Longform

Bush's balancing act

By Jim Harper · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 11:18 p.m.

If you have watched the news in the last week, it is likely that the only two stories you heard about were the War on Terror and Sen. Tom Daschle's State of the Union-esque economic address. After all, what else is newsworthy? Not something insignificant like, say, the environment. Who cares that the EPA has devised a policy that many environmental observers believe equates to a roll back of the 1970 Clean Air Act? The nation is at war and the economy is in recession, so nothing else can possibly matter. Obviously, I am being sarcastic, but, unfortunately, many members of the news media tend to follow the theory that every policy that President Bush endorses instantly turns to gold.

How not to get arrested

By Erin White · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 11:14 p.m.

Girls in short skirts and halter tops avoided my stare as they stumbled down the streets to the next bar. Some guys rolled their eyes as I passed. As we cruised down Kirkwood on a Friday night I received an unwanted vibe. Before I knew it red and blue lights encircled me. Minutes later the potent aroma of alcohol filled the car. One evening I spent five and a half hours in a squad car. Fortunately, I was in front shadowing Blooomington Police Officer Christian Ebel-Orr. I watched intoxicated individuals walk the line on one of the busiest streets in Bloomington. I witnessed the aftermath of fights between some of Bloomington's finest. I sat in the Varsity Villas for 45 minutes as officers tried to find a suspect who broke a window. I recognized many names on the scanner. And basically I realized how ignorant people sometimes act when they abuse alcohol.

Taliban surrender, go free

By Ellen Knickmeyer · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 11:11 p.m.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Seven high-ranking Taliban officials, including the ex-justice minister, surrendered to Afghan commanders but were set free by local officials, the Afghan government said Wednesday, even though U.S. officials want Taliban leaders turned over.

Top 10 Albums of 2001

By Alyson Brodsy and weekend staff · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 9:02 p.m.

1. Is This It? (RCA) - The Strokes 2. Love and Theft (Columbia) - Bob Dylan 3. Gorillaz (Virgin) - Gorillaz 4. Hot Shots II (Astralwerks) - Beta Band 5. I Might Be Wrong-Live Recordings (Capitol) - Radiohead and more...

Dinardo brings passion, charisma to program

By Guy Cipriano · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 1:18 a.m.

He's a passionate person who didn't have any problem displaying emotion in his first day as IU's football coach. Thirty minutes after he was supposed to be announced as IU's 25th football coach Tuesday, Gerry DiNardo finally arrived at Memorial Stadium and went right to work.

Players encouraged after meeting coach

By Sara Meinecke and Sarah Meinecke · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 1:16 a.m.

The waiting is over. For 34 days, the IU football team has been clueless about who its next leader will be, but was filled in yesterday after Gerry DiNardo was named head coach.

President Bush signs landmark education bill into law

By Alyson Brodsy and Scott Lindlaw · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12:58 a.m.

HAMILTON, Ohio -- President Bush, acting Tuesday on his No. 1 domestic priority, signed into law a sweeping education bill that will require new reading and math tests, seeks to close the education gap between rich and poor students and raise teacher standards.

Brand recommends for Stephan to stay

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12:15 a.m.

After serving as interim vice president for six months, IU President Myles Brand recommended to the IU board of trustees that Bill Stephan be named vice president for public affairs and government relations.

Giving the gift of technology

By George Lyle IV · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12:14 a.m.

IU and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have teamed up to help give important technology resources to underprivileged Indiana libraries. Chosen because it has the state's only accredited graduate library science program, IU has become a local branch of a nationwide effort by the Gates Foundation to upgrade the technological capabilities of struggling libraries.

Spokeswoman to leave IU

By Cory Schouten · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12:10 a.m.

Susan Dillman, who served as IU spokeswoman for more than one year, said she will not return to the University. She accepted administrative leave three days after returning from a three-month-long medical leave.

Universal plan to be implemented

By Elizabeth Crosbie · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12:05 a.m.

This fall students will be able to use the campus bus service and Bloomington Transit by presenting their student ID rather than a bus pass. Unlimited access to both services is part of a universal bus plan approved by the board of trustees in May 2000 and is in the second year of a three-year phase.

