Longform

CHEAP THRILLS

By Stephanie Susman · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12:49 a.m.

Dinner at an average restaurant -- $10 per person. Movie at Showplace East or West -- $8 per person. A night of drinking at a bar -- $25. Having a good time without spending a ton of money -- priceless. Luckily for a college student on a budget, there are many ways to have a great week in Bloomington without spending a lot of money.

Women narrowing gap but missing the payoff

By Eboni Gatlin · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12:44 a.m.

Female undergraduates across the country currently outnumber their male counterparts, according to a recent report conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics. This is an old trend at IU. As far back as 1995, women have made up the majority of the student body.

Team names add creativity, vulgarity to intramural sports

By Gavin Lesnick · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12:42 a.m.

In the end, "We Aren't Gonna Lose" lost, "Super Awesome" wasn't, "The Answer" couldn't find one in the win column and "Team Forfeit Win" forfeited all their games. "Godzilla" bested "Artest's Army," "Big Scary Dinosaurs" couldn't take down the "No Names," and "I Don't Know" faced off against "Bo Doesn't Know" in what was surely a contest of who didn't know more. "We Love Mike Davis" never did get a chance to play "Bring Bobby Back," and "We're Dating Your Sister" -- at the advice of an opponent -- treated her well.

Congressional committee prepared to subpoena baseball stars today

By Alyson Brodsy and Ronald Blum · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12:38 a.m.

NEW YORK -- Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire and Jason Giambi were among seven current and former baseball stars that a congressional committee plans to subpoena as soon as Wednesday to testify about steroids. Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Frank Thomas also were asked last week to testify. Thus far, only Canseco and Thomas have said they were willing to appear.

Illinois: Big Ten is 'about us'

By Alyson Brodsy and Jim Paul · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12:38 a.m.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The loss to Ohio State Sunday remains a stinging memory, but top-ranked Illinois is ready to turn its focus to the tournaments, coach Bruce Weber said Tuesday. "The next two days will be preparation about us, just continuing to get better," Weber said. "Little things slipped and that's why we ended up losing the game. So we've got to make sure those little things don't slip anymore."

Keady admits to regrets amid final days

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12:37 a.m.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue coach Gene Keady hugged some of his players and thanked many of his friends for their help during his 25 seasons with the Boilermakers. But Keady also admitted during the team's annual banquet Monday that he had some regrets amid what are likely his final coaching days.

The doctor is in

By Stephanie Susman · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12:36 a.m.

When Tiffani Cannon met Jeanelle Crouch, it changed her life, not only giving her a new hairstyle and stylist, but also a new best friend. "I sat in (Crouch's) chair and she demonstrated expertise by making a recommendation at my first visit," she said. "The trust level bond formed immediately." Traditionally, barbers and stylists have the knowledge of a newscaster and acquire more gossip than a Yenta. They know everything from the hot topics of the day to the personal lives of their patrons.

Close cities offer spring break shows

By Chris Wisner and compiled by Chris Wisner · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12:28 a.m.

Bloomington may not be very exciting during spring break, but Chicago and Indianapolis provide plenty of entertainment for anyone willing to take a short road trip.

Sunny SIDE UP

By Andrea Opperman and Andrea Opperman with additional information · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12:06 a.m.

She can already hear the waves crashing, feel the wind blowing and smell the salt water churning. Spring break is so close she can taste it. Lounging on the beach, soaking in the sun and truly taking the definition of vacation into context, junior Lida Coalter is hours away from spending her break in the Bahamas. Many students have been preparing for this magical week off in mid-March by packing and finishing up school work. Coalter has other plans. She's been preparing for spring break in a manner that has been catching on around campus and the nation in the past few years. A few weeks ago, Coalter started going to a tanning salon.

Around The State

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, March 9,2005 12 a.m.

New prescription drug Web site offers alternative to imports INDIANAPOLIS -- Pharmaceutical companies are running a new Web site that can direct Indiana residents to prescription drug programs offering free or discounted medications -- a safer alternative to importing drugs from other countries, Gov. Mitch Daniels said Tuesday.

IU's Circle of Life encourages organ donation awareness

By Megan George · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:53 p.m.

Life is a selfless gift anyone can give regardless of age or nationality. Students and faculty members came to Merrill Hall's Clouse Lounge yesterday to register and spread awareness about organ donation for IU's Circle of Life. School of Music staff member Susan Buzan organized the event to raise organ donor awareness, a cause she has been actively advocating since early fall.

Israelis agree to hand over Jericho

By Alyson Brodsy and Josef Federman · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:47 p.m.

EREZ CROSSING, Israel -- Israel will turn over two West Bank towns to Palestinian control in the coming days, Israel's defense minister announced Tuesday after meeting the Palestinian leader, but disagreements remained over how much land around the towns would be transferred.

China authorizes attack on Taiwan

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:46 p.m.

BEIJING -- China unveiled a law Tuesday authorizing an attack if Taiwan moves toward formal independence, increasing pressure on the self-ruled island while warning other countries not to interfere. Taiwan denounced the legislation as a "blank check to invade" and announced war games aimed at repelling an attack.

Clinton scheduled to have follow-up heart surgery

By Alyson Brodsy and Karen Matthews · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:44 p.m.

NEW YORK -- Former President Clinton will undergo a medical procedure this week to remove an unusual buildup of fluid and scar tissue from his chest, six months after he underwent quadruple bypass surgery, his office said Tuesday. "I feel fine," Clinton said in Washington.

Too much plot, not enough time

By Sean Abbott · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:43 p.m.

What happens when a musclebound action hero finds himself bound by circumstances to protect a house full of children in the land of suburbia? Who knows? But here's a better question: didn't Hulk Hogan already make this movie a few times a decade before Vin Diesel became "The Pacifier"? And wasn't Hogan a lot cooler?

Bush praises spread of democracy in Mideast

By Alyson Brodsy and Terence Hunt · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:43 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush hailed fresh signs of democracy Tuesday in the Middle East, saying authoritarian rule is "the last gasp of a discredited past" and demanding that Syria withdraw from Lebanon.

Bloomington native recalls days in Iraq

By Pat Giese and Patrick Giese · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:41 p.m.

With the ongoing conflict in Iraq receiving so much news coverage, it is easy to forget that in addition to men and women in uniform, hundreds of American citizens face the dangers of an unstable Iraq to provide us with that news. One Bloomington native spent 10 days in Baghdad to send Americans information about the Iraq elections.

Great acting doesn't save 'Jacket'

By Miranda Higdon · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:41 p.m.

"The Jacket" is a dark, bleak film rife with harsh screeches and brutal, stabbing flashes of memory. Sounds normally peripheral are unnaturally loud, like breathing or the buckling of straps. Director John Maybury employs numerous extreme close-ups of eyes and mouths. The jagged, tuneless music complements the cramped, cheerless tone of the film perfectly. If any of these things in large quantities make you uncomfortable, then this film may not be to your liking.

'Wounded city' holds terror summit

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:41 p.m.

MADRID, Spain -- Nations must band together to fight an international terrorism threat because most are too weak to deal with it on their own, a world summit on the new century's scourge was told Tuesday. Leading experts on terrorism also stressed the new enemy only can be contained and might claim lives for decades to come.

Travolta comes up 'Shorty' in sequel

By -Alec Toombs · Tuesday, March 8,2005 11:39 p.m.

Ten years after "Get Shorty" hit theaters comes the unnecessary but intermittently entertaining sequel, "Be Cool." Despite dismissals from numerous critics across the country, "Cool" actually lives up to its name at times.