The unexplained is exciting. Not knowing how or why something happens automatically draws one’s attention. For Anthony Wood, this is the main reason as to why he enjoys folklore and urban legends. He loves stories. So last fall, during his folklore class, Wood paired up with another student, Josh Faulkerson, and created the Folklore and Urban Legends Club.

The club became official in the middle of last fall’s semester, but the Wood and the other members have tons of plans.

“Because folklore encompasses so much, we are able to do a lot more than people think,” Wood said. “It covers everything from legends to ghost stories to the everyday music and movies we all enjoy.”

This semester, they plan to go ghost hunting and have already scouted many different locations. They are also planning to bring a guest speaker to campus to discuss the origins of urban legends.

“We didn’t have the opportunity to do everything we wanted to do in class, and that’s why we decided to start the club,” Wood added.

Paranormal activity is an increasingly popular topic among people today, and the discussions of urban legends and conspiracy theories are always fun to explore. Wood and Faulkerson wanted to give all the students on campus the opportunity to engage in the world of folklore while having fun, too.

The group hopes to increase membership, but ultimately have a diverse group of students who will make this club a success. Wood enjoys these subjects, so he is looking forward to hearing the ideas the campus has. If you want to go on a trip and explore local legends or simply watch videos about the supernatural, all can be made possible with this group.

If you’re interested in joining this group, contact Faculty Advisor Carol Garber at cagarber@iuk.edu or President Anthony Wood at anthwood@iuk.edu. Other officers include Vice President Josh Faulkerson, Secretary Mary Kennelly, and Finance Officer Amber Sheetz, who will direct your interest as well.

Mary Olk

It is election season in America, and millions of citizens are engaged in a heated debate over who should lead this country for the next four years. Meanwhile, in North Korea, a massive transfer of power is taking place, determined not by the will of the people, but by the machinations of the government that controls them.

If we are not happy with our quality of life or the direction of our nation, we know that we have the opportunity to choose a new leader at the end of four years. Sometimes, even four years seems too long for one man to govern. Imagine the people of North Korea living with the knowledge that not only will their individual and collective voices never be heard, but it will take the lifetime of the leader until a change in government can take place. The death of supreme leader Kim Jong-Il has provided an opportunity for change, and the rest of the world is watching to see if there is even a glimmer of hope that life for Koreans will improve and the world will be a safer place.

Kim Jong-Il died of a heart attack on December 17th, 2011. The state-run media attributed his death to mental and physical overexertion, caused by working tirelessly for the people, and reported strange phenomena connected with his exit from the world, such as flashes of light in the sky, tremors in the earth, and even a family of bears mourning instead of hibernating. These hyperbolic statements may seem strange or even humorous to us, safely removed from their context, but they are typical of the godlike view of the supreme leader which is beaten into North Koreans from birth. Like his father, Kim Jong-Il was supported by a powerful propaganda machine which exalted him as a deity, as well as a fearsome military that crushed even the slightest deviation from this view.

North Korea has never known a leader besides Kim Il-Sung, who ruled the country from its founding in 1948 to his death in 1994, and his son Kim Jong-Il, who ruled for the last 17 years of his life. Kim Jong-Il selected his third and youngest son, Kim Jong-Un, as his successor in 2009. He had originally tried to groom his oldest son for the role, but Kim Jong-Nam humiliated his father in 2001 when he was deported from Japan for sneaking into the country to visit Tokyo Disneyland, using the Chinese alias Pang Xiong, meaning “Fat Bear.” His second son, Kim Jong-Chul, was considered too effeminate to take his place. His youngest son, however, was a perfect fit. During his education in Switzerland, Kim Jong-Un revealed his competitive nature and proved resistant to Western influence, besides sharing his father’s love for NBA basketball. Knowing his health was failing, Kim Jong-Il sought to strengthen his son’s position over the last couple of years, appointing him a four-star general in 2010, despite a complete lack of military experience.

While Kim Jong-Un has been enthusiastically promoted by media and military, he still seems eager to prove himself and consolidate his power. The missile tests that have been conducted since his father’s death seem to be proof of that. In his late 20s, Kim Jong-Un is the youngest head of state in the world. His insecurity and inexperience could make him even more dangerous and unpredictable than his father, or he could prove to be a reformer that brings the change his people so desperately need. The chances of reform are slim, but in a country as hopeless as North Korea, even the slightest hope is something to hold on to.

Andrew Jones

On November 21st, the results of the Regional Benchmark study were released to the public. The project, commissioned by Chancellor Harris, is aimed at identifying strengths and opportunities of the surrounding region in order to determine a best course of action for future success and development. The release was well attended by business and community leaders from our region, as well as prominent members of the University administration, Mayor Goodnight, and State Rep. Mike Karickoff. Full results of the study are available online at www.iuk.edu.

Photo: Hunt Hall, provided by Micah Taylor

The first question that might come to mind is what the point of all this was. Refer to the second tenet of Chancellor Harris’ mission: regional transformation. The statistical analysis presented, which you can explore more fully online at http://www.stats.indiana.edu, follow the link at the top of the results page, tells a grim story. People and jobs are leaving our area. Wages are lower and poverty is higher. But this probably wasn’t something you needed an in-depth study to tell you. The empty houses, commercial sites, and manufacturing plants are probably all the data you would need to understand that things aren’t what they were in Kokomo or the surrounding counties. Consider this analysis, then, as the groundwork for bigger things to come.

