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(10/16/06 2:42am)
WASHINGTON - The United States Sunday pressed China to enforce the U.N. punishment against North Korea and use economic leverage to persuade the communist ally to renounce its nuclear weapons program and rejoin international disarmament talks.\nThe chief U.S. diplomat readied for talks in Asia, aware of concerns that the Security Council's resolution might enflame tensions among countries already on edge from North Korea's claimed nuclear test a week ago today.\nAlready, sharp divisions have arisen over enforcing the resolution, approved unanimously Saturday. China, which voted for the penalties, ballks at cargo inspections to prevent trafficking of certain banned weapons and technology.\n"I'm quite certain that China is going to live up to its responsibilities," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, adding she was willing to have "conversations" during her trip on how best to enforce the resolution.\nWashington's U.N. ambassador portrayed this month's detonation as a public humiliation for China, which shares a long border with North Korea and is the North's chief ally and supplier of crucial shipments of food and energy aid. An air sampling taken after the blast detected radioactivity consistent with an atomic explosion, Bush administration and congressional officials said Friday.\nIf China were to cut that support, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said, it "would be powerfully persuasive in Pyongyang," the North's capital. "They've not yet been willing to do it. I think that China has a heavy responsibility here."\nHe said North Korea's apparent nuclear test "had to have been humiliating to China. ... And I think we're still seeing that play out."\nRice, who joined Bolton in making the rounds of the Sunday talk shows in Washington, leaves Tuesday to consult with Asian allies about the resolution. \n"I understand that people are concerned about how it might work so it doesn't enhance tensions in the region, and we're perfectly willing to have those conversations," Rice said.\nShe said an embargo against North Korea "is a very important tool that the international community can use. But we'll want to use it in a way that does not enhance the possibility for open conflict."\nJapan and Australia have pledged immediate enforcement of the penalties and said they were considering harsher measures on their own. South Korea, which has taken a conciliatory approach to the North and has provided its neighbor with aid, said it would abide by the resolution's terms but did not say how.\nThe U.S.-sponsored resolution demands North Korea eliminate nuclear weapons but rules out military action against the country, as the Russians and Chinese demanded to gain their approval.\nAfter the resolution passed, North Korea's U.N. ambassador Pak Gil Yon accused council members of a "gangster-like" action that neglects the nuclear threat posed by the United States. He also said if the United States keeps up the pressure, North Korea "will continue to take physical countermeasures considering it as a declaration of war"
(10/16/06 2:39am)
HONOLULU - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.5 struck Hawaii early Sunday morning, causing a landslide that blocked a major highway on Hawaii Island, the Pacific Tsunami Center said.\nPower was out across the state, and there were unconfirmed reports of injuries, according to the State Civil Defense. Problems with communication prevented more definite reports.\nGov. Linda Lingle said in a radio interview with KSSK from Hawaii Island that she had no report of any fatalities.\nThe U.S. Geological Survey reported a preliminary magnitude of 6.3, along with several aftershocks, including one measuring a magnitude of 5.8. No damage reports were immediately available.\nThe quake occurred at 7:07 a.m. local time, 10 miles north-northwest of Kailua Kona, a town on the west coast of the Big Island, said Don Blakeman, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center, part of the U.S. Geological Survey.\nBlakeman said there was no risk of a Pacific-wide tsunami but a possibility of significant wave activity in Hawaii.\nThe quake occurred about 155 miles to the southeast of Honolulu, the state capital, in Oahu.\nOn Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island, there was some damage in Kailua-Kona and a landslide along a major highway, said Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist at the Pacific Tsunami Center.\nBetsy Garties, who lives in North Kohala, on the northern tip of Hawaii Island, said she was lying in bed with one of her two young children when the quake struck.\n"First I heard a rumbling. Then the house started to shake. Then broken glass," Garties said. \nShe first stood under a door frame as safety experts advise, then found it too wobbly for comfort and ran into the yard.\n"It was strong enough that it was wobbling, so you almost lost your balance running out into the yard," Garties said. "The house was visibly rocking."\nPower was at least partially knocked out on every island, said Civil Defense spokesman Lani Goldman. On Oahu, 95 percent of customers were without power, he said.\nAuthorities said some of the power outages might have been caused by heavy rainfall.\nAssociated Press writers Audrey McAvoy and Jaymes Song contributed to this report.
(10/15/06 1:03am)
Freedom of speech is under attack again.\nLast week at Columbia University, Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist, whose organization opposes illegal immigration, was invited to give a speech by the Columbia College Republicans. Gilchrist was only seconds into his speech when he was interrupted by protestors rushing the stage in what appeared to be a deliberate attempt to stop him from speaking. A fist fight between attendees erupted as a result of the protest. Though it is unclear who all the protestors were, two individuals from the International Socialist Organization unveiled a banner on stage that read, "No human being is illegal!"\nThis attack on free speech is scary enough, but what is more disturbing is what was said afterwards.\nOne of the protestors on stage, who asked The Columbia Spectator that he not be identified, said, "I don't feel like we need to apologize or anything. It was fundamentally a part of free speech. ... The Minutemen are not a legitimate part of the debate on immigration."\nNot a legitimate part of the debate on immigration? Just because someone disagrees with someone else does not give them any less a right to express their opinion.\nWe here at the editorial board feel that preventing someone with an opposing viewpoint from being heard is the real threat to free speech.\nUnfortunately, this type of incident is not limited to Columbia. A similar situation occurred right here at IU.\nSince 2005, two very controversial speakers, David Horowitz and Ann Coulter, have been invited to speak at the IU Auditorium, much in the same way Gilchrist was invited to speak at Columbia.\nHorowitz spoke about his academic bill of rights and Coulter spoke about a variety of issues, but both speeches were interrupted by protestors. Only quick thinking on the part of university police prevented a Columbia-style melee from erupting. \nSo why are these incidents such a big deal? Because they are becoming more common. \nControversial speakers are being invited to offer a certain point of view and then are forcibly prevented from speaking by certain groups that disagree with their message. While we do not take a position on the views of Gilchrist or those protesting him, we feel that not allowing him to speak was a serious mistake.\nNot only do these types of protests prevent a diversity of views from being heard, they also tend to make the protestors look bad and the speaker look good. Gilchrist and the Minutemen left Columbia looking like they were the reasonable ones, victimized by radical protestors.\nGreat job, protestors.\nThe simple fact is that freedom of speech means freedom of speech. You might not like or agree with what someone is saying, but it is the duty of U.S. citizens to allow dissenting opinions to be heard in order to guarantee First Amendment rights for all.
