Longform

This hole-in-the-wall worth crawling into

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:41 a.m.

American-Chinese food is really nothing to brag about. How many "Chinese buffets" do you think there are in China? Probably not many. In Bloomington, however, they seem to be everywhere.

Manning looks for another place in history

By Alyson Brodsy and Michael Marot · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:37 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning has always been there when his teammates needed him. Whether it's on game days, in the locker room or inside the film room, the Indianapolis Colts have counted on the NFL's two-time MVP to be on the field. Anything less is unimaginable.

Around the Arts

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:37 a.m.

Meet Darth Vader at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater What: "Saving Star Wars," meet Darth Vader When: 7:30 p.m. Friday Where: Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. More info: 323-3020 The Buskirk-Chumley will show the Bloomington premiere of "Saving Star Wars," a comical film about two obsessed fans who kidnap filmmaker George Lucas. Following the movie, which cost $50,000 to make, fans will get a chance to meet Dave Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the "Star Wars" trilogy. Tickets are $10 for the public and $8 for students.

How do some classics become CHALLENGED?

By Alyson Brodsy and Graham Gardner · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:35 a.m.

John Steinbeck. Maya Angelou. J.K. Rowling. All three authors are on the list of the most frequently banned and challenged authors of the last 15 years, according to the American Library Association.

The NHL: A league on thin ice

By Alyson Brodsy and Lee Hurwitz · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:32 a.m.

Contrary to the knowledge of most sports fans, the National Hockey League is back in full swing and nearing opening day of the season. Once I found out that the lockout, which prompted me to join a group on Facebook.com, called "Bring Hockey Back" was over, I was filled with joy, even though many think hockey is boring.

Playing with perspective

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:30 a.m.

For freshman midfielder Molly Kruger, losing a soccer game doesn't hurt quite as much as it used to. A losing record and zero Big Ten wins hold a little less importance after nearly losing her life in a car accident in June of last year.

Daniels: Cities should use state budget cuts as good example

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:20 a.m.

FORT WAYNE -- Gov. Mitch Daniels told officials from Indiana's cities and towns that they can no longer afford to think only of themselves and they should look at state budget cuts as an example of how to save money.

Reporter, author discusses journalism, current affairs

By Nate Gowdy · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:17 a.m.

TERRE HAUTE -- Bob Woodward, a renowned journalist who helped link Watergate to the White House, spoke at Indiana State University's Hulman Center Tuesday evening as part of the school's annual University Speakers Series.

Iraq's 1st female suicide bomber kills 6, wounds 35

By Alyson Brodsy and Lee Keath · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:08 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The woman slipped into the town, passing checkpoints where women are not searched. Then, donning a man's "dishdasha" -- a traditional white robe -- and kaffiya headscarf, she blended in with the men waiting in line to join the Iraqi army.

Furious about food

By Alyson Brodsy and Ayesha Awan · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:06 a.m.

I'm going into withdrawal. No, I'm not a drug addict. I am a kabob addict. Yesterday I finished all the kabobs my mother made me last time I went home for the weekend. And now I'm going into kabob withdrawal. Oh, what I would do for a kabob. Or for that matter, any form of decent food whatsoever.

Library theft

By Vivek Chandrasekhar · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:04 a.m.

As even a cursory glance can relay, the Herman B Wells Library is quite big. More specifically, the campus libraries taken as a whole "include more than 6 million bound volumes and more than 17 million other materials, including manuscripts, maps, music, microforms and films," according to www.libraries.iub.edu. This represents an enormous collection of knowledge, a tremendous asset to students and faculty as we plow our way through tests, essays and research projects.

Have we beaten terror already?

By Alyson Brodsy and Peter Chen · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:03 a.m.

Alot of jokes have been cracked this week at the expense of the FBI's new anti-pornography unit. Many of the jokes came from within the Bureau's field offices, including these gems: "Things I don't want on my résumé, volume four," "Honestly, most guys would have to rescue themselves" and "I guess this means we must have won the war on terror. We must not need any more resources for espionage."

Senators complain White House blocking aid to hurricane victims

By Alyson Brodsy and Hope Yen · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:02 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- With Gulf Coast governors pressing for action, Senate Finance Committee members complained Wednesday the Bush administration is blocking a bipartisan $9 billion health care package for hundreds of thousands of evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Ease the stampede

By Joanna Borns · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12:02 a.m.

I witnessed an unfortunate spectacle from a student who sat next to me in class the other day. After polishing off a Red Bull, she dozed in her chair. The lecture was wrapping up and students started to ask questions. The student next to me woke from her nap and spoke out in protest. "No! Don't ask questions," she commanded. "No questions. Are we good? I'm good."

They like, totally rock

By -Kehla West and Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12 a.m.

Remember that girl from high school? The really smart, overtly hip one with the really cool clothes? The one who always hinted that she was tortured by an inner darkness that nobody understood? Well, three of those girls got together and formed a little band called The Like.

Clean Sweep

By Rebecca Price · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12 a.m.

It's Sunday afternoon, you've slept till 2 p.m. At five past, the headache sets in and the malodorous mixture of beer, cigarettes and the overall night before oozes into your bedroom. You lay in bed, dreading the cleanup of last night's party that awaits you. But fear no more. Put down the phone, save your money, there's no need for a cleaning service. Stop yelling at your roommates to do it -- come on, confess, you were the rowdiest one there anyway. And come to terms with this painful realization: the smell won't go away on its own.

Don't bother flying with Jodie Foster

By Alyson Brodsy and Ash Cartwright · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12 a.m.

"Flightplan" opens with Jodie Foster looking freaked out as only Jodie Foster can. Think "Panic Room," but with intensity. From its launching sequence on, I was happily engaged by "Flightplan," until the last third of the film, which left me less than thrilled.

Overhyped prime- time soap hits DVD

By Alyson Brodsy and John Barnett · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12 a.m.

Last fall, "Desperate Housewives," along with newly crowned Outstanding Drama Series Emmy winner "Lost," helped resurrect ABC's nightly line-up from the direst of ratings doldrums. Beginning with a bang in the form of a suicidal gunshot, the steamy storylines of suburban housewives Susan (Teri Hatcher), Lynette (Felicity Huffman), Gabrielle (cutie Eva Longoria), Bree (a mannequin-like Marcia Cross) and Edie (a brutally Botoxed Nicollette Sheridan) weave amongst one another with the darkly comic delight of "Dallas" in its prime.

Bickity-bam! 'Mallrats' is back on DVD!

By Alyson Brodsy and Chris Wisner · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12 a.m.

It's been 10 years since director Kevin Smith's ill-received "Mallrats" graced theater screens for less than a month, which certainly means that the time for a special edition DVD double-dip has arrived. Boasting plenty of new features and most importantly an all-new extended cut of the film, such a DVD package is sure to impress long-time fans.

iPods that do more than play music

By Alyson Brodsy and Evan Wade · Thursday, Sept. 29,2005 12 a.m.

Just owning an iPod isn't enough any more. Things used to be easier. It used to be that you could just walk down to the store, plunk down some cash and walk out with an eye-pleasing (yet functional) little MP3 player capable of holding all your favorite albums. We all know it's not like that anymore. After picking out what size and color you want your 'pod to be, you have to worry about accessories. Holders and speakers and plugs and socks. Yes, socks for an MP3 player.