Longform

Califone sticks to its 'Roots'

By C. Warner Sills and Dan Hoppman · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

For a band that has remained under the radar for the better part of a decade, Califone has accepted its indie status and successfully embraced its acoustic-driven, post-rock spirit. After many members played together in blues-influenced Red Red Meat throughout most of the 1990s, they morphed into a roots-based set-up in 1998, hailing from Chicago.

Badly drawn, also badly written

By C. Warner Sills and Brian J. McFillen · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

How do you like your mush? If you said, "slathered in cheese," have I got a treat for you! After carefully listening to Born in the U.K., I've developed the following postulate: the discography of Damon Gough, a.k.a. Badly Drawn Boy, serves as an indie pop cautionary tale. The formula is simple: Take one "lo-fi baroque indie pop singer-songwriter," mix critical acclaim (2000's The Hour of Bewilderbeast), brush with mainstream success (2002's well-received soundtrack to "About a Boy"), then have him stew for several years turning out disappointing follow-ups. Once he's good and hungry for some success again, have him come out with another album. Now, what do you think it'll sound like?

Are you watching closely?

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

Director Christopher Nolan might just be a real magician. At only 36 years of age and with just five films under his belt, Nolan solidifies himself as an auteur with "The Prestige," jokingly noted by some as this year's "other magician movie." Yes, "The Illusionist" is still in theaters and is in some regards a better film, but ultimately "The Prestige" is a much meatier, layered trick.

Crikey!

By C. Warner Sills and Zack Teibloom · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

When Elaine Raines grew up in the 1950s, Halloween costumes consisted of ghost costumes cobbled together from sheets and pillowcases and scarecrows formed from flannel, hay and straw hats. Popular costumes for guys were Mickey Mouse, Popeye and Frankenstein. She says she never had a store bought costume and had to rely on whatever was around the house. "It was whatever you could make up at home," she says. "You really just had to make your own. You had to use your imagination."

5 'Rocky Horror Survival tips from a 'Sweet Transvestite'

By C. Warner Sills and Kasey Hawrysz · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

It's not every day a grown man can wear leather underwear and flash his genitalia in public. Even on Halloween, that stunt might not fly. But at the Buskirk Chumley's showing of the cult classic "Rocky Horror Picture Show," people just laugh. Of course, that is probably because the rest of the audience is dressed just as outrageously. Once a play in London -- called the "Rocky Horror Show" -- the show was turned into a movie in 1975, says Randy White, artistic director for the Bloomington performance group Cardinal Stage Company. The movie's story follows a couple stranded in an unfamiliar place and forced to take refuge in a freak house run by transvestites. But as a mainstream film, the movie was a flop.

Where have all the heroes gone?

By Olivia Morales · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

It is a long-standing idea that the participants of World War II, and the people who lived in that era, are "The Greatest Generation." Their heroism is legendary, their lives were noble and their cause was just. At least, that is the way history has been written. At the heart of Clint Eastwood's adaptation of the novel "Flags of Our Fathers" is a questioning of that assertion, and a recreation of the merits of war exploring who we hold up as heroes.

'Antoinette' in translation

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

Everyone knows who Marie Antoinette was, at least in terms of popular culture. Most people know she was beheaded and coined the phrase, "Let them eat cake." She was a terrible, irresponsible ruler, yes, but what most people forget is the fact that she was sent off to Versailles at the age of 15 without a clue as to how one rules a foreign land.

Like father, like son

By Michael Sanserino · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

Not long ago, Todd Yeagley stumbled across a tape of the 1994 College Cup Championship game. He was in the IU men's soccer team locker room, looking for footage in the team's archives when he saw a copy of his last game as a college soccer player. He had never watched the game before. "I almost took it out," Todd Yeagley said, "and I said, 'No.'" The tape remains tucked away in storage, but Todd's memories of the game are vivid. He knows a victory would have been a perfect ending to his college career, a chance for him to give his father -- legendary men's soccer coach Jerry Yeagley -- another national championship to hang at the east end of Bill Armstrong Stadium.

Rockstar hits the schoolyard

By C. Warner Sills and John Barnett · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

Before those who presume themselves moral authority figures engage in a holy crusade against a video game, they ought to be required to understand the game's true content. Decried by fraudulent watchdog groups like Focus on the Family as a "Columbine simulator" before it even had a playable demo, Rockstar's "Bully" is actually an endearingly funny, thoughtful -- and yes, at times, mean-spirited -- take on life at a New England private school through the eyes of Jimmy Hopkins, a precocious 15-year-old trying to survive his freshman year.

Diddy diddy diddy diddy

By Sam Nissen · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

Somebody kill me. Or, instead, kill the man who made me cop Diddy's newest, digest it and then vomit this your way. The new 80s music resurgence, marked by extravagant layers and hair band samples, isn't enough to buoy an overrated emcee.

One week till Borat -- I like!