(10/13/06 3:44pm)
For the past few years, there have been countless rumors regarding Three 6 Mafia's alleged Satanic affiliation. None of these speculations, however, have been fully validated. Out of my love for the group, and overall curiosity on the subject, I decided to do some investigation.\nFirst, there's the introduction to their 2005 hit, "Stay Fly." Many claim they hear "You are God/ You are King Lucifer." Others say it's just the ruffled sampling in Willie Hutch's "Tell Me Why Has Our Love Turned Cold" in the background.\nBut then there's the group's numerals, 666 -- the mark of evil. Three 6 Mafia have explained that the name change corresponds to their expansion from three to six members, but while they are notorious for their shifting lineup, the claim is still suspicious. Perhaps the most infamous departure is Gangsta Boo's, who parted ways with the group after converting to Christianity. \nBut wait! According to Allhiphop.com, the members of Three 6 Mafia are Christians, too. During their 2005 Academy Award acceptance speech for "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp," Juicy J thanked Jesus. But so what? DJ Paul thanked almost everyone, including George Clooney. \nSomething tells me Nancy Drew would be wary. \nThere's no denying that the Memphis, Tenn., rap act started out with a "horrorcore" image -- that is, heavy rap incorporating horror themes. Just listen to the lyrics from their jam "Sleep." Later on in their career, however, the group gained mainstream success when their content became more about getting crunk and less about getting demonic. \nBut what is Satanism anyway? Satanism celebrates Satan, who, according to the Official Church of Satan Web site, "represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification." The site has a list of music affiliates, but there is no mention of Three 6 Mafia. That would have been too easy.\nAfter the Dixie Chicks proclaimed their disgust for President Bush, they lost a lot of conservative country fans. If Three 6 declared their love for Lucifer, it's likely that they'd become outcasts in commercial hip-hop, a genre with many religious followers and fans. But maybe Mafia can gain the support of Goth kids. Let's face it though: Nobody wants some "Chapelle's Show" quoting, Hot Topic collar poppin' wannabe saying, "It's hard out there for a Satanist." The last thing the group needs is to stumble in their rise to super-stardom -- especially with an upcoming reality TV show. And if this is the case, I'll respect Three 6 Mafia's privacy.\nAfter weeks of researching, I've found little concrete information on Three 6 Mafia's devil-worshipping, or lack there of. It appears there's no definite answer to this mystery. Maybe Three 6 Mafia want it that way to show that this issue is irrelevant to their integrity as musicians. Personally, I don't care if they are Satanists, Scientologists or Southern Baptists as long as their music is still off the chain. But if Juicy J and the gang expect me to believe they are not somehow connected to Satan, I would like to quote former Mafia member La Chat in saying, "Boy, please. Whatever"
(10/13/06 7:39am)
Mike White stood near the back of the press room in Assembly Hall Tuesday afternoon and cracked a subtle, coy smile when asked about his nickname -- "King Kong."\n"I got it in junior college," said the junior forward, who transferred to IU from Lee College in Baytown, Texas earlier this year. "My coach came in at halftime of the game and said, 'Man, you're playing like King Kong out there.'"\nMike White may not be as tall as his fictional namesake (he's listed at an extremely generous 6-foot-6), but he's sure got the strength of Kong.\nJust ask senior guard Earl Calloway.\n"Mike is ... Mike is a man. You know how you a man? You a man," Calloway said. "He plays like a man -- he's strong. Mike jumps higher than (former Hoosier) Marco (Killingsworth), rebounds, blocks shots, he runs, he can shoot the outside jumper ... When you talk about someone of his stature that can jump that high ... He's strong, and he's aggressive."\nSenior guard Rod Wilmont also used the word "man" to describe his new teammate, adding that Mike White never called fouls on himself during open gym time. \n"We hack him, push him. He'll never call a foul," Wilmont said.\nThe junior college transfer averaged 19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks at Lee last season -- good enough to garner Region XIV co-MVP and National Junior College Athletic Association third team All-American honors. He's consistent; he started all 61 games during his two-year stint at Lee.\nMike White's former coach at Lee, Roy Champagne, described him as "very humble" in a statement back in April when the forward officially signed with IU.\nAt first introduction, Mike White doesn't come across like the outgoing and vocal Calloway or the energetic Wilmont.\nHe speaks in hushed tones and doesn't show much emotion while conversing. If he's anything like his coaches and teammates describe him on court, though, Hoosier Nation is in for a Clark Kent-Superman type scenario.\nShy and reserved off the court -- bruising, take-on-the-world strongman on it.\nThe White IU fans have come to know -- D.J. -- likened Mike's game to former NBA star Charles Barkley's.\n"I'm not gonna say he is a Charles Barkley, but you know that type of player," D.J. said. "(With his) rebounding, he can score a little bit but not as good as Charles, obviously. But I feel he's that type of player." \nThis year's IU team is fitter, stronger and more disciplined than last year's. IU coach Kelvin Sampson had his men up at 5:30 a.m. in the offseason. Former coach Mike Davis didn't. They've gained weight. Good, muscular weight. They ran timed miles and had to repeat the run if they didn't hit a certain time. They had to touch every line during their 'ultimate suicide' drills. If they missed one, even by an inch, they had to run as punishment -- run a lot. \nThe way they've talked, it seems like the Hoosiers are training for a boxing match against Mike Tyson in his hey-day rather than for a season on the hardwood.\nWhether they're hitting the ring or the court, one thing's for certain: you're going to want King Kong on your side.
