Region

Legendary actor dances with style

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 3,2003 12:41 a.m.

NEW YORK -- For "Assassination Tango," Robert Duvall and Luciana Pedraza performed a delicate pas de deux on and off-screen.

Fine arts school opens new exhibits

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 3,2003 12:41 a.m.

Special exhibitions offering graduating MFA candidates an opportunity to showcase their works during three consecutive group shows began Wednesday and run through May 11 on the first floor of the Hope School of Fine Arts.

One last show

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 3,2003 12:39 a.m.

The Barber Brothers return today to the Jazz Fables stage at Bear's Place. Cover is $5 at the door, and the show begins at 5:30 p.m. The evening will celebrate the 23rd birthday of Roland Barber, who plays trombone, and Rahsaan Barber, who plays saxophone.

Stupidity rewarded

By Britany Ausmus and Brittany Ausmus · Thursday, April 3,2003 12:39 a.m.

After reading "The Darwin Awards II," I am convinced that Darwin's theory of evolution is entirely correct, and it is actively in effect for the human race as well as the animal kingdom.

Bomb explodes in Philippines

By Alyson Brodsy and Jim Gomez · Thursday, April 3,2003 12:11 a.m.

MANILA, Philippines -- A bomb exploded Wednesday near a bustling wharf in the southern Philippine city of Davao, killing at least 15 people and wounding 34, officials said. Two children and a nun were reported killed in the explosion, the second bombing in this city in less than a month.

Around The Region

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 3,2003 12:04 a.m.

FORT WAYNE -- Officer Joe Lyon was skeptical Tuesday when he was flagged down by a resident needing help with an alligator he'd found in a home he was helping clean.

City seeks money for 911 call program

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 3,2003 12:03 a.m.

Bloomington is working on improving its wireless 911 calls. An ordinance was approved Wednesday to establish a wireless enhanced 911 non-reverting fund, and to upgrade the Central Emergency Dispatch Center.

Road work to begin in full force

By Lori Geller · Thursday, April 3,2003 12:02 a.m.

While driving through Bloomington, one can't help but notice the patches of bare pavement blocked off by flourescent orange cones and the large signs that read "caution: road work ahead."

Legislation grants lawsuit immunity to health-care workers from lawsuit liability

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 3,2003 12:01 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana's hospitals and health-care workers would be shielded from lawsuits over adverse reactions to the smallpox vaccine under legislation passed by a House committee Tuesday.

Shame on you, Michael Moore

By Ryan Allen · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

If you watched the Academy Awards this year, you probably witnessed Michael Moore receive the Oscar for best documentary, "Bowling For Columbine." You inevitably witnessed his acceptance speech, though I feel that "acceptance" really isn't the proper word to describe what happened when he took to the podium. For those who didn't know Michael Moore to begin with, his rant about America and President George W. Bush was slightly shocking. For those of us who did know who he is, we all saw it coming. "Here it comes," I said to the other people watching the televised ceremony in my living room. "He's not going to thank anyone; he's just going to push his agenda on the war." Unfortunately, my prediction was as accurate as a Tomahawk missile.

Travolta, Jackson the same as always

By -Paul Straw · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

John Travolta plays the typical "look how cool I am" character and Samuel L. Jackson plays the "badman mofo" in "Basic." By now Jackson has this type of character down but the rest of the actors just seem to be floating through their performances. "Basic" is the story of a training operation gone awry. Jackson, the commander that everyone hates, appears to have died in an assassination attempt by one of his own. When only two men make it back alive, former army ranger Tom Hardy (Travolta) is brought in to assist Lt. Osborne (Connie Nielsen), who has little experience, to help solve the case.

'State' better than trailers suggest

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

"Head of State" is far better than the trailers would suggest, but still not as good as it could've and should've been. The film is a political comedy with no true political stance, nor any fully earned belly laughs. It's a mild diversion and nothing more.

Cursive's 'Organ' needs no alibi

By -Val Tsoutsouris · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

First of all, the ugly organ is the heart, so get your mind out of the gutter. Second, Cursive's new album is a rock-opera/concept album hybrid, the liner notes including staging directions for a production that probably won't ever take place.

