Longform

City prepares response plans

The City of Bloomington and local emergency agencies are prepared to handle potential anthrax threats, Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez said Wednesday in a press conference at City Hall. Local police, fire and utilities departments are on a heightened state of alert because of recent reports of potential anthrax contamination, city officials said. Police and fire units are ready to handle future calls for substances people fear might be anthrax. The utilities department, which processes campus and city water, has doubled its daily water quality inspections to 40, utilities officials said.

Hoosiers close to threats

Since the closing of the House side of the Capitol Wednesday, a dark cloud has descended upon the mood in Washington, D.C. A city where Americans are trying to mend from Sept. 11 is now consumed with the ever-present threat of more terror. Tension, stress, and apprehension of "what's next?" are governing factors in everyday moods and thoughts. Newly erected chain-link fencing surrounds the Capitol now. It is a necessary precaution, but nonetheless has dealt a definitive blow to the mood and moral of Washingtonians, Hoosiers and Americans alike.

Women's volleyball team loses to Illinois

The women's volleyball team traveled to Illinois Wednesday to take on Illinois. Their efforts weren't enough to pull of a win against the Fighting Illini. IU was dominated by Illinois who had 20 team blocks over IU's four. Hitting percentages hurt the Hoosiers as well. Illinois boasted a .279 while IU was at .036. The first game the Hoosiers lost 25-30. Winning the second game again was Illinois. The two teams fought back and forth with tie scores until the very end. The Hoosiers gave a good fight that ended in a close game, 33-35.

Playoffs mean action for bats

The importance of pitching in the Major League Baseball playoffs has never been more evident than in this season. The remaining teams all boast strong pitching staffs and were able to eliminate clubs such as Houston and Cleveland, who "snuck" into the post -season with their bats. Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling's performances thus far have been mind-boggling (combined 3-1, 1.03 ERA). The Yankees and Mariners had two of the top three American League pitching staffs during the regular season. But now, with such talent remaining and so few games left to play, it will be the hitters who make the difference for their teams.

Battling it out at the inaugural Corn Bowl

Iowans like corn. (Do you call them "Iowans?" Is that how you spell it?) They have an Iowa Corn Office, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and the Iowa Corn Growers Association. You'd think Saturday's game between IU and the University of Iowa would be played in a big silo. (Do they put corn in silos?) So, what does that have to do with the price of corn in Iowa? Or football, for that matter? Well, not a thing, except that we should start calling the Hoosier-Hawkeye match-up the Corn Bowl. Here're the vital signs concerning corn. • Iowans (we'll call them that, no matter how you spell it) grew 1.7 billion bushels -- bushels check in at 56 pounds each -- of corn last year.

Offense hopes to fix slip-ups

In the 1970s, the Minnesota Vikings defense returned a fumble 70 yards. Except it was in the wrong direction. In 1986, Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner could have made a routine play during game six of the World Series. Instead, the ball went between his legs, and the New York Mets won the title. In the mid-1990's, then-Texas left fielder Jose Conseco got a brilliant idea that he was going to pitch. He threw out his arm instead and was out for a season. In 2001, the Hoosier offense scored the most points to date in the Big Ten with 63 points against Wisconsin and had 631 total yards. The offense followed that performance by scoring 14 points and gaining 359 total yards in last week's 35-14 loss against Illinois.

A glowing good time in Bloomington

Variations from the 'Piano Man'

Novelist the best lyricist in rock and roll

The Verve Pipe reaches graduation

Rocking out into middle age

Box set worth the wait

From Mango to Corky; what did you expect?

Gruff and catchy:

Roger that, 'Joy Ride' so so

Mason makes garbage beautiful

Welcome to World Oysterhead

Iron Monkey full of Kung Fu action

'Bandits' held up by unlively Willis

Bandits - PG-13 Starring: Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton Directed by: Barry Levinson Showing: Showplace East 11

What\'s the Fishbone