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Friday, May 15
The Indiana Daily Student

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The Indiana Daily Student

Jessica Simpson takes charge of her 'normal life'

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LOS ANGELES -- She's a pop singer, a pinup-worthy beauty and a paparazzi favorite, but Jessica Simpson insists she's just "a normal girl." With her fifth album in stores, a new music video on the way and a movie opening Friday, normal might be a stretch.


The Indiana Daily Student

Casket, hospital bed company plans to cut 140 jobs

BATESVILLE, Ind. — Hillenbrand Industries, a casket and hospital bed maker, plans to cut 140 jobs and could outsource part of its operation, possibly leading to more job losses.



The Indiana Daily Student

State DNR looking at non-lethal solutions to swan problem

INDIANAPOLIS — State conservation officers will avoid destroying invasive mute swans for at least a year, instead concentrating on the birds' nests to control the population, the state said Wednesday.



The Indiana Daily Student

Mitchell's 'Shortbus' among films that straddle line between porn and art

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LOS ANGELES -- When a longtime married couple bounces all over the bed in every imaginable position in "Shortbus" or when a particularly limber character bends into a yoga pose that proves he, um, never has to leave the house, it's all real sex, not simulated. However, writer-director John Cameron Mitchell says his intention is to educate, not titillate.


The Indiana Daily Student

Man ordered to sit under sign as criminal sentence

WABASH, Ind. -- A judge ordered that a man who has failed to pay child support must spend his days sitting in a county building's lobby under a sign reading, "I don't support my kids."


The Indiana Daily Student

Director begins final season of 33-year term; U. Singers perform Sunday

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An assortment of water bottles sat at the feet of rehearsal chairs on the Auer Hall stage Monday afternoon. Filling those seats, a group of casually dressed coeds awaited instruction from director Jan Harrington. He appeared, conducting wand in hand, and a few short waves later, this seemingly average group of young people had transformed into a sophisticated, classically trained ensemble known as the University Singers.


The Indiana Daily Student

Official: State considering privatization of rail line

MUNSTER, Ind. -- Indiana is considering whether to sell or lease the South Shore commuter line to raise money in a deal similar to the $3.8 billion lease of the Indiana Toll Road, a transportation official said.



The Indiana Daily Student

Runway in France: subversive shows

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PARIS -- Tuesday, Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood challenged the adage that you can never be too rich or too thin with ready-to-wear collections that were full of wit and subversion. Some would call it biting the hand that feeds you, but provocation is second nature for the veteran designers, who both started out in the 1970s era of punk.



The Indiana Daily Student

Students invited to 'Birthday Party' this weekend

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No invitations are necessary to attend IU Department of Theater & Drama's production of "The Birthday Party" by Harold Pinter. Opening 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre, this bizarre mystery guarantees to leave audience members with something to think about.


Our Wild Flower

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This little town amid the cornfields wasn't always a hub for world music. It was made that way by three men who wanted to manifest the spirit and folk tradition that embody the crossroads of America. There were three men in the Bloomington music community that met to discuss the creation of such a music festival, which would bring music of every culture to the town, back in 1996. Three and a half months later, the they had assembled 14 acts from around the world representing what they felt were the best and brightest stars in global music. Only one task remained: Naming the festival.


The Indiana Daily Student

MMJ paints sonic landscapes on live album

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My Morning Jacket are an amalgamation of many genres, so it's hard to pinpoint exactly what they sound like. Phish, Coldplay, Beck, Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd... take your pick. If you like any of the above, then you happen to be in the right place. Okonokos is a sprawling live album, almost two hours worth of sonic landscapes and jams that will make your ears bleed in a soothing way. Southern rock took some shrooms and stumbled onto stage, and this is what you hear. It's some pretty amazing stuff.


Biz Trek

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Joshua Gold began forging notes to get out of school in the fourth grade. He was that guy in your X201 class who rolled into lecture once in a blue moon and called you 10 minutes before a group meeting to say he couldn't come, regrettably ("I've just been really, really sick the past semester or so"). On the eve of I-Core, he dropped out of the Kelley School of Business because, let's face it, who really has the time or energy to study while in college? His resume: lifeguard, pool hand (inspired by a suggestive "Desperate Housewives" episode) and full-time New Jersey Shore beach bum (an occupation he chose during the summer he "didn't feel like working").


All aboard?

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We see the Bloomington shuttle in the distance, stopping just a block away in front of Kilroy's Sports Bar. The girl in front of me picks up speed, her purse slapping against her thigh as she begins to do more than just the power-walk. I suddenly realize that when trying to catch a ride on the drunk bus, running and making a fool of yourself is totally acceptable. It's a mad dash up North Walnut Street, swerving through groups of half-drunken people holding onto slices of Rockit's pizza or just each other.


Not worth running to the store for

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There's a strange phenomenon happening in rap these days. Eschewing quick, punchy lines for complex vocal structures, rappers have abandoned the art of the one-liner. (I blame Twista, but whatever.) Fortunately, for himself, Atlanta-based Ludacris has no such qualms.


Jackson sums up two decades of mediocre music

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"I've talked about a lot things ... I've covered a lot in my 20 years," says Janet, on the opening interlude, "Intro (20)." "But I want to keep things light, I want to have fun." And so begins 20 Years Old, a nod to Jackson's 20 years in the biz since her debut album "Control" came out. With the first several tracks, Janet infuses the same heavy dance beats and bump-and-grind style of her Rhythm Nation days. These "me" songs consist of Janet commanding someone to do the dirty, sexy deeds she's never been afraid to talk about. There's "Show Me" and "Do it 2 Me." After hearing any of those, and the fun "So Excited," one can't help but wonder why they weren't used as the album's first single, instead of the mid-tempo "Call on Me" featuring Nelly.