The IU Music Therapy program may be gone, but Indiana is still full of opportunities for those seeking solace

By Elizabeth Bahra · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

Everyone remembers the familiar "next time won't you sing with me" rhythm of the ABCs song they learned as a child. It was the sing-song tune that drilled the 26 letters into your head and you probably still find yourself reciting it from time to time. Listening to soft music lulls young children to sleep and often soft tunes are played during massages or in other relaxing environments. More upbeat tunes are used as components to work-out sessions and for motivation. Music is a universal language used not only for enjoyment but also as a therapeutic tool.

Under their thumb

By Jessica Palmer · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

I'll admit it, I love The Rolling Stones, and I am not alone. Tons of people love this band, and with good reason. They are the greatest -- living legends, like the Beatles or Bob Dylan. Perhaps it's their phenomenal music abilities, but clearly the Stones are more than just your average great rock band. They are worshiped because they represent everything it means to be a rock star. They are the models, the blueprint for the stigma of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. For decades Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have been notorious for living it up, partying hard and being international playboys. They call themselves the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band, and the title is not without legitimacy. They are the original bad boys of rock and roll, and we love them for it. What began as a calculated opposition to the clean-cut image of the Beatles spawned the lifestyle of the true rock legend. Heavy drinking, lots of sex, lots of drugs, style, more sex, more talent, more drugs, over-the-top ego and a limitless bank account = Rock Star.

Someone please arrest this band

By Jason Gaddis · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

Sex, drugs and more sex: Hot Action Cop's schtick gets old after about thirty seconds. While some genres improve over time as artists try to do more with it, rap-rock doesn't, as each new artist is consistently worse. Hot Action Cop's sound is stolen straight from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with simpler, heavier guitars and no bass talent whatsoever. There's no mistaking the similarities between "Fever for the flava" and RHCP's "Give it away."

Debut too melancholic for the times

By K James Sward · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

Well, it seems as if Budapest is more than just the capitol of Hungary, folks. That's right, now there is Budapest, the bland, flavorless British rock/pop band. With some sounds similar to those of fellow Brit rockers Oasis, Budapest slows things down a bit. There isn't a single upbeat track to be found on its debut album, Too Blind To Hear.

Local band to leave Bloomington for New York

By Kama Korvela · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

It's easy to see how the "labor" of making the rounds in the Bloomington scene would be cake to Laborious Clef, simply by observing the sheer amount of energy the band members exhibit. On April 5, the band will release its first album, Laborious Clef, at Upland Brewery, which it hopes will better its profile in the community. The party will be held from 9 p.m. to midnight. But the event will be bittersweet, though the band will be celebrating its first album, it will also be looking towards its own impending doom. At the end of the school year, the band will leave the Hoosier state and make the move to New York City. But one member will not be along for the ride.

Pussycat a poetic effort

By Michael Tapscott and Mike Tapscott · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

"Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl/How charmingly sweet you sing!/Oh! let us be married/too long we have tarried/But what shall we do for a ring?'" Edward Lear wrote that back in 1871 in his bedtime-classic Owl & the Pussycat, and the band Owl & the Pussycat is just about as pleasant as the book. A duo consisting of Greg Moore and Lois Maffeo from Olympia, Wash., they reflect the ex-hippie-beatnik-hipster side of indie pop. Like the similar minded Elliott Smith, they play with the conventions of standard pop-rock via folk. Coming off like Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe," as done by slow-core figureheads Low, Owl & the Pussycat is a charming effort.

'View from the Top' crash and burn

By by Isaac Edwards and Isaac Edwards · Thursday, April 3,2003 12 a.m.

Cheez Whiz. Pizza. Lots of beer. This is the diet of the beautiful people. Or at least one could assume as much watching Brazilian director Bruno Barreto's new romantic comedy "View from the Top." The culinary habits of "View" are but a trivial example of a sugar-coated arsenic pill of a theme that naively frolics throughout: you can have your cake and eat it too, literally at some points.