(10/13/06 5:10am)
Floyd Landis took his case to the public Thursday with an online presentation including key elements of his defense against doping charges. Exhaustive as it appeared, his attorney said, "This is by no means everything."\nLandis is scheduled to go before an arbitration panel in January or February and formally appeal doping violations that could cost him his Tour de France and impose a two-year ban. Rather than wait several months to present his defense in a public form, portions of the case were posted on his Web site, www.floydlandis.com.\nIncluded in the multimedia presentation was a PowerPoint presentation prepared by Arnie Baker, a retired doctor and longtime coach and adviser, as well as several hundred pages of documents and a motion to dismiss the charges that Howard Jacobs, Landis' attorney, had filed earlier.\n"It's an unprecedented step, but if the federations are going to keep breaking the rules by leaking results, it's only fair that athletes can respond," Jacobs said. "That's what we're doing."\nThe presentation highlights what are said to be a number of inconsistencies in both the paperwork and the results provided by the French lab that reported elevated ratios of testosterone to epitestosterone in Landis' "A" and "B" samples, as well as the presence of synthetic testosterone.\nThe alleged inconsistencies were part of Jacobs' earlier motion that asked a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency review board to have the case dismissed. That request was denied last month.\nJacobs said Thursday, "There's many more elements to the defense," but declined to elaborate.\nTour de France organizers already have said they no longer consider Landis the champion. They also planned to begin proceedings to formally strip Landis' title when the appeals process is exhausted. Landis' final appeal could be to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.\nLandis' positive test results were reported less than a week after his triumphant July 23 ride into Paris. In the days following the report, Landis contended a number of factors could have triggered the result -- thyroid medication, cortisone injections for a damaged hip, his tendency to produce too much testosterone, even some whiskey he drank the night before his stirring win in Stage 17.\nIn the online presentation, Landis' experts now contend the French lab erred in its analysis, incorrectly labeled samples and ignored the World Anti-Doping Agency testing standards and chain-of-custody protocol, among numerous other mistakes.\n"The whole process has been full of errors," Baker concludes at one point in the presentation.\nUSADA rules prohibit the agency from commenting on an active case, but Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said Thursday about the lab where the tests were performed, "We have no reason to question the conclusions."\nAdded Philippe Dautry, general secretary of France's anti-doping agency, "We only have some vague noises about the arguments from Landis and his attorney. All this is part of an ongoing disciplinary procedure, during which all the elements must be examined"
(10/13/06 5:09am)
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Chicago Bears have put up some eye-popping scores this season. Now they have a chance to shine Monday night.\nThe unbeaten Bears, off to their best start in 20 years, bring a brutal defense and vastly improved offense to Arizona to face the ever-struggling Cardinals, who have lost four in a row.\n"We've got a new team this year," Chicago defensive end Adewale Ogunleye said, "and we're ready to show the whole world what we're capable of doing."\nThe Bears will make their 49th Monday night appearance, their first in three years. The Cardinals last played a Monday night game in 1999.\nChicago coach Lovie Smith cautions against making too much of the team's dominating 5-0 start.\n"First of all, we have only played five games," he said. "We're just into the second quarter of the season. There is so much football left to be played, you can't have favorites to do this or that this early in the season. We haven't done anything. Start? We want to finish. We want people to talk about us at the end of the football season."\nThe reason Arizona got a prime time slot is undoubtedly its new stadium, which could have the retractable roof open for the first time after being closed in the first three home games.\nThe newly named University of Phoenix Stadium will be the site of next season's Super Bowl, but the lavish environment has not changed the Cardinals' fortunes. The team is off to a 1-4 start for the third time in coach Dennis Green's three seasons with the team.\nTheir shaky offensive line will go up against a Chicago defensive front that might be the best in the NFL. It's a defense that thrives on intensity and speed to create turnovers.\n"They play with so much emotion, and they feed off of it," Arizona center Alex Stepanovich said. "They're probably as good as any in the NFC on the defensive side of the ball. We've just got to keep grinding, play fast and not get down when they make a play."\nThe Bears have outscored their last two opponents -- Seattle and Buffalo -- by a combined 77-13. Only one of their victories this season has been close, 19-16 at Minnesota.\nNo doubt things could get ugly for the Cardinals.\n"How ugly can it get?" countered Arizona running back Edgerrin James, unaccustomed to all this losing. "It's already been ugly."\nJames averages a career-low 3.1 yards per carry. Against Kansas City Sunday, he ran 9 yards on a first down, then couldn't gain a yard on the next two plays.\n"It's hard to run when there's nowhere to go," he said.\nIf the running game falters, it could be a rough day for rookie Matt Leinart, making his second NFL start at quarterback.\n"You can't turn the ball over," Leinart said. "Their guys up front disrupt you so much that it forces turnovers, sacks, fumbles -- all kinds of stuff. For my part, I've got to get the ball out quick no matter what. I can't hold the ball back there, and they're very fast. That's why they're so successful. Those guys up front make everyone else better."\nArizona will play without Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who pulled a hamstring early in the 23-20 loss to the Chiefs.\nLeinart's experiences at USC should help him on this big stage, Green said.\n"This is a big game," Green said. "It's a Monday night game. If we're lucky, the roof will be open. I think it will be enough excitement to light the whole valley up. I love to play Monday night. I think he does, too"
(10/13/06 4:49am)
IU did something last week that it hasn't done since 1999. \nWhat's that, you say -- win a football game? \nNo, no. That's not it, but good guess. \nTuesday, IU sophomore Marcus Thigpen was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time in more than half a decade. The last time an IU player claimed that title was when punter Drew Hagan won it in Oct. 31, 1999. \nThat's right, our punter -- once again demonstrating that IU football has a history as illustrious as NBC's short-lived sitcom "The Single Guy" starring Jonathan Silverman. Oh, you don't know what that is? That's the point. \nBut now IU has got "The Return Guy" in Marcus, and you know what? He's Thigdiculous.\nLast Saturday against Illinois, Thigpen had 311 all-purpose yards including 197 yards on four kickoffs and 91 yards at running back. The Detroit native ran for a 98-yard touchdown in the third quarter, giving the Hoosiers their first lead in a football game since IU did so three weeks ago against Southern Illinois University. \nAnd the accolades continue. Thigpen is first in the nation with 543 return yards. He is 16th nationally and fourth in the league in all-purpose rushing yards per game with 137.2. Thigpen leads the nation with an average of 41.8 yards per kickoff return. \nAnd football isn't the only sport Thigpen excels at. He is also a track and field star -- er, superstar. Thigpen ran the 40 - yard dash in 4.4 seconds when he arrived at IU in 2004, according to Peegs.com. He also ran IU's fastest time at the 60 meters with a 6.77 last spring at the Hoosier Hill Invitational. \nIn short, he is a Thigdiculous Superstar. \nHere's the point: If IU plans to sneak a win by the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday, it's going to need big plays from Thigpen and, more importantly, solid play from special teams. So far this season Iowa is No. 3 in the conference in passing yards per game, and quarterback Drew Tate is third among Big Ten quarterbacks in the category. But special teams are Iowa's Achilles heel. This is why IU needs its special teams to be the Trojan horse and Thigpen to play the role of Paris. \nOf course, Thigpen is no secret to the warriors to the west. \n"(Thigpen is) scary. He's averaging, what, 43, 44 yards a touch?" Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said in an Oct. 10 press conference. "Our lack of consistency (on special teams) gives us reason to be concerned." \nThere is an easy way for Iowa to take Thigpen's returns out of the game: don't kick to him. The Hawkeyes can squib the ball or onside kick it. Hell, the kicker can thrust his entire body forward and knee the ball. Do anything. Anything that doesn't have Saturday's game-day announcer utter the phrase "Marcus has done it again." But whatever Iowa's game plan is, Ferentz is well aware of Thigpen's Thigdiculous talents. \nIn the last few weeks, he has been re-Marc-able on the football field. That's why I had to give him a nickname Marcus is the Mad Electrician. Give him a little light, and he'll create sparks.