Rockin' for the benjamins rather than the music

By Michael Tapscott and Mike Tapscott · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12 a.m.

In a way, New Old Songs by Limp Bizkit is the most predictable album of the holiday season. Don't be fooled by Bizkit's rebel pose, they are a processed product in the same way as the Backstreet Boys, N'Sync and Britney Spears. New Old Songs is exactly the type of album you'd expect for the holiday season market.

Hollywood finally getting it together in 2002

By -Alec Toombs · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12 a.m.

This past year was rather disappointing from the perspective of your run of the mill filmgoer. Many films were about as entertaining as a colonoscopy. For every "Memento" there was an onslaught of bottom feeders such as "Tomb Raider."

'Ocean's' worth taking a gamble on

By Sarah Trotto · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12 a.m.

A remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film starring Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, "Ocean's Eleven" tantalizes the eyes with gorgeous, high-dollar movie stars carrying out a nearly impossible casino heist that boggles the mind. But while both eyes and brain are pleasured, this pretty movie by Steven Soderbergh ("Erin Brockovich," "Traffic") falls flat in true star power.

This year's model

By Daven Kolderup and Davin Kolderup · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12 a.m.

With the release of Love is Here, the cynic in me wants to declare Starsailor "this year's Coldplay," just as last year the cynic in me wanted to declare Coldplay "this year's Travis." The similarities are there, to be sure -- sensitive British guitar bands heavy on tunes and melodrama, light on innovation. But where Travis trades on their everyman affability and Coldplay gets by with singer Chris Martin's doe-eyed innocence, Starsailor brews a blend of sexual frustration and 20-something angst all their own -- one that won't set the world on fire, but makes for a satisfying listen all the same.

Message over music

By Jessica Halverson and Jesscia Halverson · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12 a.m.

"Doing what you love to do is revolution." Ask the guys from the local "political.vegan.straightedge.pop.punk" (as they call themselves) group Rise Over Run. A student, a recent grad and two B-towners put their heads together three years ago to call for a revolution through music. They are anti-capitalist, pro-choice, anti-homophobia and pro-work for yourself, not for the job. These punkers are choosing their own high road -- putting what they have to say before the energy from their amps.

Not an especially good teen movie

By Natalie A. Trout · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12 a.m.

What a great idea for the writers of "Not Another Teen Movie" to come up with a parody of teen movies, but didn't the Wayans brothers already convince us after "Scary Movie" and "Scary Movie 2" to stick with the originals?

Artistic progression shown on 'GHV2'

By Michael Tapscott and Mike Tapscott · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12 a.m.

Madonna's GHV2 or Greatest Hits Volume 2, speaks for itself. After summing up her '80s career so well with The Immaculate Collection in 1990, a decade later GHV2 sums up the her career in '90s just as accurately. Whereas The Immaculate Collection is a bit of a shallow ride through '80s pop music at its best, GHV2 shows the remarkable growth of Madonna as an artist and a person.

Mood Masters

By Amy Currry and Amy Curry · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12 a.m.

The band on stage, figures illuminated and accompanied by a balanced blend of melodic sounds. Actors' and actresses' crisp voices, full of emotion, their poignant visages clear and striking. It's not said through the actor's dialogue, but you know the time of day and you sense the mood by the lighting you see on stage, the actors faces still fully visible to you. Enjoying a performance, caught up in the gratifying visuals and sounds, there isn't time to stop and think about how the essential elements of light and sound are shaped and defined by the people behind the scenes. Sound engineers and lighting designers are the technically and artistically talented people who stimulate our ears and eyes with their embellishments to the stage. With a tough market, unusual hours and demanding tasks, those who work on sound and lights have a more complicated and more rewarding job than you might realize as a simple audience member.

'The Majestic' is a bit too sappy

By Rachel Kipp · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12 a.m.

To promote post-Sept. 11 patriotism, movie theaters are showing a short film before "The Majestic" filled with clips from old movies about American idealism and courage. This little film is definitely schmaltzy, but at the same time the intent behind it is so genuine that a viewer can't help but get shivery and teary.