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Lessons to be learned in battle

On Oct. 3, 1993, U.S. forces entered the Somali capital of Mogadishu to capture key officials of one of the warring clans in the country's civil war. The mission was a complete fiasco as 18 American soldiers and more than 500 Somalis were killed that night. The event, subject of the recently released Hollywood film "Black Hawk Down," raises an important question. Somalia is a country characterized by its factionalism. The running joke is that if there are four Somalis in a room, there are probably six rival clans present. Yet when the two U.S. Black Hawks went down, an entire city seemed to drop its internal differences and attack the very forces that were there to feed them. Why? Did the Somalis rampage simply out of an inherent hatred for outsiders?

Pointers for party-goers

I was at a party last weekend. There I was, minding my own business and not giving anyone any trouble, and the next thing I knew two people dancing on a coffee table fell on top of me. Not only did they fall on me, but they also took the opportunity to empty their red plastic cups on my new shirt. True story. I'll refrain from releasing names. You know who you are. Needless to say, I didn't exactly help them up. But I debated about filling one of those red cups up and pouring it on the two of them. The girl slithered away red from embarrassment, but the guy begged me to join him for a dance on the coffee table.

Warning: Tinkling may result

I am happy to say that thus far, I have not caused any bowel movements in my readers. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the body's other waste removal system. I appreciate receiving mail as much as the next neurotic humor columnist. However, I must say that the ones concerning me causing young adults to almost "pee" their pants are starting to become disconcerting.

Speed bill hits Senate

A bill the Indiana House passed on to the Senate Tuesday might allow Hoosiers to drive even faster. The bill would raise speed limits on interstates from 65 to 70 mph, and from 55 to 60 mph on four-lane state highways. Multiple versions of bills intending to raise Indiana's speed limit have circulated the House over the past few years but have failed to go on to the Senate. The current bill met Tuesday's deadline to be sent forward.

Be film smart, like me

Don't you hate it when you're watching a movie and you see someone recognizable like O'Bannion in "Dazed and Confused" but can't figure out who it is? What about seeing a great movie trailer at the theaters with "hotty" Josh Hartnett, and you want to see it again and again? And don't you ever just want to know what a film is all about and who is in it months before it's released, like who is playing the evil cyborg in "Terminator 3"? Well, these questions can all be answered quickly and quietly with one tool, the Internet. Yes, the Internet has more uses than downloading copyrighted songs, playing online euchre and looking at porn. Here are three sites that are the best when it comes to knowing anything and everything about film.

Kid Rock has little to be 'Cocky' about

The musical realm of Kid Rock is a place where white trash reigns supreme, intelligence is non-existent and it's cool to wear wife-beaters and derby hats.

Not all NBA games are created equal

Halstead leads on road to relaxation

Exploding with soul

When the John Wilkes Booze band jams out, guitarist Jason Groth yells and slaps out hard cords, singer Seth Mahern squeals like a woman and the drums, bass and organ flare heavy all over the place. These soul brothers play their hearts out without taking breaks between songs as they sweat in bassist Chris Barth's tiny basement.

Senate committee subpoenas Lay

WASHINGTON -- The Senate Commerce Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to subpoena Kenneth Lay, the former Enron chairman who refused to appear voluntarily to answer questions about the collapse of the energy trading company. "We have no choice," said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D--N.D.

Big Victory

By the time the Hoosiers were wrapping up a 79-51 win against Iowa last night in Assembly Hall, the man of the hour couldn't be found on the floor. After a long and frustrating evening of being hounded by Dane Fife, Kyle Hornsby and most of the 17,456 fans, Luke Recker was buried in the middle of the Iowa bench. With just eight points to his credit, the former Hoosier standout watched as IU put the finishing touches on its 28-point victory.

COAS dean leaves her mark

The lights at the University Club reflected off champagne glasses, as guests tasted tempting refreshments. Laughter was heard from all corners of the room. Despite the festivities, the mood of this particular reception was bittersweet. Its attendees were saying good-bye to their friend and colleague M. Jeanne Peterson, who retired as COAS executive associate dean after more than eight years in the position. On Tuesday evening, Peterson's co-workers gathered to congratulate her on completing 30 years of service to IU.

Korona's death focuses efforts to overcome 'prevailing culture'

When Wendi Korona dropped off her son at IU last year, she said her goodbyes and left him with a little advice, as mothers often do. She told him to have fun and be responsible. One year after freshman Seth Korona's death, IU officials hope the same advice will prevail over a culture of alcohol abuse on campus. Part of the solution is to send a message that the University doesn't tolerate harmful behavior, said Dee Owens, director of IU's Alcohol and Drug Information Center.

Which is the 'real' Olympics?

Two different Winter Olympics will begin Friday. One is the "real" Olympics. The other is the Olympics that NBC will be presenting. The differences are noticeable. The real Olympics will contain sports such as cross-country skiing, biathlon and ski jumping. NBC's Olympics will contain figure skating, figure skating and more figure skating.

Runners looking for sucess on national level

Several IU track and field distance runners headed to Indianapolis to participate in the Smith and Barney Invitational during the last weekend of January. The field for the 5000-meter, and various other events, included professional and unattached collegiate athletes to challenge the college athletes. The Hoosiers met this challenge in a big way.

Coaches rely on technology

Conspiracy theorists may be dismayed to find out that Big Brother isn't watching over the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center. The wall-mounted cameras on the diving side of the facility and the extensive array of portable video equipment on the swimming side may suggest otherwise, but, rest assured, are only the markings of both squads' coaches' dedication to applying improved technology to improving athletic performance.

Break 'crucial' to swimmers' success in post-season

After wrapping up its dual-meet season with a sweep of Kentucky and Cincinnati last weekend, the IU women's swimming and diving team has two and a half weeks before its next competition. It is a needed break for the Hoosiers who have competed the last four weekends and will now get the time to refocus and make final preparations for their most important event to date -- the Big Ten Championships.

Baseball plagued with problems losing fans

Let's face it, baseball fans -- this off-season has been nothing but bad news. Ever since Arizona's Jay Bell scored the winning run in of one of the most exciting World Series ever, baseball has been dealing with problem after problem. And worst of all, nothing has been solved.

You are what you wear

This weekend I went through the frustrating Friday night ritual of figuring out what to wear. I tried on about 80 different combinations of outfits, which were then thrown on the floor and described as too church-like, too Jennifer Lopez-ish or just plain ugly.

A tribute to Walter Williams

With the arrival of Black History Month this year, I recently started to reflect on one particular black man who has greatly affected my life. I first became acquainted with Walter Williams through my father, who listened to Williams on the radio when he was a substitute host for the Rush Limbaugh Show. I know Rush Limbaugh doesn't sit well with many people and frankly, I'm not very fond of him either.