(10/13/06 4:09am)
This past Thursday, I packed three suitcases and headed to the Windy City for the fitness enthusiasts' version of Christmas: Club Industry (thankfully, I went with two men, so there was ample room in the trunk for my luggage). I was fully prepared to market myself as an academic, but I failed to realize how superficial the industry I plan to enter really can be.\nWhat ensued cannot accurately be described in words. After consuming nearly every free sample in sight, I was so amped up on protein and caffeine that my body still suffers the repercussions. Then I began talking with different vendors about their products. I gave my "I'm a graduate student doing research comparison" spiel, and each salesperson eagerly answered my questions. I tested out the equipment, attempting to find weaknesses in the design. Throughout the entire process, every vendor I encountered was eager to let me examine his or her product. It was crafty networking at its best. After three hours of researching, testing and marketing myself as a future employee, I was exhausted. However, I was excited to share my personal experience with fellow classmates come Monday.\nLittle did I know that many did not have such a positive experience with vendors. Many claimed they were ignored, slighted or treated poorly. While I left with a large stack of business cards, they left with a deep sense of disappointment. I wondered what it was I did to cause salespeople to treat me so well. Was it because I had 'buyer' labeled on my name badge or did it have something to do with the Under Armour shorts I had on (nearly every vendor asked me if I was a runner or fitness competitor)? All I can deduce is this: when it comes to obtaining information and marketing yourself as a fitness professional, presentation is key. Education takes a backseat to muscles and money. Physical appearance is important in every profession but especially for those pursuing a career in fitness. At Club Industry, I believe I had instant credibility even if I didn't say one intelligent thing. \nThis is quite bothersome for someone pursuing his or her Masters. At the end of the day, will the degree even matter? Is this worth $20,000 in student debt? I want to be recognized for my knowledge, not just my body. There were others with 'buyer' on their badges, but they didn't receive as many job offers as I did. I am torn writing this because I probably sound like the most narcissistic person East of the Mississippi (Terrell Owens would get the title if you were to venture West), but I honestly can't think of any other reason.\nIn reality, we subconsciously judge others every day. Club Industry just happens to be an extreme example of this. Well, it's a cutthroat world, and I'll take any advantage I can get.
(10/13/06 3:03am)
Thank goodness it's Friday, kids. The week is over, the drinks are flowing and the fun and fornication are about to begin, right? Maybe not. I'm warning you about this Friday, though, because it's not just any Friday. Today is Friday, Oct. 13. That means one thought should be going through your mind most of the day:\n"Aw hell."\nOn Thursday afternoon I began to get this tingly feeling in my toes that seemed to say, "You're dead where you stand -- sucks to be you." But why should it suck to be me? I think it's pretty cool being me! Look at my column tag! So why should I be scared when Friday the 13th rolls around?\nFor starters, I am a member of the Knights Templar. On one particular Friday the 13th back in 1307, we red-cross-bearing bad-asses didn't have a particularly good time. King Phillip IV of France rounded up all the Knights Templar in the country and charged them with conducting Satanism. Torture ensued in order to obtain confessions. King Phillip the Fair indeed. I don't think the man will be reincarnated any time soon to come. Burn me at the stake, but we Templar still get a bit jittery every Friday the 13th.\nHowever, my paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th) is derived less from my Templar status than from my fear of STD's -- or pronouncing long words. Let me explain. \nFriday is named for Frigga, the Norse goddess of marriage, who has been merged with Freya in the language of mythology. Freya is the goddess of fertility, and in her honor, all Fridays are inherently about sex. And being unlucky in sex is not good news. I'm not worried about not having sex. That's nothing new. I'm worried that if the opportunity presents itself, I will contract a few unwanted diseases. \nDoctor Simo Nayha of Finland found that women have a statistically greater chance to die in auto accidents on Friday the 13th than any other day. I'll bet men are statistically more likely to get in trouble with their sexual practices on Friday the 13th, too. IU Health Center, be warned. \nOh no, now my palms are sweating. Breathe, just breathe.\nAs a little added hazard, I will be spending the evening of Friday the 13th drinking in close vicinity to a lake. Great idea, right? This increases my chance of death by drowning about a million percent. I think that I would much rather have Jason Voorhees come and cut my throat than die by drowning. Drowning gives me the freakin' heebie jeebies.\nTread carefully in all of your endeavors today. Do not step on cracks. Drive carefully. Wrap it up (you know what I mean). Shots of whiskey may or may not be advisable (may calm nerves, may not prevent drowning). Wear rabbits' feet for a little extra luck. And above all else, try to avoid the police.
