Longform

IUSA approves campus busing fee

By Brian Janosch · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12:40 a.m.

The IU Student Association Congress stamped its seal of approval on a proposal Tuesday that would increase students' transportation fees by $30 next year. The fee would allow students to ride all campus buses simply by showing their student IDs. The buses, which currently require a $158 year-long pass or 75 cents per ride, would work on the same system as the Bloomington Transit system, which only requires a student ID to ride.

Voucher system ensures safer childcare in Indiana

By Kye Lee · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12:36 a.m.

For families who want affordable childcare without sacrificing the quality of treatment and care their children receive, Indiana may have a solution. The state's new voucher system places importance on high health and safety standards from its beneficiaries. The Family and Social Services Administration is a state agency that provides public assistance and services for Indiana citizens. The FSSA's Child Care Development Fund vouchers hold several requirements for providers to receive payments, such as CPR and first-aid training for all staff members.

Fashion Function

By Annie Russell · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12:36 a.m.

"Ally's" alarm goes off two hours before class begins. She showers, blow dries and straightens her hair, smears some makeup on her already flawless complexion, slips into her designer jeans and pulls a $60 sweater over her bare shoulders as different pieces of Tiffany's jewelry dangle off her wrists and neck. After a quick once-over in the mirror, a faint smile appears across her face. "Ally" might not be ready for a day full of tough courses, but at least she looks good. According to Evelyn Brannon, author of "Fashion Forecasting," fashion is a style popular in the present or a set of trends that have been accepted by a wide audience.

Governor-hopeful Daniels proposes switch to daylight-savings time

By Lindsey Jancek and Lindsay Jancek · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12:28 a.m.

Mitch Daniels is attempting to get all Hoosiers on the same page, at least on the same time zone. A Republican candidate for governor, Daniels is proposing to move all of Indiana's 92 counties to Central Standard Time, thus eliminating confusion across the state. The change to Central Time is part of an economic package designed to stimulate Indiana's economy.

Without hate, there's no love

By Dan Cohen and Daniel Cohen · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12:21 a.m.

Are the Yankees good for baseball? Families of four being able to attend a game, have a snack and read the program without losing half their life's earnings would be good for the game. Last year's bone-chilling playoffs, every-series-going-down-to-the-wire drama is good for baseball. Watching Barry Bonds and other slugging studs crush the ball half way to the next town and not wondering if that's a syringe in his back pocket is good for baseball. Seeing Marlins manager Jack McKeon, a 73-year-old, teach players a third of his age about discipline and the drive to win is good for baseball. No-hitters, two-and-a-half-hour games, hustle triples, home plate collisions and small market underdog teams wining the World Series is good for baseball. But you asked about the Yankees? Absolutely.

Burns primed to join elite in mile

By Rob DeWitte and Rob eWitte · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12:17 a.m.

In decades past, IU's strength in track rested with the distance program. But over the last half of the 1990s, the program's luster faded, with the team finishing no higher than fifth in the Big Ten from 1993 to 1998.

Fighters not down for the count

By Dan Patrick · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12:13 a.m.

Two weary boxers dance around the ring, waiting for the right moment to strike. Unfortunately, both the Michigan Wolverines and the Hoosiers have already been knocked out by their heavyweight conference opponents. While the championship belt may be out of reach, these two featherweights are trying to fight their way into the Big Ten Tournament. The Hoosiers come into the bout on the wrong end of a seven-game streak and are currently 3-10 in conference action and 10-14 overall. Michigan also has its back against the ropes with a similar 4-9 Big Ten record and 11-15 overall record.

'Wonderland' less than wonderful

By Neal Taflinger · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

Remember that boring stretch toward the end of "Boogie Nights" when all the hophead morons try to pull off a big heist? "Wonderland" is a two-hour film dedicated to that. After "Porn King" John Holmes' star faded, he bumped around LA with low life hustlers and thieves. In early July of 1981, four people were brutally murdered in a house on Wonderland Ave. and John Holmes was either tangentially or directly involved with the murders, depending on whose version of the story you believe.

