Longform

Baffert does it at Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- War Emblem showed up at Bob Baffert's barn a mere three weeks ago. Even the trainer joked that he would need his best and shortest training job to win the Kentucky Derby. Baffert came through.

FBI backing more terror prosecutions

The FBI has been seeking prosecution of international terrorism cases at six times the rate it did before Sept. 11, but more than half of those cases considered by federal prosecutors never made it to court, Justice Department records show.

Brehm to be installed

Sharon Brehm joins elite company today. In a ceremony at 4 p.m. in the IU Auditorium, Brehm will be installed as Bloomington's third chancellor. She is the first woman to hold the position. While the formal induction comes in mid-October, Brehm has been on campus three months and said she already feels at home.

Dark comedy somewhat dead on arrival

Coming out with a new channel

Nickelodeon for kid audiences. MTV for teen and young adult audiences. Black Entertainment Television for black audiences. Lifetime for women. Is there an audience missing? Why not a channel for gay audiences? MTV and Showtime are looking to create the first channel aimed at gay audiences. "We see this as the next step in what a television network is supposed to be," Betsy Frank, the executive vice president of research for MTV Networks, told The New York Times Jan. 10. Television networks were working toward the idea of a channel directed at gay viewers after the presence of gay characters increased in appearance on television shows, including Showtime's "Queer as Folk" and NBC's "Will and Grace." But the channel itself will be more than just sitcoms with gay characters.

The dangers of walking to class

When I first came to this hallowed institution of learning, I knew that things would be more difficult than they were in the namby-pamby days of high school. I assumed that the hardest activities I would have to deal with would either involve something to do with a parabola, waking up on a Sunday morning (or early afternoon) after a hard night of studying, or holding a conversation with an attractive female for more than 30 seconds. Alas, it has turned out that this is not the scenario. I passed the final math class of my lifetime with a "B." There is nothing that a few aspirin can't take care of after pounding headaches from hours at the library.

Guns not for cockpits

On Wednesday, a bill that would potentially allow more than 70,000 airline pilots to carry guns in the cockpit was passed overwhelmingly by the U.S. House of Representatives. Lawmakers who favored the bill even amended it to exclude restrictions created by the House Transportation Committee that would arm only a fraction of pilots.

Sincerely wrong

You must understand that I knew beyond a shadow of doubt that the men's bathroom was on the left. It was a few days before Christmas.

Oregon police refuse to follow federal procedure

Police in an Oregon college town became the second force to rebuff federal law enforcers' plans to interview foreigners as part of an antiterrorism sweep. In Michigan, meanwhile, a newspaper report of a federal memo has increased doubts about a program encouraging people from countries where Osama bin Laden's terror network has been active to come forward for questioning.

Series events:2 down, 1 to go

Four rounds and more than 50 heats after it started, only two riders remained at Miss-N-Out. Phi Delta Theta senior Matt Marketti and Kappa Kappa Gamma junior Kristin Carpenter reigned as the men's and women's champions in 2002.

Brass band gets down and dirty

Fans of the funk were given a real treat Monday night when jazz veterans the Dirty Dozen Brass Band brought their unique style of groovy, hip-shakin' bebop to the Bluebird Nightclub, 216 N. Walnut St. Formed more than 20 years ago in New Orleans, the DDBB has helped revive the city's brass band tradition, started by such legends as Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong. Indeed, New Orleans is known for great parties and great music, and the DDBB create both with their live shows.

Careful who you trust

My mother called me a while ago to see how I was doing with my new classes and such. I realize that mothers are supposed to care, but my mother is on the verge of caring too much. "Are you using the pepper spray I got you?" she asked. "No Mom, I haven't had a reason to use it yet." "Do you bring it with you when you walk home from the library at night?" "No, it's a well-lit area." "Stephanie…" I could hear the worry in her voice and a lecture coming on. "Mom, there are other people around when I walk home from the library," I said in my defense. "So you don't think anything could happen to you?" "Well, I don't want to say no now, I might jinx myself."

Area students learn about King

They want to battle racism hoping it will bring love and peace to the world. They are learning about the hardships that face humanity, but they still believe goodness is possible. They are the students attending Harmony School in Bloomington and they range in age from five to 18. They are the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fire threatens giant

PINE FLAT, Calif. -- A ferocious wildfire fed by dense underbrush and weeks of dry weather roared toward treasured groves of giant sequoias whose ages are measured in centuries. The 48,200-acre blaze moved through the valleys of the Giant Sequoia National Monument and came within a few miles of the Freeman Creek Grove and Trail of 100 Giants.

Limited occupancy law vetoed

Parked cars clogging the streets. Loud parties until early in the morning. Irresponsible tenants. These are the concerns of some Bloomington homeowners due to an ordinance being overturned by the Indiana Court of Appeals on how many people can live under the same roof. A lawsuit was filed against Peter Dvorak who let five unrelated students live in his rental property, violating a Bloomington zoning ordinance that stated no more than three unrelated people may live together.

Harp & soul: A lifetime of music

Recently, Dan Yu, a graduate student at the IU School of Music, won the USA International Harp Competition held on the IU campus here in Bloomington. Just the latest example of the profusion of talent that has emerged from the School of Music during the years, she has gone from being unheard of to the talk of the musical world. Yu comes from humble beginnings in Shenyang in the northeast corner of China. Her father is a flutist and has encouraged her in her musical pursuits from the very beginning. She started off playing the piano at the age of six.

Defined by what we study

What's your major? I can't tell you the number of times I've been asked that question. Unfortunately we are often defined by our majors. IU is known for many things, business being one of them. Business majors are often viewed as money grubbing, I-Core fearing, competitive individuals. I live with a business major. I see the hard work, determination and persistence that accompany a major in business. And by the way, guys, if you're a business major, use that as your pick up line. As superficial as it seems, some girls think about the future before the first date. At the opposite end of the spectrum, there are the music majors. Many might laugh at the choice to major in a talent. But I commend them for following a passion for playing even if it means little paying. I walk by the music school almost every day. The students really are talented. There's nothing better than a man with a guitar and a good voice.

Prosecutor dismisses charges against alleged local ecoterrorist

Monroe County Prosecutor Carl Salzman dismissed the charges against Frank Ambrose, a prominent local environmentalist who was accused of spiking trees set aside for logging in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest last June.

Bush's musical state not golden

Police struggling to fill ranks

INDIANAPOLIS -- Police departments across Indiana are devising incentives to entice recruits as they struggle to fill their ranks in a field notorious for low pay and dangerous working conditions. "Almost every chief in every department I talk to complains about this as a major problem," Michael F. Ward, executive director of the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police, said.