(10/13/06 2:59am)
Picture this: a place where individuals need not worry about showering. A place full of fried foods and copious amounts of people to consume it. A place where mullets are accepted and, dare I say it, expected. This place may seem like an impossible utopia, but it is very real. It's called the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival, and it can be found Oct. 1-7 in Evansville, my hometown.\nThe Fall Festival is a meeting ground for mullets. I was planning on taking a friend from my dorm back home with me to experience the "mulletude" (the multitude of mullets). Unfortunately, plans fell through, and I was instead forced to take pictures. At first, I chose to photograph every mullet I saw. But after snapping more than 40 shots in the first two minutes, I decided that this probably wasn't the most practical idea. However, based on my sample, I observed certain patterns emerging in the mullet population.\nIn this way, I was able to conduct a survey on the diversity of the mulletude at the festival.\nIn order to understand all of the other types of mullets, one must fully grasp the concept of "The Standard Mullet." This specimen can be seen wearing a sleeve-less T-shirt, tight jeans and a full mustache. This classic mullet is most likely to be found in a trailer park on a man with a two-part first name (Jimmy-Bob, Bobby-Joe, Billy-Bob). Some describe the Standard Mullet as "business in the front, party in the back." This kind of mullet made up a surprisingly low 28 percent of the population.\nThe plurality, 46 percent, were "Curmullets." A Curmullet is a mullet that is permed and/or very curly. To me, this says the mullet wearer takes great pride in his or her mullet. Instead of having to worry about visible grease, the Curmullet just puts on a John Deer hat and "gits 'er done."\nThe "NASCAR Mullet" is next on the list, topping out with a weak showing of just 12 percent. This mullet is generally coupled with a Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Jeff Gordon shirt and matching key chain. Other defining features of Curmullet-wearers include the freshman-in-high-school mustache (no matter how hard you try, it just won't grow) and acid-washed jeans.\nThe last mullet worth mentioning is the "Gullet," or girl mullet. This category includes both Curmullets and the Standard Mullet. The Gullet-wearer is distinguished by a wardrobe filled with phrases like "I'm out of bed, what more do you want?" and "Save a horse, ride a cowboy." The Gullet made up 12 percent of the mulletude. \nThe last 2 percent fell into the "other mullet" category. \nVisiting the Fall Festival year after year still continues to amaze me. Although I do not take part in the consumption of deep-fried Twinkies or Oreos, the mulletude is enough to keep me satisfied. I urge each of you to join the festivities at least one time in your life. Who knows, maybe you'll find a whole new category of mullet and your name will live on forever in mulletdom.
(10/13/06 2:18am)
City Lights series films explore sides of Christianity This Cannes Film Festival Grand Prize winning film was directed by Luis Buñuel upon his return to Spain after 23 years of exile. A further commentary on the subject of his 1959 film "Nazarin" -- the impossibility of living a pure Christian life -- the 1961 film "Viridiana" features a combination of erotic and religious imagery. The movie runs 90 minutes, and the event is free and open to the public. \nRadio Friendly: Songs by American Pirates Presented by Aaron Jones and the Bloomington Area Arts Council, this concert is part vaudeville, part old-time radio show. A variety show with music interspersed with storytelling, this concert is part of the BAAC's annual performance series and is a benefit for the educational scholarship fund at the Waldron.\nUnion Board hosts Horror Week film festival Union Board's Horror Week film festival will begin at 7 p.m. both Friday and Saturday nights with "Halloween," followed by "American Psycho" at 9 p.m. and "Nightmare on Elm Street" at 11 p.m. Admission is free for students with a valid IU Bloomington ID and $2 for non-students.\nLecture to address Kinsey's impact on sexual minorities Australia's Justice Michael Kirby will discuss changes that have occurred in the law's treatment of sexual minorities in various countries. Kirby will review some of the important changes regarding sexual minorities in relation to international and domestic law, including a reflection on Kinsey's impact on Australia in the 1950s. The lecture is titled "Alfred Kinsey and His Continuing Impact on the Human Rights of Sexual Minorities"
(10/13/06 2:10am)
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- If language has the ability to conjure images, Jane Hammond's looks like this: fluttering butterflies, Sumo wrestlers and Gandhi's head.\nSince the late 1980s, the New York artist has created an alphabet of 276 images taken from books, magazines and photographs that she strings together in seemingly random ways that can confuse and delight a viewer.\nWhat, for example, is Elvis doing on a matchbook cover affixed to a piece of paper that shares space with a cross-legged Buddha? Why is a bear towering over Gandhi's head as it emerges from a mountainside lake? The answers are pretty much up to the viewer, Hammond says.\n"I am genuinely interested in how meaning is constructed," said the artist, whose works are being displayed at Mount Holyoke College in "Jane Hammond: Paper Work."\n"Using a fixed set of components in my work allows me to make meaning and examine how meaning is made," 56-year-old Hammond said.\nThe work of 1972 graduate of Mount Holyoke, Hammond's pieces have been featured at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, the Contemporary Museum in Honolulu and the Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art.\nWhile her works seem to spring from an arbitrary sense of design, everything in them has a sense of order that Hammond likens to strands of DNA. Because she works with a limited number of images, patterns of repetition begin to emerge, especially in her collage--like creations.\n"If I only had 39 images, everything would've been too cute and gamey and pat," Hammond said. "And if there were 5,000, I'd be 85 before anyone figured out there was repetition and a system."\nShe has limited her iconic lexicon to 276 for no other reason than she figured that's exactly what she needs.\nJust because the same cymbal-clapping seal appears in a few of her works, the creature isn't necessarily meant to evoke the same meaning each time.\nA digital image of an anchor used in one place could conjure a connection with the sea, while the same image reproduced with a stamp could give the feeling of rust and decay, Hammond said.\n"Her work isn't about beauty, per se, but I find it ravishingly beautiful," said Marianne Doezema, director of Mount Holyoke's art museum.\nHammond's work also uses materials that are not often combined. She puts together whatever seems to grab her interest -- Xeroxes, watercolor, rubber stamps, bits of plastic toys and feather boas -- to create pieces that she calls drawings and "unique paper objects."\nIn "My Heavens," Hammond sandwiches a sheet of Mylar between paper to create a sparkling constellation of Sumo wrestlers, hula dancers, lobsters, wishbones and other icons taken from her list of 276 images. The result is both familiar and odd. There's nothing unusual about sky charts, but what's that kayaking Eskimo doing on it?\nThe exhibition also features two of Hammond's "maps," the artist's latest creations and perhaps her easiest to digest.\nUsing heavy handmade papers, Hammond has plotted out places such as Uganda, Sudan, Cuba and Cordoba, Spain, and affixed paper butterflies to them. She goes to great lengths to make the butterflies look real, taking digital photographs of the actual insects, then overlaying those images on paper butterfly cutouts. Horsehair and false eyelashes give the paper reproductions a lifelike quality.\n"She creates a great tension between what's real and what's not real," Doezema said.\nEven the idea for the butterfly maps comes from a place somewhere between reality and imagination. Inspired by an overload of news about the war in Iraq, Hammond dreamed of a map of the Middle East covered in butterflies.\n"I wanted to put the conflict and turmoil associated with a place against the beauty of a butterfly," she said, emphasizing the insect's transformation from a sluggish caterpillar to a free-floating butterfly. "It all has to do with the notion of living and dying in these places."\n"Paper Work" closes at Mount Holyoke Dec. 17 and will travel for two years to museums in Arizona, Wisconsin, Arkansas, New York, California and Michigan.