Pots of gold at the end of the '60s

By Greg O'Neill · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

As I type, I'm watching an interview with Condoleezza Rice on Jim Lehrer. It's a talk-a-lot-but-don't-say-much affair. It's got me thinking: I've been trying to keep track of current events for, let's say, three and a half years now. You know what I've learned? Nothing that I couldn't have just by picking up today's newspaper and reading it all the way through.

Don't rent 'Sylvia,' read her

By Tony Sams · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

The problem with "Sylvia," a biopic starring Gwyneth Paltrow as the unstable poet Sylvia Plath, is the same problem many films about artists encounter: you'll learn more about them by experiencing their art than you will from a scenes-in-the-life-of cinematic depiction of them.

Some 'Dates' are better than others

By Doug Evans · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

The duo from "The Wedding Singer" are at it again, with a similar story and the same results.

French flick fantastically far-out

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

A dark horse has emerged in the race for Oscar's Best Animated Film. Funny, freaky and subtly sweet in a way that's not overly cloying, "The Triplets of Belleville" may have what it takes to broadside the Mouse House and Pixar's perennial powerhouse, "Finding Nemo."

Altman's 'Company' devoid of character

By by Isaac Edwards and Isaac Edwards · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

A fascinating trend I have come to observe in great, or at least interesting, films is that they will often divide their critics on shared conclusions: the reason they hate the film is the exact same reason that they love the film. Robert Altman could probably be the poster septuagenarian for this theory.

TECHNO TREASURE HUNTING

By Kelly Phillips · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

Dallas Smith leads a double-life. In Bloomington, she's a graduate student in the School of Education, working toward a master's degree in instructional technology. But on the weekends and in her spare time, Smith is a treasure hunter -- and her discoveries are often right under the nose of the average pedestrian.

Neo-Rockabilly from the depths of 'Hell'

By Mike Ley · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

Copenhagen, Denmark has always been a psychobilly hotbed, noted most recently by the success of Nekromantix stateside. That band's coffin-bassist Kim Nekroman finds himself on guitar in this side project with tattooed bombshell Patricia on stand-up bass and lead vocals.

There's a badly-acted 'Party' going down

By -Nate Bethea · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

Macaulay Culkin's first film since 1994's "Richie Rich" finds him looking about 16 and unable to carry a scene, much less a movie based around his character. "Party Monster" depicts the story of Michael Alig (Culkin), the darling of the late '80s and early '90s New York City club scene who boasted his own record label, magazine and well-known party night before he was arrested for murdering his drug dealer and roommate, Angel (Wilson Cruz).

Kylie puts the booty in 'Body'

By -Jenny Kobiela · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

Australian pop superstar Kylie Minogue, known best for the 2002 single "Can't Get You Out of My Head" from the album Fever, delivers Body Language, which should bring her to the forefront of pop music. She gives the world a wonderful album full of fun, sexy music that is wonderful to both listen and dance to.

OLD-SCHOOL GAMING

By Chris Freiberg · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

Like many students, when junior Josh Nahrwold came to IU he found himself with a lot more free time than he had in high school; free time that most of his friends filled playing Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox or Nintendo GameCube. This just wasn't his scene. So he went home and dug his old black and grey 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System out of his closet.

Jones' jones for a new sound backfires

By Diana Tychsen · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

The one word to describe Norah Jones' new album: safe. This little four-letter word does carry quite a negative connotation, which is unfortunate because it's not that Jones' sophomore effort is bad. The melodies have the same simplicity as they did on her last record, and the vocals are everything you would expect from Jones, nothing less, nothing more. And while "simple" worked magnificently on Come Away With Me, Jones' debut, here it leaves a lot to be desired.

Probot provides prodigious rock

By John Barnett · Thursday, Feb. 19,2004 12 a.m.

Dave Grohl is a busy man these days, with filling various roles in Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Killing Joke, Tenacious D and now Probot.