi escaped. U.S. forces recovered a computer belonging to Zarqawi, the official said, although he did not say how it was obtained.

Kutcher comedy 'A Lot Like' lame

By Ash Cartwright · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:24 a.m.

I had certain hopes going into "A Lot Like Love" and I thought that they were at least somewhat reasonable. I looked forward to the possibility that it would be cute and funny with an endearing enough plot that it might join the ranks of worthwhile romantic comedies, at least as a temporary, fringe member of the group. After all, it does combine story elements from "When Harry Met Sally" and features Ashton Kutcher -- who I am fond of in spite of many things.

Jordan River Forum

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:22 a.m.

IU not just a business As a committee begins searching for the next chancellor of the Bloomington campus, the entire IU community -- students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and other constituencies -- should seize this opportunity to reflect on what kind of university we want to be.

Chow down on 'Kung Fu Hustle'

By -Alec Toombs · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:19 a.m.

Picking up where the sidesplitting "Shaolin Soccer" left off, Stephen Chow returns to his roles as writer, director, producer and star of the kooky "Kung Fu Hustle." Roger Ebert's review of the film refers to it as "Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton meet Quentin Tarantino and Bugs Bunny" -- strange as this sounds, no statement could be more fitting.

Race questions apply to all

By Melanie Sims · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:17 a.m.

An aspiring young politician asked the Rev. Al Sharpton at his lecture last week what he thought about the fact that in political debates, black politicians face more questions regarding race than their white opponents and that they less often face questions about issues like the war in Iraq, Social Security and international affairs.

Conversation with Al

By Edward Delp · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:16 a.m.

This past Thursday I felt like the biblical figure Daniel. You see, Daniel was thrown into a lion's den and forced to rely on his own beliefs to make it out. When I joined two other reporters backstage for an interview with the Rev. Al Sharpton, this is exactly how I felt. I went into the interview knowing I was going into the lion's den of liberalism and was going to disagree with most of what he said.

IU Auditorium season brings musicals, comedy for 2005-2006

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:14 a.m.

From comedian David Spade to the popular musical "The Producers" to children's favorite "Clifford the Big Red Dog," the 2005-2006 IU Auditorium's season features a variety of performers and productions. The process of choosing the schedule began last September, when Director Doug Booher and the rest of the Auditorium staff began to find out which shows would be available for the upcoming year. People at the Auditorium compiled these options into a list, which was then sent out to students and non-student ticket buyers, who then voted on which shows they wanted to see, Booher said.

Students make easy bait

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:13 a.m.

Thanks to your own insatiable thirst to be virtually connected, your personal information and history is widely available online, legally and illegally, to whoever wants to get it. Two graduate Informatics students just used public Web sites (www.thefacebook.com, anyone?) to help them set up an experiment that tests how social connections affect responses to requests for information on the Internet.

From breakdown to breakthrough comeback

By Diana Tychsen · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:11 a.m.

Everyone is starting to look like Paris Hilton these days, and Mariah Carey is no exception. Recently spotted with an orange-brown tan, platinum blond hair and showing lots of skin, she was in danger of becoming yet another Barbie on the Billboard charts. But then you hear that voice. Her last two records were at best mediocre, and Mariah's subsequent public bout with depression alienated many fans. With The Emancipation of Mimi, her most recent release, those fans will surely become faithful once again.

One boring 'Parade'

By Sean Abbott · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:08 a.m.

I used to listen to American Hi-Fi back in high school. I remember how I used to love the upbeat yet somehow melancholy songs on their self-titled album from way back in 2001. I turned up my car's radio every time "Flavor of the Weak" started to come on, and I still pop in that CD from time to time.

Army to inform public about impending nerve agent destruction

By Alyson Brodsy and Rick Callahan · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:07 a.m.

After years of waiting, residents who live near a western Indiana military installation where a deadly nerve agent is stored will gather Thursday for a preview of the U.S. Army's impending plans to begin destroying the chemical weapon.

Around The State

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:06 a.m.

South Bend police officer shot SOUTH BEND -- A city police officer was shot while serving a warrant, after which the suspect fatally shot himself, authorities said.

Republicans draw close to budget compromise

By Alyson Brodsy and Mike Smith · Wednesday, April 27,2005 1:03 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Fiscal leaders for House and Senate Republicans were close to compromising on a two-year state budget proposal and were expected to reach a deal later Tuesday, a top lawmaker said. "I think we'll be totally done by the end of the day," said Republican Rep. Jeff Espich of Uniondale, chairman of the budget-writing House Ways and Means Committee. "We're going to continue to talk, but I would call them minor details at this point."