Longform

Curses! John Madden strikes again

By Evan Harris · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12:02 a.m.

Maybe it's the world we live in, but it's a little twisted to get more phone calls about Shaun Alexander's broken foot from my friends than phone calls on Rosh Hashanah from my family. Either way, you can forget about sanctimonious holidays for a second -- the supernatural was at work this week.

Intramurals are in the name of fun

By Jonathan Hines · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12:01 a.m.

You're caught up in the rhythm of the game. The score is tight. The stakes seem high. Your world extends to the neatly painted lines that surround you. Every action has a consequence in this confined space.

Chargers safety admits to shipping codeine

By Alyson Brodsy and Bernie Wilson · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

Kiel admitted to shipping at least two parcels of prescription cough syrup to Texas, Drug Enforcement Administration officials said Wednesday, one day after the player was arrested at team headquarters.

TV's Back -- can you feel it?

By C. Warner Sills and Michael Mellini · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

It's here, it's finally here: TV premiere week! Sure this summer had "Entourage" and Tim Gunn's stroke victim--like squeals of "make it work" to hold us over, but there's no better feeling than rejoining old friends and making new ones. My poor TiVo, I'm not sure if she'll be able to handle the overload of recording her master has thrust upon her. But how else to decide which new shows to get addicted to and which to cancel? Fortunately for you, I'm here to clue you in.

Imperial shrinkage

By C. Warner Sills and Brian J. McFillen · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

Beyond all others, two words apply best in describing Kasabian's Empire. These words aren't original, or witty, or bold -- but they are nonetheless true. And, ultimately, this reviewer can only call 'em as he sees 'em. So, what are these two words? "Sophomore slump."

The boys are back in town

By C. Warner Sills and John Barnett · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

It's hard to believe that four years have passed since the "Jackass" boys last graced movie screens with their outlandish stunts, but the boys are back, finally, with a new stable of even grosser, cruder and more death-defying gags to please their core audience.

Kweller doing what he does best

By C. Warner Sills and Ryan Corazza · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

He's a little goofy, perhaps even a little neurotic, but that's precisely what we've come to love about Ben Kweller since his 2002 full-length debut, Sha Sha. And with his new self-titled effort, we're treated to plenty of that, but also Kweller at his best musically -- an eclectic blend of piano and acoustic guitar -- a sound a bit absent from his harder, more in your face disc -- 2004's On My Way.

Kanye protege doesn't disappoint

By C. Warner Sills and Eric Smith · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

Kanye West's first graduating class of protégés is exceeding expectations this summer. Rhymefest's Blue Collar hit stores with little anticipation in July but was highly praised by critics. Lupe Fiasco's debut album, Food & Liquor, spent the better part of 2006 having its release delayed by Internet leaks and record company disputes. In fact, anybody with BitTorrent and a general interest in hip--hop probably had half the album in May.

It came from beneath the Cinemat

By Sarah Core · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

It's three a.m. and a small, motley group is standing outside of the Cinemat on the corner of Walnut and 4th Street, practicing some fire-eating techniques. "It's a cold fire," explains a short, round-faced woman with spiky black hair as she lights another metal stick with what looks like Pennzoil. She is one of the fire-eaters who are trying to convince me to try to eat some flames myself, but I, never being one to stick strange objects in my mouth without at least learning their name first, am obviously hesitant.

Ugly Dutchess

By Eamonn Brennan · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

If you're a particularly non-enterprising music consumer, you might not download your music. You might, if you're completely missing the point of Internet access, buy albums in CD form from Amazon.com instead of downloading them from one of a dozen legal or hundred illegal music sharing sites.

Reinventing the western

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

The sky is a burning mixture of reds and oranges as the sun sets upon the horizon. For miles all one can see is nothing but the dusty, tree-less plains, with not even a mountain in sight. It looks just like a Western, yet we learn we aren't in the American west; rather, the Australian outback of the late 19th century.

Li 'Fearless' in his final fight

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

As many have learned, "Fearless" marks the final time martial arts powerhouse Jet Li will perform his craft in front of the camera. He has become convinced that the culture of Wushu held so dear to him has become abused and tainted in so much of his Western output. It's a shame really, as I'm convinced that "Fearless" is Li in his finest hour.

Karaoke kraze

By C. Warner Sills and Molly Brush · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

Though I love to sing, my years of classical voice training have foiled all my previous attempts at karaoke. My operatic soprano seems ill-suited for popular karaoke numbers like "Respect" and "Proud Mary." Add to that a nasty streak of stage fright from my childhood, and I tend to avoid the karaoke stage altogether, unless I'm in the company of a large group of drunken friends.

Great actors don't make a great movie

By Olivia Morales · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

I recently re-watched "A Civil Action," a taut legal drama penned by Steven Zaillian whose other impressive credits include "Gangs of New York" and "Schindler's List." In the company of these beautifully written and well-studied dramas, I am shocked that his adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's "All the King's Men" was as blandly bad as it was.

Skin~Scapes

By Audrie Garrison · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

It wasn't an everyday baby shower. Rather than giving her a three-tiered "cake" made out of diapers, Sharon Wailes' friend painted a ceremonial henna peacock on her stomach while she was pregnant with her second child. Her doctor was slightly alarmed at the sight of the bird, Wailes says, but the experience is what inspired her to find out more about the art of henna. Fifteen years later, as an IU doctoral student in the department of Germanic studies, Wailes does several how-to shows every year to help other people have their own unique first experiences with henna.

My name is goofball comedy

By C. Warner Sills and Zack Teibloom · Thursday, Sept. 28,2006 12 a.m.

Ever since the last hilarious scene in the movie "Mallrats" where Jason Lee takes over "The Tonight Show," I've thought, "Man, that guy really should have his own show." Now he does. I typically don't enjoy hick-based jokes, and "My Name is Earl" isn't the format I would've expected Lee to be in -- but it works. Lee still has that impeccable timing and as a big fan of karma, it's nice to see it appreciated and passed on here.

Dungy, Colts trying to figure out what's wrong with run defense

By Alyson Brodsy and Michael Marot · Wednesday, Sept. 27,2006 11:59 p.m.

Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs overpowered the Indianapolis Colts run defense. Fred Taylor and Maurice Drew shredded it. Three games into the season, the Colts have struggled to stop any team this side of the grounded Houston Texans, but players and coaches aren't worried yet. Sure, they all agree improvement is needed, but they don't think a major overhaul is needed.

Hoosiers beat Kentucky in OT

Wednesday, Sept. 27,2006 11:57 p.m.

The IU men's soccer team earned its first home win of the season, and it came off the head of sophomore midfielder Brian Ackley.

Former NHL player new hockey coach

By Mike Abrams · Wednesday, Sept. 27,2006 11:55 p.m.

As a former player in the National Hockey League and an experienced coach, Al Karlander's strategy for winning a national title with the IU club hockey team is surprisingly simple. "We need to improve two things (to win a national title): We need to play better team defense since we allowed too many goals in big games last year. But we also need to improve our already sound offensive," Karlander said. "I always say that the best defense is a good offense."

Student arrested for stealing laptop in library

By Kristi Oloffson · Wednesday, Sept. 27,2006 11:55 p.m.

Police discovered the identity of the thief of a stolen laptop Wednesday morning after University Information Technology Services located the culprit through its tracking system, said IU Police Department Sgt. Don Schmuhl, reading from an IU Police Department report.