(10/13/06 2:06am)
UNITED NATIONS -- The United States on Thursday introduced a new draft resolution in the Security Council to punish North Korea for its reported nuclear test and said it wants a vote on Friday.\nRussia urged the United States not to rush the vote, saying Moscow still had differences and the U.S. should wait for the results of a flurry of high-level diplomacy. China backed Russia's call, saying Beijing would welcome more talks so the Security Council can send a united and forceful message to Pyongyang condemning the test.\nAfter formally introducing the resolution in the Security Council, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told reporters Washington wants a vote Friday.\n"I think the council should try to respond to a nuclear test within the same week that the test occurred," he said. "We're certainly in favor of keeping all the diplomatic channels open, but we also want swift action, and we shouldn't allow meetings, and more meetings ... to be an excuse for inaction."\nThe United States and Japan had initially hoped for a vote Thursday. But if Washington wants to get China and Russia -- the two countries closest to North Korea -- on board, a vote is likely be delayed until next week.\nChina appeared to shy away from backing U.S. efforts to impose a travel ban and financial sanctions on the North, saying any U.N. action should focus on bringing its communist neighbor back to talks.\nIn Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said North Korea should understand it had made a mistake but "punishment should not be the purpose" of any U.N. response.\nU.N. action "should be conducive to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula ... and the resumption of the talks," he told reporters. "It's necessary to express clearly to North Korea that ... the international community is opposed to this nuclear test."\nJapan is imposing its own new sanctions against North Korea. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party approved several harsh measures Thursday, including limits on imports and a ban on all North Korean ships in Japanese waters.\nRussian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said a high-level Chinese representative was en route to Moscow for talks Friday and Saturday, and Russia's deputy foreign minister is in the region.\n"So there is a lot of diplomatic activity going on and we hope it will produce a good product," he said.\nA special envoy of Chinese President Hu Jintao met President Bush in Washington on Wednesday, and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is due Friday in Beijing for talks with China's top leaders, he said.\nLike the original U.S. draft circulated Monday, the new one would condemn the nuclear test, demand that North Korea immediately return to six-party talks without precondition, and impose sanctions for Pyongyang's "flagrant disregard" of the council's appeal. It adds new words demanding that North Korea "not conduct any further nuclear test or launch of a ballistic missile."\nIt also would encourage all concerned countries "to intensify their diplomatic efforts to facilitate the early resumption of the six-party talks, with a view to achieving the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and to maintaining peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and in northeast Asia."\nChinese Ambassador Wang Guangya welcomed this addition, which he said was proposed by China.\nThe new draft remains under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which includes a range of measures to deal with threats to international peace and conflicts from breaking diplomatic relations to imposing naval blockades and taking military action.\nWhile China says North Korea should face tough action, it wants sanctions to be limited primarily to the North's nuclear program.\nWang reiterated that sanctions should be limited to the nonmilitary measures authorized under Article 41 of the U.N. Charter, which include economic penalties, breaking diplomatic relations or banning air travel.
(10/13/06 2:06am)
Panel questions Republican on page board WASHINGTON -- The House ethics committee Thursday questioned a Republican member of the House page board who said afterward that GOP leaders hid from her Rep. Mark Foley's inappropriate approaches to teenage male pages. "I'm a member of the page board who was not informed of the e-mail messages that were sent," Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. Va., said. "I want the investigation to go forth quickly and reach a conclusion.\nSite of Amish schoolhouse shooting razed NICKEL MINES, Pa. -- Ten days after the Amish schoolhouse shootings, a demolition crew using heavy equipment tore down the bloodstained building Thursday and obliterated nearly all traces of the place where five girls were killed. "It's a little heart-wrenching to see it go down, but it sort of inishes things off," said the 27-year-old brother of two of the 15 boys sent out of the schoolhouse by the gunman before the shooting.\nFormer President Ford hospitalizedRANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- Gerald Ford, the nation's oldest living former president, was in a hospital Thursday and undergoing medical tests, his office said. Ford, 93, was doing well at Eisenhower Medical Center, spokeswoman Penny Circle said in a statement. She did not disclose the nature of the tests. The former president has been hospitalized repeatedly this year.\nBritish man pleads guilty in bomb plot LONDON -- A British man pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to murder in a plot to bomb high-profile targets in the United States, including the New York Stock Exchange and the International Monetary Fund headquarters in Washington. Prosecutor Edmund Lawson said Dhiren Barot, 34, planned "to carry out explosions at those premises with no warning. They were plainly designed to kill as many people as possible."\nGunmen storm Iraqi TV station, killing 11 BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Gunmen, some of them in police uniforms, stormed the downtown Baghdad headquarters of a new satellite television station Thursday, killing the board chairman and 10 others in the second attack on an Iraqi station in the capital in as many weeks. The motive for the attack was not clear, though there were signs it was carried out by Shiite militiamen. Journalists have frequently been targeted in both the insurgency and the spiral of sectarian killings in Iraq.
