Longform

Imbiber Beware

It's a Thursday night at Bear's Place and in the dimly lit backroom, karaoke tunes are crackling through the microphone as countless numbers of IU students powwow with their closest friends over drinks. There is one cocktail in particular that seemingly every person in the joint seems to be sipping with caution -- the Hairy Bear.

Operation Paperback aims to help entertain troops, combat boredom

Troops overseas are entrenched in a foreign land thousands of miles from home with only the most basic necessities and limited ways to occupy their downtime. To help boost the morale of troops fighting overseas in areas like Iraq and Afghanistan, the Air Force ROTC is running a book drive to provide servicemen and women with reading material to keep them entertained during their moments away from battle.

Doctor filled Panthers' steroid prescriptions

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers Todd Sauerbrun and Jeff Mitchell and former player Todd Steussie had steroid prescriptions filled by a West Columbia, S.C., doctor now under investigation by federal authorities, according to "60 Minutes Wednesday" report.

Senior Slump

The epidemic is spreading as the school year is approaching its end. This epidemic isn't as prominent in freshmen, sophomores, or juniors -- they're safe for a while. Professors have witnessed it and seniors are affected by it. It doesn't have a bedtime, study time, break time or class time. It doesn't always target seniors and it doesn't just affect spring students. The ever-famous senioritis is catching on around campus and more and more students have to face summer school just to graduate.

Former ASU running back charged with murder of teammate

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Former Arizona State running back Loren Wade was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in the shooting of another former Sun Devils player. The 21-year-old Wade has been held without bond since Saturday, when he was arrested at the slaying site outside a Scottsdale nightspot. Witnesses say they saw him approach the car of Brandon Falkner, and exchange words with Falkner before a single gunshot rang out.

IU Water Ski club makes waves at Lake Lemon

Just because Indiana is stuck in the heartland of America doesn't mean IU students can't have fun on the water. The IU Water Ski Club has about 20 active members and visits nearby Lake Lemon to water ski, wakeboard and meet new people.

IU ready for tune-up before Big Ten season opener against Spartans

After seven days off, including a rare weekend with no games, the IU softball team will take the diamond at 2 p.m. today at the IU Softball Field for a doubleheader against University of Illinois-Chicago.

A 'Very Engaging' love story

Compared to other World War I epics such as "Paths of Glory" and "All Quiet on the Western Front," Jean-Pierre Jeunet's recent entry, "A Very Long Engagement," holds its own in the arena. Whereas the aforementioned dramas focus on stories of soldiers and their frontline dramas, "Engagement" offers another take on the era, seen through the eyes of two forlorn lovers.

Individual Time Trials test riders' personal strengths

With Qualifications out of the way and the field of 33 set, it's time for Little 500 riders to have some fun, beginning with the official start of the Spring Series Events -- Individual Time Trials. The event will begin at 4 p.m. at Bill Armstrong Stadium and will go well into the evening, alternating between men's and women's teams.

'Ice Princess' is actually cool

OK, I'll admit I asked my boyfriend and best friend and neither would go see "Ice Princess" with me over spring break. Lucky for me my cousin Maggie, who is in kindergarten, was free on a particularly dull Friday night and attended the opening of the latest Disney movie with me. I didn't have to twist Maggie's arm to go see what I thought would be another one of those ultra-girlie movies full of montages including skating, girls running around frantically and maybe a love interest.

A Bayside Reunion

As I was flipping through the channels the other day, I settled on Animal Planet where I had a chance encounter with one of my old high school buddies. He was hosting a show called "Pet Star." We caught up on old times. "O-ma-gah, Albert? Albert Clifford Slater? Is that you?"

What happened to the dark comedy?

Quake toll expected to rise

GUNUNG SITOLI, Indonesia -- Indonesians searched through smoldering rubble for survivors on Nias island Tuesday and relatives wept over the bodies of the dead after an 8.7-magnitude earthquake hammered the region, triggering a tsunami scare and killing at least 330 people. Some officials said the death toll could rise as high as 2,000.

A 'Congenial' sequel

If you liked the original "Miss Congeniality" and you like Sandra Bullock, you will want to see "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous." On the flip-side, if you hated the first, then chances are you will hate the second. Again, the movie focuses on friendship -- congeniality.

Race relations stacked with schtick

Proud to be an Internet dork

Forgive me readers, for I have sinned. This is my first confession. I have only one sin to confess, but it's less socially acceptable than admitting to watching "The Blue Collar Comedy Tour."

'Kagemusha' a moving masterpiece

In 1980 Japanese film-directing legend Akira Kurosawa found himself in a rut. Coming off a successful Academy Award win for his film "Dersu Uzala," Kurosawa was unable to attain financing for his samurai war epic "Kagemusha." After being turned down, Kurosawa began painting storyboards for his film although he felt it would never see the light of day. This all would change, however, once film directors Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas learned of Kurosawa's lack of funding and made the decision to finance the Japanese auteur. This same decision allowed Kurosawa to bring about one of the finest films in his cinematic career.

Around The Campus

Lectures aim to inform students about Islam Awareness As a part of the Muslim Student Union's Islam Awareness Week 2005, lectures will be held to discuss emerging topics of importance as they relate to Islam.

Colleges consider video gaming majors

CHICAGO -- Promising it as a way into the future -- and maybe stoking the worst fears of college parents -- Chicago's Columbia College will decide this spring whether to let students major in video games.

Debut will lead to future 'Employment'

Surfing the new wave of New Wave -- think: Franz Ferdinand and the Killers -- comes Leeds, England-based band the Kaiser Chiefs (named after the South African football club). Cribbing off rock luminaries from the '60s (the Kinks), '70s (the Jam and the Clash), '80s (Adam Ant ... when he still mattered) and '90s (Blur), the Chiefs do chiefly what Kasabian -- the British band whose debut I reviewed last week -- didn't. They've taken their influences and run freely with them.