Longform

Professor helps keep beaches open

A new bacterial forecasting system developed by Greg Olyphant, associate professor of geological sciences, has made it possible for cities to accurately predict potentially hazardous bacteria levels along Lake Michigan. The system may potentially eliminate unnecessary beach closings, which have plagued lakefront cities such as Chicago and Milwaukee. Olyphant's system uses weather characteristics such as recent rainfall, wind, lake levels, air and water temperature and sunshine to estimate E-coli levels in the water as well as on the beach. What makes the model so valuable is its timeliness, Olyphant said. The new computerized approach can forecast E-coli levels within just three hours.

Defense steps up, offense well-rounded

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Before Sunday the Hoosiers had at least four players score in double figures in each of their last three games.

Beware of Senator Daschle

I'm about a week behind on the insta-analysis of the Jim Jeffords defection. For what it's worth, here's my view: Jeffords was a RiNO - Republican in Name Only - in a party full of elephants. If you openly profess to be a Republican these days, it automatically means you're a closet fascist or racist (boring and uptight, too), especially on large, public universities. Most Republicans (the elephants) stand strong through this mud throwing.

Defense site destroyed

U.S. warplanes bombed an air defense site in northern Iraq on Wednesday after coming under attack from Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery, the U.S. military said.

Gophers' offense buries Hoosiers

MINNEAPOLIS -- Tom Coverdale kicked the ball, and Dane Fife finished the game with two tackles. You won't find those statistics on any sheet of paper, but they do justice to IU's matchup with Minnesota at Williams Arena Saturday.

Williams ties Big Ten record with 6 TDs in single game

MADISON, Wis. - What a game. What a record-breaking, defense dominating, near-flawless game. It's almost unexplainable, almost unbelievable, almost uncomprehendable how a winless IU football team traveled to Wisconsin and completely rolled over a 3-2 Badger team.

University sets up free long distance

IU classes are meeting today so students can discuss the day's events in the wake of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, University officials said. The University has also made long distance phone calls free so students can keep in touch with family. A University spokeswoman said going to classes would give students and faculty a chance to talk about the attacks in New York and Washington.

Death of a dream

It wasn't supposed to be this way. It wasn't supposed to degenerate into this whispered recrimination, this veiled unhappiness, this behind-the-back finger pointing. When the Thomas H. Fox House was built in 1996, what it offered was a flicker of hope in the gloom of AIDS. The five-bedroom house with communal living areas was conceived as a place for HIV positive people to live and die.

Questions remain after first half of season

The All Star break is upon us fans of Major League Baseball, meaning the season is a little more than halfway home. So, with that in mind, it is time to reflect on what we have seen in the previous few months, and what may be to come as the season winds down to a close. 1) The Next Great Home Run Race? 2) Surprise Division Leaders. 3) The Trading Deadline.

Lady Hoosiers travel to Illinois

The IU women's basketball team prides itself on its leadership from four starting seniors. Illinois looks for inspiration elsewhere with only one senior in its opening lineup. "Senior leadership is important, but you have to be passionate and you have to be hungry and you got to want to make it happen," Illinois coach, Theresa Grentz, said. "If you don't have seniors, you go with what you have. The key is to be passionate. You have to have great desire."

Team travels across country for tournament

The IU volleyball team left to travel across the country Thursday to The Loyola Marymount Invitational -- a tournament they could not be more excited about. "I've never been to California," said sophomore Melissa Brewer, "I'm very excited. Hopefully we'll have some free time to look around and this trip should give us a chance to regroup."

Working for changes

For 10 years, Peggy MacPeak made baseball caps on the assembly line at a New Era factory in Derby, N.Y. Her job was to force a piece of cardboard into the bill before stitching it closed. It was grueling, monotonous work, but she said she was always proud of the caps she helped to make.

The kids are alright

Go Back: The real world is scary

IU 2, St. John's 1

The men's soccer team moved one step closer to its sixth NCAA title Friday night, with a 2-1 win over St. John's in double overtime. After a defensive battle first half that left both teams scoreless, St. John's midfielder Jeff Matteo broke the Indiana block for the game's first goal. The goal also broke IU's shutout streak at 702:19 minutes. With only 25 minutes remaining in regulation, freshman Mike Ambersley tied the score with a 22-yard shot. The game remained tied into a second overtime, when sophomore Vijay Dias scored the goal that pushed IU to the next level.

Gas tax hike foolish idea

Gov. Frank O'Bannon had a great idea before the last election: cut the gas tax. Sure, the skyrocketing oil prices had something to do with it, but so did his re-election. It was a prime example of politics and, oddly enough, a Democrat using conservative economics. O'Bannon's motive might have been off target, but the idea was still a good one. Now that he's been elected and has successfully mismanaged the budget, O'Bannon wants to get in touch with his Democrat roots and re-instate the tax. To most political observers, the reason for the reinstatement is simple.

Williams defeats obstacles, earns position

Little League football said senior Levron Williams was too big to play running back. He was talented enough to play both offense and defense, but they would not let him carry the ball. "I was supposed to play running back the year I started to play, but they had a weight requirement I had to meet, and they said I was overweight," Williams, the Hoosiers starting running back, said. "I was kind of bigger than everyone else." Williams said his future as a running back began in middle school. "I just showed them I could run the ball and they let me play running back," he said.

The commencement address you won't hear

I wrote the following speech for a high level IU administrator to deliver at the 2001 commencement. Then I decided to share it with you readers instead.

Programs seek to alleviate stress

Most people feel worried at some point in their lives. Sweaty palms, shaky hands and deep heart pounding are all symptoms of anxiety. Although nerve-wracking, those feelings can prepare people for stressful events, such as public speaking, a job interview or a big date. Nervousness makes people aware of their actions and makes them more alert. But when those feelings take over thoughts and actions, they can become a dangerous type of anxiety. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a common anxiety disorder, most prominent among college students.

237 schools fail to meet standards

State education officials said more than 230 Indiana schools have failed to meet national standards for improving the academic achievement of low-income students.