Region

Proposal for local Best Buy faces community concerns

By Lori Geller · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:53 p.m.

Best Buy, the nation's top electronics retailer, may face many obstacles before coming to Bloomington. As a result of the community's negative response, Best Buy's two- year effort to build a store in Bloomington is being put on hold. The construction of Best Buy raised community concerns regarding traffic problems and the possible relocation of many local businesses.

Can you spare a dime?

By Rory Starks · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:39 p.m.

An emerging trend among Web surfers is "cyberbegging." For me, this new term conjures the image of a man who is wearing a burlap sack and old boots panhandling outside the library computer lab.

Are you a good fan?

By Joe Ptak · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:38 p.m.

Being an IU basketball fan is no cake walk: We're forced to sit in a stadium with a shoddier design than a Pontiac Aztec. We currently have eight different school colors as part of Mike McNeely's quest to set our athletic department back 15 years.

NATO approves Turkey aid

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:30 p.m.

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Days after ending a stalemate over planning for an Iraq war, NATO approved Wednesday the deployment of AWACS radar aircraft, Patriot missile systems and chemical-biological response units to Turkey.

Israeli forces invade Gaza City

By Alyson Brodsy and Ibrahim Barzak · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:29 p.m.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Israeli tanks and soldiers battled Palestinian militants in the streets of Gaza City before dawn Wednesday in violence that left 11 Palestinians dead, including a suicide bomber who tried to blow up a tank, Palestinians said.

India refuses meeting with Pakistan

By Alyson Brodsy and Nirmala George · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:28 p.m.

NEW DELHI, India -- India ruled out meeting with Pakistan at next week's Non-Aligned Movement summit as the chill in relations between the two countries showed no signs of thawing Wednesday.

First Sept. 11 trial concludes

By Alyson Brodsy and David Rising · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:27 p.m.

HAMBURG, Germany -- A Moroccan student was convicted Wednesday of more than 3,000 counts of accessory to murder for helping Mohamed Atta and two other suicide pilots in the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, ending the first trial connected to the suicide hijackings.

Over-sensitive America

By Pedro Pontual · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:15 p.m.

I once said that the culture shock of adapting to America was a pleasant experience. Well, it still is, but there are some tricky little mismatches that are quite disturbing.

First Sept. 11 suspect on trial is convicted, sentenced to 15 years

By David Rising · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 2:50 p.m.

HAMBURG, Germany -- A Moroccan student was convicted Wednesday of more than 3,000 counts of accessory to murder for helping Mohamed Atta and two other suicide pilots in the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, ending the first trial connected to the suicide hijackings.

Some question Brand's return deal

Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 2:47 p.m.

A six-year window to return to Indiana University was part of former President Myles Brand's deal when he left to lead the NCAA, and it has raised the ire of faculty members.

Why live college when you can watch it?

By -Alec Toombs · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 12:01 p.m.

If the buzz on "Old School" is any indication, fans of lowbrow collegiate humor are in for quite a treat. Early word indicates that Saturday Night Live veteran Will Farrell gives a performance of Belushi-esque proportions as a drunken, oftentimes naked, thirtysomething frat rat. Throw in the expertly honed motor-mouthed hilarity of Vince Vaughn, and we're looking at a college comedy masterpiece in the making.

IU unite, boycott Metallica

By Jason Gaddis · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 12 p.m.

Metallica is back in the press. After several years of hiatus and the departure of bassist Jason Newsted, the group has announced the June 10 release St. Anger, its first album of new material since 1997's Reload. While this could be the best metal album of the century thus far (the competition isn't that tough at the moment), it could also be a giant flop, and I'm guessing it's the latter. But that's not why IU students should boycott Metallica.

Medieval fantasy makes great RPG

By David Antognoli · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:58 a.m.

Fans of video game RPGs should drop what they're doing right now and check out "Suikoden III" for Playstation 2. Don't look for stunning graphics or Hollywood voice acting here. Instead, gamers should expect to find themselves enveloped by an epic story.

Directors latest a throwback to previous work

By -Alec Toombs · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:57 a.m.

Fans of Steven Soderbergh's "Out of Sight," "Erin Brockovich" or "Ocean's 11," expecting to see something similarly light and entertaining from his recent work, "Full Frontal," will be gravely disappointed.

A meeting of thought and expression

By Amy Oringer and Amy Orringer · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:55 a.m.

I magine yourself sitting in a tiny apartment in the artsy part of Brooklyn, sun streaming in the window, cars passing by, splashing dirty water onto day-old snow. You are forced to contemplate getting a real job because you were just dissed by your label for not coming up with a "hit single." What kind of music would you write? You would probably write something similar to Nada Surf's latest release, Let Go. This album is what happens when musicians are left to their own devices after a rumble with the music industry.

Ozzy Osbourne: the pop-metal godfather

By -Val Tsoutsouris · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:54 a.m.

I feel like I know so much about Ozzy Osbourne. He likes to eat doves, bats and burritos. He has three kids, one of whom is invisible. His favorite four-letter word starts with an "f."' He has a successful metal tour named after him. But what about his music? Listening to the newly released two-disc compilation "The Essential" gives some clues. For one thing, Ozzy's solo work was less frightening and more melodic than Black Sabbath, the band that fired him in 1978. He indulged his McCartney fetish a little more, thereby creating what we consider pop-metal today. He was never as glam as Motley Crue or Poison, though it would have been hilarious if he had tried.

A quiet disturbance at the window

By Elizabeth R. Ross · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:52 a.m.

A vague disturbance is making me anxious, like I'm being watched. This must be how it feels to sense an earthquake's approach or feel the air change just before a funnel cloud drops. A contemplative pause reveals the storm's origin is outside Massive Attack's 100th Window. Played loudly, it would be a quiet album. At moderate to low volume, it's somehow more effective and sneaky. As a guest vocalist, Sinead O'Connor's gentle vocals had lulled me into a relaxed, introspective mood. But, as the album progressed, it began to fill the room like a murky, sick-green smoke.

Bleu cries for the real world

By Jessica Halverson · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:50 a.m.

Morning breaks over Bleu's Creek. There sits dejected Bleu on the deck, gazing at the sunrise. Last night his girlfriend dumped him. Read the lines of depression and frustration in his face. Then from nature's quiet, an acoustic guitar crescendos. In comes a melodic, slightly lost voice, singing words that rhyme. Welcome to Bleu's Redhead. With just enough distortion so as not to scare all the little girls away, Bleu has penned ballads that are more prone to the "Real World"/"Road Rules" episodes (four tracks have been used for those shows already) than to playing on anyone's CD player

All hail the new kings of rock &roll

By K James Sward · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:49 a.m.

If only rock and roll was a monarchy, Kings of Leon would fit right in. In an industry where talent is said to be in abundance there have been few records released to justify such a reputation -- until now. In their debut EP, the Kings of Leon serve up classic sounds in the style of 60s rock. At times the Nashville quartet's lead singer, Caleb Followill, calls upon the smoky, soulful vocal style of the late George Harrison, but the bulk of the material rings with originality.

9 bullets plus 19 tracks equals 50 Cent

By -Daniel Minchella · Wednesday, Feb. 19,2003 11:47 a.m.

Being the hot new rapper of the moment means having Eminem and Dr. Dre as your mentors, two singles in the top 5 and wearing a bulletproof vest every day. Having the most hyped album in hip hop and having beef with almost everyone gives 50 Cent a good reason to put his vest on before his underwear. Such is life in the spotlight and the crosshairs.