(10/12/06 3:39am)
Dear Harlan,\nI am 24, and am beginning to enter the dating game after years of shyness. I dated a girl a few times last year, and we are still friends. Through Internet sites, I have gone out with seven different girls so far this year. These have not ended negatively; we just "didn't click" for one reason or another. Keep in mind, I didn't date at all until I was 20, and that didn't go so well. I am getting better at accepting rejection and being at ease with myself in social situations. I have made progress -- I realize that -- and it's encouraging. Nonetheless, I still, at times, can't help beating myself up for being my age without having had a relationship, something that seems to come so naturally to everyone else. Also, I find that sometimes, after facing rejection, it's as though all my failures come rushing back at me, taunting me. How does one let go of the past? How does one sustain oneself on a difficult journey such as this? \nNew to Dating
(10/12/06 3:37am)
Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson was charged with criminal recklessness Wednesday following last week's confrontation outside a strip club.\nJackson was charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of battery and disorderly conduct by the Marion County prosecutor five days after he fought with another group of men at the club.\nTeammates Jamaal Tinsley, Marquis Daniels and Jimmie Hunter were also at the club but were not charged.\nJackson was hit by a car, and police say he fired a gun in the air at least five times. He originally told police he was punched but later said he was not, prosecutors said.\nOn Tuesday, Jackson apologized for the fight, saying he was "happy to be alive." His comments came hours after police arrested another man on several charges in connection with the fight.\nJackson was expected to turn himself in Wednesday or Thursday, prosecutors said. The felony count carries a prison term of six months to three years.\nIn September 2005, a judge in Michigan ordered Jackson to serve a year of probation for his role in the brawl with Detroit Pistons fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills in 2004. But the court ordered him to serve an extra year of probation because he did not complete the terms of his sentence, prosecutors in Michigan said.\nMarion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi said Jackson could be ordered to serve three months in jail if authorities there determine the new charges violate his probation.\nThe Pacers did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press.\nPolice on Tuesday charged Deon Willford, 23, in the fight. He faces felony counts of criminal recklessness and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, and a misdemeanor count of driving without a license.\nWillford drove the car that hit Jackson, sending him tumbling over the hood, police Sgt. Matthew Mount said. Police said Jackson fired a gun in the air during the fight at about 3 a.m.\n"Firing the shots in the air at that point is criminal recklessness," Brizzi said. "Those bullets, once they come up, have to come down, and they come down at least 90 miles per hour, and they do absolutely have the ability to take someone's life."\nBrizzi said between 30 and 35 people were in the parking lot.\nJackson returned to training camp Tuesday with stitches in his lip, scrapes and bruises. Prosecutors say the injuries were all caused by the car hitting him.\nOfficers said they found a small amount of marijuana in the passenger-side door of point guard Tinsley's car, but no arrests were made at the time because there were three others in Tinsley's car and police could not determine who owned the marijuana, authorities said.\nNone of the other players were charged but were listed as witnesses for the prosecution.\nTinsley and Hunter told investigators they heard gunshots but did not see who was shooting, according to an Indianapolis police report.\nDaniels told police he saw Jackson struck by a car but was not sure if he heard any gunshots.\nThe Pacers were to open the preseason Wednesday night against the New Jersey Nets, but Jackson was not expected to play.\nProsecutors said Jackson kicked a man who police said has a deformed arm. Jackson told police that the man, Quentin Willford, started the brawl.\nAnother man, Raymel Mattox, was charged with misdemeanor counts of battery, disorderly conduct and marijuana possession. Police say he also hit Quentin Willford.
(10/12/06 3:35am)
Two-time MVP Peyton Manning missed the first regular-season practice of his nine-year career Wednesday so he could attend his grandmother's funeral in Mississippi.\nManning was one of three Colts' Pro Bowl players excused from the workout. The others were defensive end Dwight Freeney and safety Bob Sanders, who were not on the field because they were getting treatment for injuries.\nThe Colts' six-time Pro Bowl quarterback is known as one of the game's top students and hardest workers. He rarely sits out a practice and doesn't even like taking plays off. The only other time in his pro career he was absent from practice was during a brief training camp holdout his rookie season.\nCoach Tony Dungy said it was the first time in five seasons with the Colts he went to practice without the familiar No. 18 on the field.\n"I believe the funeral was today. You don't like to see that, and we've had our share of them," Dungy said. "We'd like to pass our prayers along to his family."\nFrances Thomas Williams died Monday at age 86 in Meridian, Miss.\nShe was the grandmother of Peyton and Eli Manning, the New York Giants quarterback, and the mother-in-law of former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning.\nDungy said Peyton Manning might return to practice Thursday, the Colts' last scheduled workout before taking the weekend off for their bye week.\n"If not tomorrow, he'll be back Monday," Dungy said.\nIt's the second time in less than a month that a relative of a Colts player has died. In late September, Reggie Wayne's older brother, Rashad, was killed in a traffic accident in Louisiana. The Colts sent a small delegation of players, coaches and team officials to Rashad Wayne's funeral Oct. 3.\nFreeney, a three-time Pro Bowler and former NFL sacks champion, was at the team complex, Dungy said, but skipped the workout to recuperate. Last week, the Colts listed him with a shoulder injury; the previous week, Freeney was listed with a buttocks injury.\nDungy called it a precautionary move since the Colts don't play again until Oct. 22.\n"We had some guys who weren't going to practice, mainly the guys with leg injuries," he said. "They stayed inside, and it was nothing out of the ordinary except for Peyton."\nThere was some good news for the Colts.\nDungy said he expected Sanders, who made it to his first Pro Bowl last year, to return next week. Sanders has not practiced or played since injuring his knee in Week 2 against Houston and then undergoing arthroscopic surgery.\n"We're hoping to have him back Monday," Dungy said.\nIndianapolis also might be looking for a new defensive tackle now that former Pro Bowl tackle Corey Simon has been lost for the season with an undisclosed illness.\nDungy even joked about possible replacements, running through a series of former NFL stars he said were on his wish list.\n"I talked to Joe Greene and he had hip surgery, so he's not available," Dungy said. "I talked with Bob Lilly and Randy White and none of them jumped at our offer. ... I'd bet Joe (Klecko) would come back to play with his son. So if you see Joe in the parking lot Monday, it may be for more than just a visit with his son."\nThe Colts signed defensive tackle Dan Klecko, the son of the former New York Jets defensive lineman, just before the start of the season.\nDungy acknowledged the Colts were looking at other defensive linemen to help reinforce the run defense but that an immediate move was not likely.\n"We're just standing pat for now, so we've got to get this fixed with the guys we have in here," he said.\nThe Colts also waived kicker Martin Gramatica with the expectation that Adam Vinatieri, the NFL's best clutch kicker, could return after the bye week.\nVinatieri has missed the last three games with an injured right groin. If Vinatieri cannot play, Dungy said the Colts would likely re-sign Gramatica.