By C. Warner Sills and Michael Mellini · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

One Week! In one week's time, I shall finally bask in the comedic glory that will be "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." As a college student, you're probably familiar with Borat, the character from comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's HBO show "Da Ali G Show." For those of you who somehow managed to live in the dorms and never had a 2 a.m. viewing, Borat is a fake professional journalist from Kazakhstan sent to America to learn about our culture. Oh, and he's extremely anti-Semitic, chauvinistic and will violate any social norm we have in our society. Telling people how he keeps his wife in a cage, searching for a place to buy slaves in the south and butchering the National Anthem are among some of the stunts he's pulled.

Inside the mind of madness

By Olivia Morales · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

The three films of Lodge Kerrigan invariably deal with two major themes: mental instability and yearning for the love of a child. On the surface, these two themes don't seem to intersect at all. Masterfully, however, Kerrigan has found ways to make them intertwine in his oft-disturbing, surreal and constantly brilliant films.

Mr. Paranormal

By C. Warner Sills and Chris Freiberg · Thursday, Oct. 26,2006 12 a.m.

One of the strangest phone calls George Noory has ever received on his radio program was from a doctor who claimed he once delivered a fully formed 10-pound clown. But right up there is the woman who says she makes love to reptiles. And the guy who every now and then gets picked up by aliens and taken for a quick joyride to Saturn. Noory, 56, is the week night host of the nationally syndicated late-night radio show "Coast to Coast AM," a program that regularly deals with tales of the paranormal, conspiracy theories and the occasional story of clown pregnancy.

Agent: Colt's Reagor 'doing great' after auto accident

By Alyson Brodsy and Steve Herman · Wednesday, Oct. 25,2006 11:29 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Montae Reagor was "doing great" in his recovery from injuries from an automobile accident, his agent said Wednesday. Reagor's head was injured when his SUV overturned after another car rammed it Sunday as he was driving to the RCA Dome for a game against Washington. He was scheduled for surgery Wednesday, agent Jeff Nalley said.

Mellencamp to perform

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Oct. 25,2006 11:27 p.m.

In front of a homecoming crowd that IU coach Terry Hoeppner hopes will top 50,000, singer and Bloomington native John Mellencamp will perform his new hit song, "Our Country," before the start of IU's football game Saturday against Michigan State. Kickoff is scheduled for noon at Memorial Stadium.

Pac-10 beats Hoosiers, Big Ten

By Kevin Kane · Wednesday, Oct. 25,2006 11:26 p.m.

Entering the third Big Ten/Pac-10 Challenge in Brandon, Ore., the Hoosiers were looking to beat some of the nation's top-ranked golf teams. After Tuesday's 18th hole, IU finished in 10th, and the Pac-10 claimed its first-ever victory at the event. In the short history of the Big Ten/Pac-10 Challenge, IU has yet to finish higher than 10th. Despite having sophomores Seth Brandon and Drew Allenspach finish in the top 25 and sophomore Jorge Campillo tying for fifth, IU was unable to overcome the Pac-10's dominant play.

Swimming with momentum

By Alyson Brodsy and Jonathan Hines · Wednesday, Oct. 25,2006 11:25 p.m.

When Kevin Swander joined the IU men's swimming and diving team as a freshman, promises were made. "I came here as a freshman under a rookie coach, and he promised the freshman class a Big Ten title," said Swander, now an IU student coach. At the time, IU had not won a Big Ten title in 17 years. The program, which had once produced Olympic champions like Mark Spitz and legends like James "Doc" Counsilman, had hit a rough patch, a title drought with seemingly no end.

Campus ghost walks reveal secrets of local haunts

By Rebecca Glasgow · Wednesday, Oct. 25,2006 11:19 p.m.

Ghosts and goblins everywhere: Beware. Your stories are about to be told once more. For two nights, stories of ghosts and IU legends will come alive as professors, staff and students from the IU Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology host the fifth annual ghost walk around the IU campus. The guided walks will be at 7 p.m. today and Friday for $7. The Thursday walk will encompass the north campus, including fraternities, sororities, dorms and other places of interest. The Friday walk will include sites on the south side of campus, such as the Union, cemetery and Wells statue. Last year, the walks attracted more than 200 people.

The Secret Is Out

By Paige Ingram · Wednesday, Oct. 25,2006 11:18 p.m.

What started as a whim for Frank Warren has turned into an international phenomenon, resulting in millions of strangers sharing secrets daily on postsecret.com. In November 2004, Warren, the owner of a document delivery company in Germantown, Md., passed out 3,000 postcards. On them, he asked complete strangers to write down their secrets. The 100 that came back became part of an art exhibition Warren entered.

Jordan River Forum

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Oct. 25,2006 11:13 p.m.

Students at IU should be very concerned about the position that IUSA has taken with regard to the Rape Crisis Fund. Rather than examining why the fund has lost so much money, instead it is questioning the involvement and funding for the Middle Way House Rape Crisis Service. Although on campus there is the Sexual Assault Crisis Service (at the IU Health Center) and various programs run by the Office for Women's Affairs, there is no emergency service other than that provided by Middle Way. When women are assaulted or raped, it is Middle Way staff or volunteers, trained by professional staff, who support women at the hospital and provide immediate support and assistance.