Longform

The hype is burning out of control

There's a reason we here at Weekend have waited so long to review Funeral. Since its release in September, it's become the biggest hype balloon since the Strokes' Is This It?. One side is going to tell you that it's a landmark achievement, the best album of 2004, of the decade even. Another side is going to tell you that it's an overwrought ham-fest filled with blatant rip-offs and affected flourishes. I've been listening to this album since the week it came out, and by now I think it's been long enough to draw some conclusions.

Bring on the 'Blessed' beast

If their previous two releases, Art of Self Defense and Surrounded by Thieves, didn't catch listener's ears, then High on Fire's newest stoner rock opus Blessed Black Wings will definitely put them on the map. With a sound reminiscent of an Ace of Spades-era Motörhead mixed with the sludge of classic Black Sabbath and Slayer thrash masterpieces, High on Fire belt out nine tracks of old school rock fury in under an hour.

You'll have a 'Grudge' against this DVD

Japanese filmmaker Takashi Shimizu has built somewhat of a franchise out of the concept of cursed homes and ghosts who, once you've entered their domain, won't leave you alone and want nothing more than to see you dead as disco.

Jamie Foxx shines as 'Ray'

Here's the lesson to be learned from "Ray": great performances alone don't necessarily make great movies. In fact, I can't imagine where "Ray," Taylor Hackford's Oscar-nominated biopic of the late rock and soul singer Ray Charles, would be without its star, Jamie Foxx, in what amounts to basically a perfect performance. His acting alone doesn't carry the movie; but there wouldn't be much of a reason to see the movie if it weren't for his acting.

Dancers compete for cash in weekend showcase competition

Senior Sarah Wilkins found herself $1,000 richer Sunday after dancing the afternoon away. Wilkins competed in Bloomington's first Showcase of the Arts Competition in Contemporary Dance this weekend in the dance studio at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. The competition is part of the Showcase of the Arts series, which will award more than $15,000 to performers this year alone in the areas of visual arts, dance, drama, literature, music and musical theater.

Famous Jiu Jitsu instructor to visit IU

The instructor tells his students the proper way to put opponents into a choke hold after pinning them down. The first thing the instructor tells them is to cross their opponent's arms so each is firmly under the jaw and their thumbs are on the chest. He then instructs the students to push their arms down and elbows up. At this point the opponent is at the mercy of his captor.

The future of music downloading

To the record industry, John Seroff is something of a criminal. For music fans, he's a budding revolutionary. Seroff is the publisher of http://tofuhut.blogspot.com, better known as Tofu Hut, a genre-blending MP3 blog that treats its readers to free downloads of obscure music and well-written ruminations on little-known artists. Seroff's recently posted the music of Malicorne, a '70s French folk band, and Riko, a female MC from Britain. But by allowing people to download free music, Seroff and the other bloggerati have caught the attention of the record industry.

Police discover fresh concrete in search for bodies

INDIANAPOLIS -- Investigators using dogs and special radar equipment discovered what they described as a "mass" under concrete in the basement of a home where they were searching for three family members that a brother and sister told police they killed.

Topping trees increases disease, pest problems

Limbs are strewn across the yard as a chainsaw cuts into the tree's bark. Another receives a buzzed haircut. The act of tree topping, which is the extreme removal of big branches on older trees either for aesthetic or practical purposes, can be seen around Indiana. Many homeowners top their trees when they feel the limbs have grown too tall and become unsafe.

Bloomington leads in disability access

Bloomington often touts the ideal of inclusion -- and a recent report from a federal agency gives the city credit for its work.

Student designer shows off creations

To the background of birches, Individualized Major Program senior Katherine BonDurant reinvigorated timeless pieces in her fashion show "Winter in Red Square" Feb 5 at the Bloomington Convention Center. By contrasting stiff equestrian styles and fabrics with satin and silk in addition to delicate nuances, BonDurant softened her otherwise traditional line.

A model consumer

The way of fashion photographer

Freshman trio looks to contribute to lacrosse

Most freshmen approach college as a fresh start to their lives. They migrate to campus and leave behind all the things they didn't accomplish in high school and move on to a new set of goals. But freshman club lacrosse players Ryan Furman, Michael Link and Brennan Matthews want to achieve one of the few goals that eluded them in high school -- a lacrosse championship.

The Jeffersons: Movin' on up in the record books

Ahh, junior high track. Those were the days. Nothing like practicing on an asphalt track at the county rec center with the faded lines ... in jeans and a T-shirt. Yep, that was me one day in eighth grade when I showed up for team photo day in that attire. Thankfully I've moved on since that embarrassing day in northwest Ohio and somehow managed to continue my running career. In high school, I ran a 5-minute-9-second mile.

O'Neal selected for 5th All-Star Game

NEW YORK -- Miami's Dwyane Wade and San Antonio's Manu Ginobili were among six players picked as NBA All-Stars for the first time when reserves were announced Tuesday.

La Créme de porno

To a man, porn is like a juicy Big Mac: While it might be cheap, it's always piping hot, it satiates his appetite and it doesn't require a lot of fussy presentation. Ain't no shame in it, boys. A man got to eat. But Oxygen TV believes a woman's porno palate craves a more complex fusion of flavors.

Judge allows wrongful death lawsuit for embryo

CHICAGO -- All Alison Miller and Todd Parrish wanted was to become parents. But when a fertility clinic didn't preserve a healthy embryo they had hoped would one day become their child, they sued for wrongful death. A judge refused to dismiss their case, ruling in effect that a test-tube embryo is a human being and that the suit could go forward.

East River scandal

An organization meant to bring peace to the world and act as an international conflict arbiter has been tainted by scandal. It should be obvious the organization I'm talking about is the United Nations, and the scandal is the Oil-for-Food program. The important questions: Were the program's terms violated, and if they were, does that irreparably damage the reputation of the United Nations?

Rice calls to mend European, U.S. ties

PARIS -- Trying to mend fences with Europe, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday "it is time to turn away from the disagreements of the past" that alienated longtime allies over the U.S. invasion of Iraq. France was the most vocal opponent of President Bush's handling of the war with Iraq, and the new secretary of state deliberately chose Paris for the major address of her first official tour of Europe.