(10/12/06 3:31am)
Broken bones. Fractured faces. Road rash. \nThese were the fears that kept me from sleeping soundly last Saturday night, the night before I participated in my first Hilly Hundred. I heard all the horror stories earlier in the day from a few longtime Hilly riders. \n"I was raw meat," one 14-year Hilly veteran told me of the year he ended up in the emergency room, drugged up on pain medication after a nasty spill. "I had to call a friend from Indianapolis to pick me up and take me home." \nWho knew a leisurely bike ride could end so badly?\nI decided to join the flock of more than 5,000 bicyclists for the two-day bicycle tour of the hills of southern Indiana on a whim -- for a chance to uncover what makes people bonkers for bicycles. I wanted to try something new, challenging, maybe even fun. Sunday's 50-mile ride promised all that.\nEarly Sunday morning, with the sun peeking over the horizon on my left and the moon still high and bright on my right, I slung my leg over the frame of my rented mountain bike, strapped on a helmet for one of the few times in my life and pedaled. And pedaled. And pedaled. \nHere's how it went (up and) down:\nMiles 1-10 -- At last! My ride begins. This is thrilling. This is a little scary. I have never ridden a bike farther than 10 to 15 miles. I have never ridden up hills so notorious someone decided to give them a name. I better take it easy. I better take it slow. I better take it all in. But I'm so cold. It'll be 70 degrees in a couple hours, but right now I'm a Popsicle on wheels. My legs are convulsing uncontrollably. My hands are numb. The cold is especially breathtaking on the downhills.\nIn front and back of me I'm surrounded by hardcore cyclists clad in long-sleeved jerseys, leg warmers, gloves and windbreakers. They're snug in hundreds of dollars' worth of nylon. Bicyclists love nylon -- even their socks are nylon. I'm wearing a polyester soccer jersey. It was free. My socks are cotton.\n"You must have a warm personality," one cyclist on a tandem bike says to me as he passes. Very funny. I'd give him the finger if I could move my hands.\nMiles 11-20 -- I'm starting to feel good about this ride. I'm starting to feel comfortable. I stopped at the first rest stop a mile back and made myself a peanut butter and jelly bagel. Nothing picks me up like a peanut butter and jelly bagel. I'm still reflecting on one of the first small hills I conquered. As I rose to its summit, the sunlight momentarily blinded me and a golden countryside revealed itself below. It was like a King Midas had passed through ahead of me. I can almost feel the tips of my fingers.\nI have a choice to make: continue straight and go on the 40-mile route or keep right and stay on the 50-mile route. Left. Right. Left. Right. Screw it. I'm doing 50. Bean Blossom Hill, here I come!\nThere are the hills. Then there are The Hills. Now, I'm approaching one of The Hills. I crank from second gear to first and my chain gets jammed. I pull over to fix it. Not a good way to start my first Hill. I try to ride steady. I pass some people that are walking their bikes uphill. I am secretly pleased with myself. Bean Blossom Hill, while momentarily zapping my legs of strength, is black and smooth. You could roll an egg down this road without it cracking. I reach the top and take a breather. I can see my heart beating through my shirt. More than 30 miles to go.\nMiles 21-30 -- People are passing me every few minutes. They fly by on their titanium-alloy-composite-feather road bikes with their chins down to their handlebars and the air sliding off their backs. Men three times my age cruise past with ease. Amazing. I guess there is more to retirement than bingo nights and the evening news. The Hilly is not a race. The Hilly is not a race. I repeat it in my head. Still, I wish this mountain bike came with a little jet propulsion.\nI get to State Road 37, and the police have the traffic blocked off both ways for the cyclists to cut through. I stream past four lanes of highway without even looking both ways. A cheap thrill, but a thrill nonetheless.\nThe lunch stop is a welcome sight. The main course is fried chicken. Not exactly a light entrée, but I guess it's a Hilly tradition. Time to rest and re-energize for the homestretch.\nMiles 31-40 -- I'm starting to feel it. My quads hate me, and the bike seat and my backside are not getting along.\nI attempt to ride up Tabor Hill, the meanest, baddest hill of the weekend. I'm pushing, I'm prodding, I'm practically sitting on my handlebars. I get maybe 15 yards before I hop off and start walking. Even walking takes some effort.\nI try to focus on my surroundings. The dense forests with the sloping ravines, the autumn colors of the leaves, the blueness of the sky, the banded woolly bear caterpillars. That's right, the banded woolly bear caterpillars. Black on the ends, brown in the middle, fuzzy all over -- the caterpillars slink across the road inch by inch. They probably have no idea how long it will take them to get across the road or what they were getting into when they decided to make the journey in the first place. Why did the banded woolly caterpillar cross the road? Why did the naive journalist think a 50-mile bike ride through the southern Indiana countryside sounded intriguing? \nI am a banded woolly bear caterpillar.\nMiles 41-50 -- The last 10 miles are the toughest. They are flat, straight and boring. I have nothing to distract me from the ache of my legs except the name tags on the backs of passing cyclists. Oh, he's from Tennessee. That's a drive -- or a really long bike ride. Look, a lady from Oregon. Wow, she's like a grandmother with the legs of a 20-year-old. Then a strange thing happens. I come across a familiar building. The realization hits me like awaking from a dream: I am back where I started almost six hours and 50 miles ago. \nA woolly caterpillar no more, I stretch my Tiger Moth wings and fly to bed with the rolling terrain of southern Indiana on my mind.
(10/12/06 3:11am)
President George W. Bush on Wednesday called ex-Rep. Mark Foley's approaches to House male pages "disgusting" and backed Speaker Dennis Hastert's efforts to learn how officials handled the problem. Peggy Sampson, the supervisor of the page program, was questioned for less than two hours before the House ethics committee. The panel is investigating Foley's inappropriate electronic messages to former pages and if House officials covered up Foley's come-ons.