Region

Donkeys in Iraq

By Scott Leadingham · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 8:21 p.m.

"I warned you about Bush. He is evil, far worse than we thought. George Bush might go down is history as the meanest yuppie who ever lived. He is once again the front-runner in the '88 presidential race." --Hunter S. Thompson One of the activities I look forward to on a daily basis (other than attempting to guess Colin Dugdale's sexual preference) is watching the spectacle known as George Bush's War on Common Sense.

No more moderates

By Brian Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 8:18 p.m.

It has been a mighty long time coming. With President Bush's commitment to redouble rather than reduce efforts for victory in Iraq, the debate over the war has taken a new and necessary turn. A bipartisan consensus has grown around the idea that, in the words of the Democratic leadership, "it is time to bring the war to a close." Bush recently told author Bob Woodward that he would not withdraw from Iraq even if his wife and dog were the only people left on his side. With a cowardly and reserved Congress, assisted by a media that is at the service of such a sickly consensus, that jest may very soon be put to the test.

Chirac's last stand

By Peter Chen · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 8:15 p.m.

AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France -- President Jacques Chirac earned the nickname "Le Bulldozer" for his boundless work ethic and implacable commitment to get things done. Now increasingly a lame duck, it appears Chirac will be the one bulldozed by history. His former protege, Nicholas Sarkozy, and Socialist candidate Segolene Royal are fighting to see who can brush his legacy aside fastest. Chirac suffered a stroke in 2005. He is also 74 years old. For many reasons, 81 percent of the French public doesn't want him to run again. By all accounts, this is a man finished in politics.

Iraqi forces could take control by June 2007

By Alyson Brodsy and Sinan Salaheddin · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 8:08 p.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Thursday he believed Iraqi forces would be ready by June 2007 to take full control of security in Iraq, an issue on which he pressed President Bush during their meeting in Amman, Jordan.

Adam who?

By Alyson Brodsy and Jacob Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 2:19 p.m.

It's official. Adam Herbert announced Friday that he will leave his post as president after his contract expires in 2008. The end of an era will soon be upon us as Herbert is self-expelled from office and dwindles into oblivion. Some will cry at the loss, some will smile and after many months of criticism and surrounding turmoil, there is really only one question on the minds of many IU students ... Who the hell is Adam Herbert? And furthermore, just what is he president of?

Shameful 45 minutes

By Alyson Brodsy and Jacob Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 2:18 p.m.

Every Tuesday and Thursday I wake up at 8:45 a.m. and hop in the shower. After drying myself and putting on the first piece of clothing that falls off the hanger, I either spend the next 15 minutes preparing for an upcoming quiz or debating with myself if I should even go to class or if I'm a lost cause. Most of the time, I decide to go to school and arrive on time for my 9:30 a.m. class. For those of you who can perform mathematics, you'll see that the whole process takes about 45 minutes. Last time I checked, I am only one man and that decision affected only me. Yet according to Indiana Daily Student reports, it took that same 45 minutes for the IU Student Association to debate and decide on new resolutions to change the election process, beginning this year. This decision will affect more than 30,000 students. At this rate, the Roman Empire, centralized in Bloomington, will reach its former glory within the next 30 days.

The BFC's blunder

By Alyson Brodsy and Jacob Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 2:18 p.m.

I drive a shiny 2005 Honda Civic, and I am working a great deal to meet the monthly payments. It might be a meager and cheap car to many on this campus, but the smooth-finished, blue-painted automobile is my pride and joy. And every day I am forced to park my little car in the stadium parking lot, or else try to find a small space to squeeze it in around campus, generally between a tiny Mazda Miata parked an inch from the line on the left and a massive LT1 someone's parents bought for them taking up every spec of space it can on the right. It's like trying to fit Marlon Brando into a bathtub, a bit slippery and extremely dangerous (not to mention very ugly).

Bustin' the drunks

By Alyson Brodsy and Jacob Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 2:17 p.m.

What's worse than seeing those blue and red lights behind you on the highway? Seeing those blue and red lights behind you on the highway, and knowing that the officer in the car is most likely typing on a computer to find out instantaneously if you're an ex-convict, sex offender, drug abuser or (in some cases) all-around good person. And knowing that, in about 10 seconds, the rest of the IU Police Department is going to know that you're one of those things -- or, at the very least, a speeder (which is the same as "sinner" in my book).

Bleeding Crimson

By Alyson Brodsy and Jacob Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 2:14 p.m.

I can't help but get a little irked every time some Kentucky fan walks up to me in a bar, points to my IU hat (which I am rarely seen without) and says, "I bleed Kentucky blue." Dude, you do not bleed blue. You are not from Jupiter. You did not fly in on a space ship requesting of the first person you saw -- ray gun in hand -- to take you to Tubby Smith (UK basketball coach synonymous with pure evil). That makes you a liar. But I'm not. I bleed crimson. I can prove it. Cut me.

107 morons

By Alyson Brodsy and Jacob Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 2:13 p.m.

After last week's attempt to climb back into the Princeton Review's unscientifically calculated top spot for nation's best party school with 107 arrests following the arrival of the 2010 freshman class, many students were scared. Mostly scared that they were going to jail after being covered in delousing powder and beginning a lifelong love affair with a 300-pound arsonist named Bubba. Needless to say, they felt compelled to contact IU Student Legal Services.

