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IU Students for Liberty stage rally

Shortly after most of their classmates watched President Barack Obama take the oath of office, members of IU Students for Liberty stood outside to protest and question the actions Obama has taken – and intends to take – as the new president. The group’s main complaint is that President Obama’s record, rhetoric and cabinet appointees thus far do not represent the change he promised during the election.

Steelers knew about Cards’ Fitzgerald’s skills long ago

PITTSBURGH – Larry Fitzgerald might be the most scouted player in Pittsburgh Steelers history. For two years, they needed only to look out their office windows to watch him.

Kendall flourishes as rising star due to praised ‘upperclassmen-like’ work ethic

Will Kendall is a beast. On the court, his solid shots and strong serves dominate opponents. IU coach Randy Bloemendaal said the freshman tennis player has the potential to become one of the top competitors in the country.

Spaniard Alba Berdala leads her tennis team as número uno

Ash borer found in Monroe County

The tree-killing emerald ash borer has been found in Monroe County. The Department of Natural Resources says the presence of the invasive green beetle has been confirmed in the county’s Polk Township.

New bill would slow rollout of Indiana welfare system changes

A Republican lawmaker has defied Gov. Mitch Daniels and filed a bill to slow the rollout of Indiana’s new welfare intake system, but the leader of the GOP-controlled state Senate is skeptical that the legislation is needed.

Bloomington celebrates the inauguration

Obama supporters packed Bloomington restaurants Tuesday evening to relive the experience of the inauguration that occurred more than seven hours earlier.

Still smoldering

Although most of us probably paid no mind to it this past New Year’s Day, Jan. 1 was the one-year anniversary of the IU smoking ban, a campus-wide prohibition of smoking on IU property with the exception of a few designated smoking spots and private property not owned, operated or leased by the University. It seemed fairly obvious that smoking on campus at best only marginally decreased. The punishments violators would be given if caught were not enforceable (referring them to the Office of the Dean of Students for review and then action), because it wasted everyone’s time. The University has therefore formed a committee of students to discuss ways to make the ban more enforceable. One possibility is changing the punishment to ticketing violators when apprehended. We support the ban on the general principle that people ought to be able to do what they want so long as their actions don’t directly harm anyone else. We have no problem with smoking – smokers know the health risks associated with it and can choose to continue smoking if they want. Instead, what we’re worried about here is that smoking in public not only harms the smoker, but harms the public as well.

The Dungy Template

The character of a leader – and the qualities glorified by his followers – often reflect the wisdom or foolishness of a people.

President’s Best Friend

As man’s best friend and woman’s trendiest purse accessory, dogs hold a sacred communion with the humans who feed, walk and love them.

Online TV is bound to get messy

Spoiler alert: People watch TV shows online nowadays. Each major network’s Web site includes a substantial video and episode gallery, and co-op Web sites, such as Hulu, a joint venture between News Corp. and NBC Universal, are bringing more and more content to the Web.

Disagreements should not spark atrocious events

Dec. 13, 2008, will live in infamy for one woman, 28, of San Francisco, California. MSNBC/AP says she was “jumped by four men, taunted for being a lesbian, repeatedly raped and left naked outside an abandoned apartment building.” According to Richmond Police Lt. Mark Gagan, the men commented that “they knew her sexual orientation.” She endured a 45-minute ordeal of violence and abuse.

Mishaps of McRobbie’s son not news

In my eighth and (hopefully) final semester, I am fed up.  With war waging, political upheaval and economic struggles, what does our IDS choose to headline the news with? McRobbie’s son caught smoking pot.

Illiteracy deserves more informed examination

I would like to correct Cory Barker’s opinion piece titled “Can You Read This?” that was published in Wednesday’s IDS.

Nazi-U.S. comparison illustrates a point

David Ebbinghouse’s graffiti art in Ballantine Hall depicts two swastikas as a way of questioning the validity of our present “democracy.” Lindsey Krantz asks “Is the U.S. government currently planning the extinction of an entire religious group?”

The wolves must hate America

“George W. Bush is no longer president.” Say that phrase with me. Let it mull around in your mouth for a while. Savor it.

Hello, Goodbye

As our country embarks on a new journey in presidential history, we should reflect on the past as we look into the future. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was a poignant day for me as I reflected and reminisced on my journey into my love for politics, which commenced on Sept. 11, 2001. I am so thankful that the right man was in the Oval Office that day eight years ago and during the years following.

The times, they are a-changin’

I always tell my friends that I should have been born in the 1960s. Better yet, I should have been born in the 1950s so I would have been a college student in the 1960s. I say this not only because of my admiration for musicians Bob Dylan and Neil Young but because I have always wanted to be part of a historic social and political movement.

IU arts programs’ reputations are recession-proof

Major Broadway production shutdowns and drastic decreases in symphony ticket prices are just two examples of the immediate effects the struggling economy is having on most arts organizations.But for at least one more year, IU’s theater and music programs have remained financially stable.

Wandering Turtle Art Gallery and Gifts relocates

On Tuesday, Wandering Turtle Art Gallery and Gifts moved to a new location in the heart of Bloomington’s downtown art district. The gallery, formerly located on North College Avenue, opened up shop in the Historic Wicks Building on Gallery Row.Jamie Sweany, IU alumna and owner of the Wandering Turtle, opened the gallery in 2003. The gallery features paintings, ceramics, photography, sculptures, jewelry, handmade paper, note cards and artist’s prints, Sweany said. Exhibitors of the gallery include artists and craftspeople from around the world, as well as 100 local and regional artists, Sweany said.