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Breaking bloodlines

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:57 p.m.

Mommy and Daddy are no help to Texas A&M hopefuls now. After much pressure from legislators and social activists, university president Robert M. Gates announced Friday he would end the school's policy of giving admissions boosts to relatives of alumni. Before the announcement, legacy points had been pegged as the deciding factor in admitting at least 300 white students in each of the last few years, according to an analysis by the Houston Chronicle.

Around The Campus

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:40 p.m.

"Dine like a Diplomat" etiquette dinners, where students can learn the proper etiquette for business luncheons and dinners, will hold a spring session this semester.

Cute Brit only thing 'Goode' about 'Liberty'

By Cassidy Flanagan · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:39 p.m.

Walking into the theater I knew that Chasing Liberty was going to be a film I would have enjoyed more when I was 14 with my two best girlfriends. Amongst giggling teenage girls and the latest 15-year-old couplings, I sat back ready to take in the latest of "teeny-bopper" flicks.

One flick you'll be happy to orphan

By Tony Sams · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:38 p.m.

Lonnie (Eddie Griffin), Dominic (Michael Imperioli) and G (Anthony Anderson) are three single guys who become fathers simultaneously and have to travel down the long road to maturity together in My Baby's Daddy, a movie that packs a pathetic punch in almost every way possible.

All-star cast propels emotional roller coaster

By -Kehla West · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:37 p.m.

What a strange movie -- interesting -- but strange. 21 Grams spins out of control from the first second and the audience had better hang on for dear life. It's not a film for the lazy filmgoer. The movie pushes non-linear storytelling to the brink of frustration, but remains captivating to the end. Paul Rivers (Sean Penn) is the recipient of Cristina Peck's (Naomi Watts) husband's heart after he is killed in a tragic car accident. Paul seeks Cristina out and they set out to kill Jack Jordan (Benecio Del Toro), the man who accidentally killed Cristina's husband.

Colleges deal with meningitis threat

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:35 p.m.

When students at Pittsburgh State University return to campus this week after winter break, they'll be encouraged to quickly roll up their shirt sleeves.

IU receives grant to boost retention rates

By Brittany Hite · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:34 p.m.

More than a half million dollars will be awarded to six IU campuses across the state from the Lumina Foundation for Education. IU-East in Richmond, IU-Kokomo, IU-Northwest in Gary, IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne, IU-South Bend and IU-Southeast in New Albany have all been selected to receive aid to improve student retention and degree attainment.

Vampires don't bite but 'Time' DVD does

By Tony Sams · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:33 p.m.

Although the raging war in Underworld has been described as "Romeo and Juliet with vampires and werewolves," it feels quite distant from the Bard's original tale or something like West Side Story and much closer to other thrillers like The Crow or Blade. No matter; Underworld is a sleek success starring the beautiful Kate Beckinsale as Selene, a vampire whose allegiance falters when she meets Michael (Scott Speedman), a human who is mysteriously important to the werewolves.

Outkast not outdone in best albums of 2003

By John Barnett · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:16 p.m.

From grave digging to Polaroid shaking, 2003 offered up a significant amount of the 21st century's best music so far. The following are my Top Ten picks for the year's best albums:

The Penn and the sword equally mighty in 2003

By -Alec Toombs · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 11:15 p.m.

Faithful readers, after a prolonged respite I've returned with yet another installment of my ceaseless and predominantly pointless lists. Another year has come and gone, and with it comes the requisite, and by requisite I mean clichéd, Top Ten Films List. One must keep in mind when reading this list that I didn't see everything that came down the pipeline in 2003, though I did my damnedest. This list is not set in stone, and therefore, the Irish immigrants of In America, the teen temptresses of Thirteen and Charlize Theron and her newly mangled mug (Monster) will be riding the pine -- for now. So, with no further ado:

'Out of Time' bonus features cure insomnia

By -Jenny Kobiela · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:56 p.m.

When most police chiefs encounter a double homicide in their town, they don't discover that all the evidence points to them.

'Great Highway,' great record

By Nick Burton · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:36 p.m.

While glancing at the track list for this album, one will notice a seemingly strange collection of names: Salvador Sanchez, Duk Koo Kim and Pancho Villa. In singer Mark Kozelek's words, these were people who "struggled when they were young, lived fast, then died." A fitting statement when you hear the recurring themes of nostaligia, reflection and hope present on Ghosts of the Great Highway.

It's all 'Dirty Water' from here

By Cassidy Flanagan · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:34 p.m.

For his third album, MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water, David Banner has included enough featured artists to make it a compilation CD of some of today's most popular rap artists instead of a solo disc. Although the album features artists such as Nelly, 8-Ball, Lil' Flip and Busta Rhymes, there is nothing spectacular about this latest disc from Banner.

T Bone Burnett goes back to roots, movies

By Cassidy Flanagan · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:33 p.m.

A combination of blue grass, blues and folk music, the soundtrack to the motion picture Cold Mountain has a charming feel to it. Produced by Grammy winner T Bone Burnett, the compilation includes new music from such award-winning artists as Alison Krauss, Gabriel Yared and Jack White, as well as the Sacred Harp Singers at Liberty Church. The greatest aspect of the album is the way in which many of the songs tell simplistic tales of people and their emotions in an easily relatable manner. The soft, flowing strings of banjos, violins and guitars take a backseat to the lyrics, which are filled with feeling.

MP3: Walk-out on the Walkman

By By Ryan Heath and Ryan Heath · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:33 p.m.

They're small, they're light-weight - some even call them sexy. No matter how you look at it, these tiny electronic wonders have grabbed a huge share of the portable audio market and are invading the homes of millions of Americans.

Rapper in the shadow of J. Hova

By -Brandon Tucker · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:31 p.m.

Jay-Z's retirement has everyone looking for the new big ticket at Roc-a-fella. Since its conception in 1996, Memphis Bleek was supposed to be Jigga's second coming. But after a career that has been a mild success (including a three-year hiatus filled with personal strife), those reigns seem more fit for Roc-a-fella's Kanye West, the hottest up-and-comer in hip-hop right now -- set to release his first solo album in February.

'Splinter'ing the gap between pop and punk

By Ryan Whirty · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:28 p.m.

Starting with its switch from indie fave Epitaph Records to mega-corporate Columbia in 1996, the Offspring has been fighting to retain its street cred as a hard-driving, honest band that plays a somewhat unique mélange of punk and metal. Unfortunately for the band, the massive success of 1998's Americana hinged on the runaway popularity of two singles -- "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" and "Why Don't You Get a Job?" -- that amounted to little more than punk-inspired novelty hits. That, for many listeners and critics, was proof that the once-hardcore quartet had gone hopelessly mainstream.

It's a jungle out there

By Kelly Phillips · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 10:20 p.m.

Three-year-old Uncle Fester's House of Blooze is typical of most bars: it's generally dark, loud, crowded, and rank with cigarette smoke, abandoned beer bottles and sweaty bartenders.

Investing in IU's future

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 1:03 a.m.

It seems as though our prayers have been answered. The national economy, as a whole, is improving. Wall Street posted its first winning year since 1999 -- unemployment fell in December to the lowest in 14 months. U.S Secretary of Treasury, John Snow, said improved job growth is on the horizon.

Concert to save forests

By Brian Janosch · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2004 1:03 a.m.

Heartwood and the Indiana Forest Alliance will be holding a benefit concert this Thursday to raise money in the fight to save Indiana's state forests.