A call to stand

By Jacob Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 2:13 p.m.

No jokes this week. Only pure disgust. It's easy to sit and read about far off wars and death and move on. It's easy to hear about genocide the globe over and not break our daily pace. It's easy to hear of rapes millions of miles away and shed no tears. It's easy to know of violence, despair and hate in the world, and do nothing. It's easy because it's not on our turf, not in Bloomington. That kind of malicious behavior only occurs elsewhere, far from our cushy lives and humble apartment buildings.

Why I'm so great

By Jacob Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 2:12 p.m.

On Tuesday night, Peggy Klaus, communications specialist and author of the recently published book "Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It," presented an interactive program called "Bragging Rights." During the program, Klaus explained that everyone must brag about themselves to get somewhere in life. My heart skipped a beat as I read the Indiana Daily Student article covering the event. (I admit that I did not attend the program, which, in retrospect, I highly regret). Finally, someone has given me fuel to add to my fire.

Knight still at the heart of Hoosier fans

By Jacob Stewart and Jake Stewart · Monday, Jan. 15,2007 2:10 p.m.

When New Mexico guard J.R. Giddens' 3-point attempt at the buzzer clanged against metal and fell to the hardwood on Jan. 1, Texas Tech coach Bob Knight finally overtook former North Carolina coach Dean Smith for the most wins in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball history. It was a grand achievement for a man of unwaveringly stony character and high basketball intellect. While the IU community recognizes the achievement as evidence of Knight's importance to the game, the Hoosier nation no doubt feels it is partly responsible for this record.

UPDATE: No. 1 Indiana football recruit verbally commits to IU

Sunday, Jan. 14,2007 11:10 p.m.

IU football coach Terry Hoeppner landed the No. 1 high-school football recruit in Indiana this weekend, Warren Central High School safety Jerimy Finch, after Finch made an official visit to the IU campus, according to recruiting Web site Rivals.com.

Gibson crafts near perfect action movie

By C. Warner Sills and John Barnett · Saturday, Jan. 13,2007 12:21 a.m.

Say what you will about Mel Gibson's drunken anti-Semitic ravings and positively batty television news-magazine interviews. The man is a born filmmaker. Even my own professed secularism won't prevent me from praising "The Passion of the Christ" as a blood-soaked masterstroke, and no overcooked media circus could've kept me from seeing "Apocalypto" on opening night.

UPDATE: Former IU soccer standout drafted

Friday, Jan. 12,2007 4:15 p.m.

English superstar David Beckham won't be the only newcomer to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Former IU standout and 2006 Big Ten Player of the Year Josh Tudela was drafted by the Galaxy in the second round of the MLS draft on Friday afternoon. That means Tudela will be teammates with Beckham, a former English captain who led Manchester United to six league titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League title. Beckham signed a five-year, $250 million contract with the Galaxy on Thursday.

Winter warmth

By C. Warner Sills and Joanna Borns · Friday, Jan. 12,2007 4:05 p.m.

As I peered over the rim of my paper Dixie cup, steam swirled playfully into my face as if I had charmed it from the cup. My drink was chocolate. Hot chocolate. The only thing between me and the door was a large, stuffed camel. Behind me was a model boat. I was sitting at my first stop on the great hot chocolate crawl: Café et Crepe on Fourth Street. They make their hot chocolate with milk, Ghirardelli chocolate sauce and sometimes a shot of vanilla if it gets too dark.

The first big snow

By C. Warner Sills and Michael Reschke · Friday, Jan. 12,2007 4:03 p.m.

While many people were happy to see El Niño keep the weather warm enough to stop all the precipitation Bloomington has had this winter from turning to snow, not everyone feels that way. This year's unseasonably warm weather has put many of Bloomington's best winter activities on hold. One person who has missed out on one of his favorite winter activities -- icefishing -- is Bloomington resident Aaron Barrow. Griffy Lake is a hot spot for winter activities when the weather has been cold enough to freeze the water on the lake, Barrow said.

New Year's resolution

By C. Warner Sills and Michael Mellini · Friday, Jan. 12,2007 4 p.m.

It's January and as Hollywood looks toward the upcoming year ahead, we offer some New Year's resolutions. Britney Spears: Come on Brit, at least try. You keep complaining about the media misrepresenting your life. I feel for you. If the paparazzi ever were to come down to Kirkwood and see the drunkenness of half our school, we'd be all over the headlines of Us Weekly, too. Try to look alive for the cameras. Regularly wearing underwear might be a good start. Zach Braff: Don't aspire too high. "The Last Kiss" proved you're not the huge box-office draw people expected after "Garden State." Don't leave "Scrubs" after this season to pursue a movie career. It's been one of the few shows that improves every season and you won't realize how great a job you had until it's gone.

Everybody's working for the Weekend

By C. Warner Sills and Zack Teibloom · Friday, Jan. 12,2007 4 p.m.

Remember that shitty '80s song by Loverboy? It sucked, didn't it? Well, if you could give me 400 words about why it sucked, I'd pay you $8. I'll up the ante. If you give me reviews like that every week, then you can get free discs, movie passes, concert tickets and get your picture in the paper. I'm running reviews this semester, and I need your help. Everyone has an opinion, and I want yours. Consider this my Coach Hep "I want you campaign."