Longform

National American Indian museum opens

WASHINGTON -- As a child, William Walker was sent off to boarding school and forbidden to speak his native Mono Indian tribe language. So it was with a sense of vindication that Walker watched colorful pageantry of Indian culture mark Tuesday's opening of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian, located at the foot of the Capitol.

A night of Julie Dash

Tuesday evening, the Black Film Center/Archive presented the first night of its three-part series focusing on Africana Women Filmmakers. The evening concentrated on the works of Julie Dash.

Food for Inspiration

Exhibition questions function of fashion

For most, clothing serves as fashion and function. But can fashion be purely sexual? "The Allure of Clothing: Function, Fashion, Fantasy and Fetish," a new exhibit at the Mathers Museum, takes the question of fashion, clothing and function one step further.

Annual cardboard boat contest nears

Grab a partner and a paddle because the fourth-annual Cardboard Boat Regatta is quickly approaching. Teams are forming for the Oct. 1 race as they work to construct a boat using only cardboard and duct tape for this year's race, sponsored by the Council of Advancing Student Leadership. In addition to trying to win the race, teams also compete for the title of "most creative."

Open air theater gives graduate student professional experience

It was 8:30 on a summer evening, and once more James Neff stood ready on the stage. The late sun illuminated the crowd, making it impossible for the young lead to ignore his audience. Nearly 1,500 faces waited in expectation for the opening number.

Fox News offers contest

For the chance to win a $20,000 award and appear on national TV, broadcast journalism students can enter the Fox News College Challenge, a nationwide contest where groups of students research, write and produce an objective broadcast news story. "The mission of the competition is to recognize, encourage and support excellence among broadcast journalism students in America's colleges and universities," said John Malkin, vice president of affiliate sales and marketing for Fox News and an IU alumnus.

Creating A Diva

The coming of an opera's opening night evokes all the wonders of another world manufactured for the stage. When most of us go to the opera, we are so busy appreciating the final product that the efforts made to bring it from the score to the stage are often overlooked. The fact is, an enormous amount of time, money and labor are put into transforming an idea into an impressive reality.

Six teams rise and fall with young QBs

Experienced quarterbacks are proving their worth in the Big Ten. Just look at the stats. The top four passing offenses (Purdue, Northwestern, Penn State and Illinois) are all led by veteran quarterbacks. Five of the top seven quarterbacks in pass efficiency are holdovers. "If you're going to have only one experienced player back on your squad, you'd want him back at quarterback," said Purdue coach Joe Tiller, who has the luxury of having the best returning quarterback in the conference, Kyle Orton.

I'll tell you what your opinion is

Seeing "The Corporation" was an awe-inspiring cinematic experience. I was fascinated by the story of how corporations went from having very little power 150 years ago to displacing democracy and controlling the world. I was blown away by how the film uses a DSM-IV, the book used by psychologists to diagnose mental illness, to show that corporations are psychotic. I was encouraged to see that people are actually making a difference by fighting back. And I really wanted to buy the movie's soundtrack.

Colts' James held out of practice but upgraded to questionable for Sunday

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James was upgraded from doubtful to questionable for this week's game against Green Bay despite missing Wednesday's practice. Coach Tony Dungy said James worked out earlier in the day but was held out of the afternoon practice. Dungy said Thursday's practice could help clear up James' playing status.

Giving back the name

I just wanted to let everybody know -- despite what I might have said in earlier discussions, I am not African-American. I'm black (and Filipino). I doubt that I actually used the term African-American, but just in case, I take it back. Or better yet -- I'm giving it back.

Hitting the books, opponents

Growing up in Chesterfield, Mo., strong safety Will Meyers was a First-Team All-Conference Athlete as a defensive and running back, an All-Area/All-Purpose Player and Parkway West High School's MVP for his senior season. His football accomplishments earned him much attention throughout the state; in fact, he was chosen to the All-State football squad as both defensive back and running back. And his talents did not stop there.

Failing at finance

While educators statewide are emphasizing higher academic standards for our college students, Indiana is receiving a 2.0 on its higher education report card. The grades come from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, based in San Jose, Calif., in its "Measuring Up 2004" report. In the five categories, Indiana received a B, three C's and a D.

Boilers spike Hoosiers to open conference play

The IU volleyball team wasn't able to rebound Wednesday evening from its three-match losing streak in West Lafayette. The Hoosiers fell to Purdue University in straight sets (30-22, 30-20, 30-12). The defeat dropped the team to 6-6 on the year and 0-1 in conference play, with what could prove to be a very difficult Big Ten schedule coming up.

Show me some teeth!

It's something I've noticed before but never really gave a second (or third) thought about until recently. I noticed it on campus. I've noticed it in my apartment building. It caught me by surprise at the slightly utopian Lotus Fest that I could only find three or four of them out of the hundreds of people who crossed my path that Friday night.

The luck hasn't run out for the Irish

I grew up watching one, and only one, college football team play on TV every Saturday in my home. That football team was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. I shared the same dreams and aspirations as the movie character "Rudy" did. There was only one place I saw myself going to college and eventually playing football, and that place is located in South Bend. But I was a little kid, and quite frankly, I didn't have the slightest clue.

Defense get big lift from transfer

Junior linebacker Paul Szczesny had a choice. When it came time to choose a school to continue his football career he had options: He could have been a Trojan, a Sooner, a Bruin or a Badger. Instead he decided to become a Hoosier, and the coaching staff and he couldn't be happier with the decision, he said. Szczesny (pronounced Skez-nee) thought about staying out West, but his Niles, Ill., roots brought him back to the Midwest as he began to consider schools in the heartland of America.

Business Briefs

Fed institutes interest rate increase WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the economy moving ahead and the nation's payrolls picking up a bit, Federal Reserve policy-makers boosted short-term interest rates for a third time this year -- but left economists split about when the next increase might come. Federal Chairman Alan Greenspan and his Federal Open Market Committee colleagues -- the group which sets interest-rate policy -- increased the target for the federal funds rate from 1.50 percent to 1.75 percent. The funds rate is the interest banks charge each other on overnight loans and is the Fed's primary tool for influencing economic activity.

Outback Steakhouse to acquire Chi-Chi's

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Chi-Chi's, the Mexican restaurant chain, may have served its last chimichanga. Outback Steakhouse Inc. this week closed on its $42.5 million deal for the rights to 76 restaurants in the Chi-Chi's chain, which was beleaguered by bankruptcy and a hepatitis outbreak. Outback plans to convert many of the restaurants into its own brands -- which include its signature Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grills, Bonefish Grills, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bars, Roy's and Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurants. "We felt it was a good opportunity to acquire a large number of good locations that we can use for our brands," said Joseph Kadow, senior vice president for Outback Steakhouse Inc., based in Tampa, Fla.