Women's Golf

The luck hasn't run out for the Irish

By Matt Mattucci · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12:42 a.m.

I grew up watching one, and only one, college football team play on TV every Saturday in my home. That football team was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. I shared the same dreams and aspirations as the movie character "Rudy" did. There was only one place I saw myself going to college and eventually playing football, and that place is located in South Bend. But I was a little kid, and quite frankly, I didn't have the slightest clue.

Defense get big lift from transfer

By Dan Click · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12:39 a.m.

Junior linebacker Paul Szczesny had a choice. When it came time to choose a school to continue his football career he had options: He could have been a Trojan, a Sooner, a Bruin or a Badger. Instead he decided to become a Hoosier, and the coaching staff and he couldn't be happier with the decision, he said. Szczesny (pronounced Skez-nee) thought about staying out West, but his Niles, Ill., roots brought him back to the Midwest as he began to consider schools in the heartland of America.

Business Briefs

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12:37 a.m.

Fed institutes interest rate increase WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the economy moving ahead and the nation's payrolls picking up a bit, Federal Reserve policy-makers boosted short-term interest rates for a third time this year -- but left economists split about when the next increase might come. Federal Chairman Alan Greenspan and his Federal Open Market Committee colleagues -- the group which sets interest-rate policy -- increased the target for the federal funds rate from 1.50 percent to 1.75 percent. The funds rate is the interest banks charge each other on overnight loans and is the Fed's primary tool for influencing economic activity.

Outback Steakhouse to acquire Chi-Chi's

By Alyson Brodsy and Bruce Schreiner · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12:34 a.m.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Chi-Chi's, the Mexican restaurant chain, may have served its last chimichanga. Outback Steakhouse Inc. this week closed on its $42.5 million deal for the rights to 76 restaurants in the Chi-Chi's chain, which was beleaguered by bankruptcy and a hepatitis outbreak. Outback plans to convert many of the restaurants into its own brands -- which include its signature Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grills, Bonefish Grills, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bars, Roy's and Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurants. "We felt it was a good opportunity to acquire a large number of good locations that we can use for our brands," said Joseph Kadow, senior vice president for Outback Steakhouse Inc., based in Tampa, Fla.

Napster parent Roxio Inc. to begin offering pay-per-song online downloads

By Alyson Brodsy and May Wong · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12:33 a.m.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Call it the kitty's third life. Roxio Inc. bought the Napster brand name and feline logo at a bankruptcy auction two years ago and with the acquisition of another music service, Pressplay, relaunched the once-renegade file-swapping pioneer as a legal music service last October. Now in its latest reincarnation, Roxio has shed its CD-burning software business and plans to concentrate solely on selling and delivering music over the Web. It will adopt Napster as its corporate name, trading under a new ticker symbol.

Three businesswomen find Bloomington Thai food niche

By Sopaporn Saeung · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12:33 a.m.

Thai restaurants are neither new nor rare in the United States. There are more than 229 Thai restaurants located in Florida alone. But in Bloomington, where the Thai community comprises less than 100 people, it might come as a surprise that there are three Thai restaurants: Siam House, Esan Thai and Red Sea. Three Thai ladies, Wemonrat Pok, Ruangthong Schoonover and Kanokkan Kongcharoen, are behind the growing Thai scene in Bloomington. Though their paths were different, their common goal now is to serve authentic Thai food to a diverse community.

Around The State

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12:25 a.m.

Bayh, Lugar vote with majority to approve new CIA director Indiana Sens. Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh sided with the majority Wednesday as the Senate voted 77-17 to approve President Bush's nomination of Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla., as Central Intelligence Agency director.

Indiana's workforce development leads national trend

By Jill Brooks · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12:23 a.m.

Expansion Management magazine ranks Indiana economic development programs ninth in the nation. The study evaluated three different grants, according to financial value, ease of use and applicability. "This recognition is even more meaningful when you look at who it came from -- the professionals who help make decisions on business expansion and relocation," Gov. Joe Kernan said in a press release.

ALF on DVD? Surely you jest

By C. Warner Sills · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

With the upcoming release of "Diff'rent Strokes: The Complete First Season" on DVD, I thought it would be appropriate to take a second to analyze the new cultural phenomenon that is television on DVD.

'Maria' full of mediocrity

By Tony Sams · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

Rarely will a film critic claim a movie is too short for its own good, but that is precisely the problem with "Maria Full of Grace," an intrepid but rather ordinary independent film from first-time director and recent New York Film Academy graduate Joshua Marston.

Swing ... and a miss

By Matt Waters and Matthew Waters · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

What could be more American than baseball? Mediocre movies, of course. "Mr. 3000" is a movie that plays with the oh-too-familiar sports movie formula.

Movin' on up

By -Nate Bethea · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

The Jungle Room is rapidly filling with tough-looking, leather-clad bikers from the Memorial Ride, and The Swell lead singer John "Johnzo" West is laughing and saying that people are already accusing him of selling out.

Folk/punk with Guinness-fueled passion

By Matt Seremet and Mattew Seremet · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

Within a Mile of Home should have come pre-packed with a sixer of Guinness, because this anthemic mix of traditional Irish folk and blistering punk rock will have you raising many a pint. Flogging Molly's third record doesn't bring much new to the table, but tighter songwriting and better production make this their best effort yet.

Stoked by the Fire

By J.P. Benitez and JP Benitez · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

Ever since the '60s faded into disco and grunge went out with a bang one night in '94, rock 'n' roll has had a hard time finding its soul. Once dangerous, the musicians we idolize from the past, the guitar smashers and unapologetic media hounds, have transformed themselves into soccer mom fantasies and acoustic guitar-toting babysitters.

Soulive funks up Bluebird

By Adam Aasen · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

Soulive is proof that jazz music is alive and ever-changing. This jazz/funk group, comprised of Alan Evans on drums, Neal Evans on organ and Eric Krasno on guitar pays tribute to jazz, funk and R&B of all decades, all of which can be found in their trademark sound.

Technology makes 'Tomorrow' today

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

"Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" is a tough flick to review. On one hand, it's a huge step forward as far as cinematic technology goes. On the other, it seems like a movie dreamt up by a nerdy 8-year-old who'd most likely reenact the film's preposterous plot with Legos in his or her bedroom.

'Angels' beautiful, heart-wrenching

By Tony Sams · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

There could have been no better format for Mike Nichols' "Angels in America" than a television movie for HBO. On any other station, it would have been sanitized; in a movie theater, it would have been edited for time. Any alteration would have compromised this film too much.

The Thrills buck the definite-article-band

By -Nate Bethea · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

The Thrills come from Ireland, inhabit San Diego and want to be the Beach Boys, and somehow their new album, Let's Bottle Bohemia, doesn't make you cringe as much as that description might lead you to believe.

Tennis flick serves up routine comedy

By Katie Schoenbaechler and Katie Shoenbaechler · Thursday, Sept. 23,2004 12 a.m.

Working Title Films must have some sort of template they follow when making movies. The British-toned romantic comedy maker that brought us "Bridget Jones's Diary," "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill" just released its newest clone, "Wimbledon," and it's safe to say it's not a far stretch from the three previous films.

Father, son go black to the future