The historical and peer community component of the study compares the region to a number of similar communities around the country. The peer communities include Anderson, SC.; Decatur, AL.; Rocky Mount, NC; Morristown, TN.; Battle Creek, MI; Lebanon, PA; Sheboygan, WI; Cleveland, TN; Danville, VA.; Jackson, TN; Lima, OH; Fond du Lac, WI; and Rome, GA. But why these communities? Size is the predominant factor, but there are a number of different reasons that these cities were chosen: economic, cultural, political, and geographical. Some are in the same situation as Kokomo, a slowly disintegrating industrial manufacturing town in need of new industry.

Next year, the release of another study looking at the campus’ economic impact on the region will be released to illustrate how the campus function as part of the region is integral and vital for future success. Success of the region, not just of the campus, is tied up in these results, and the future direction the community leaders will take.

These are puzzle pieces. The puzzle, when assembled, is a partnership between the University and the surrounding region that will lead the greater north central area into becoming what Chancellor Harris always says it will be: the best regional campus in the whole world. The benchmark shows us where we are, the campus’ economic impact is the importance and vitality we bring, the branding of the region is cooperation and cohesion, and tomorrow’s innovation is the key to ensuring success of the entire region.

Story by Brian Arwood
Assistant Editor

Due to the increasing importance of improving student life at Indiana University Kokomo, the cafeteria is implementing some changes to create a better dining experience for students, faculty, and staff.

To start, new “grab n’ go” items are being placed in the cooler in the cafeteria. Breakfast sandwiches, cheeseburgers, buffalo chicken sandwiches, roasted turkey dinners, turkey flatbread sandwiches, salads, or a ham and cheese croissant will be readily available to microwave or eat cold. All food comes pre-packed with a microwavable safe plate and condiments included. Prices range from one to three dollars, and wellness options are available.

Lyn Allison, dining district manager of AVI Foodsystems, is very pleased to add this for the campus.

“I’m glad to be able to better serve the campus by adding these food options. So far, it seems that these new additions will be a great hit,” Allison said.

For the start of the spring 2012 semester, the campus can expect a new vending machine featuring these food items, plus more. The vending machine will be placed in the main building with the other machines. Not only will the cheeseburgers and sandwiches be an option, but meals such as chili mac, biscuits and gravy, veal parmesan, and scalloped potatoes will be added as well.

A nice addition to the vending options is that the food is never frozen and no preservatives are added.

“The great thing about our vending food is that it is fresh,” Allison added. “The food is usually prepared late at night and we receive it early the next morning, ensuring the best quality is provided to the campus.”

There will also be a variety of wellness options added. Chicken Caesar, garden fresh, and chef salads will be available, and the great thing is that all toppings are separate from the lettuce, so the salad can be prepared to your liking.

Sarah Sarber, dean of students, also looks forward to the new machines.

“The food is delicious, and we’re all very excited for the new options,” Sarber stated. “This will add convenience for students, faculty, and staff.”

All labels will come with a calorie count and nutritional facts. If you’re interested in learning more about these food options, stop by the cafeteria located in the Kelley Center.

Story by Mary Olk, Editor-in-Chief

Indiana weather is always unpredictable, but it’s safe to predict that there will be at least one severe winter storm in the upcoming months. It’s important to consider the disruptions that winter weather can cause and how to be prepared to handle them.

Photo: Winter snow on IU Kokomo campus.

Severe winter weather may not seem as dangerous as a tornado or an earthquake, but the likelihood of being affected by a winter storm is much higher, and the effects can be just as devastating. As students, it is important to consider how classes will be affected, as well as how to safely travel to and from campus.

The easiest thing a person can do to help ready himself or herself for winter is to be aware of the weather forecast and to stay informed. Checking the weather online is extremely easy, and for those with a smart phone, there are many apps available to keep up to date on current weather conditions. For those who do not have easy access to the internet, radio and television forecasts are generally easy to find. Local morning news will almost always have the day’s weather featured.

As students, it is important to be informed when campus is closed due to inclement weather in order to avoid driving to campus when there will be no classes. Information about the status of campus can be obtained in many ways. As with the weather, local news stations are informed when campus is closed, however, the IU Notify system is the fastest way to be informed about campus closings. Students who have entered their information into the IU Notify system can have email, text, and automated phone call messages sent to let them know when campus will be closed due to an emergency. For those who have not entered their information, but would like to, this can be done at onestart.iu.edu.

All IU Kokomo students have to travel to and from campus, and with heavy snow or ice, it can be dangerous. For students who live farther away, it is possible that conditions may be treacherous where they live, but campus may still be open. In these cases, it is important to stay in touch with your professor and their policies on missing class. While it is never encouraged to miss a class, it is more important for students to stay safe. 

There are times when travel in bad weather cannot be avoided, and it’s a good idea to have an emergency kit in a vehicle for safety, as well as doing regular maintenance. A large duffle bag can be kept in the trunk or in the back and should include: a flashlight, salt or ice melter, gloves, boots, socks, first aid kit, blanket, a piece of bright orange material, and a granola bar or snack. If room allows, a small shovel is also helpful.

While that may seem like a large amount of items that may never be needed, in the event of an emergency, it is possible that they could be lifesavers. More info about winter safety can be found at www.ready.gov/winter.

Story by John Robertson, Staff Writer, Photographer

Habitat for Humanity, whose logo is “Giving people a hand up, not a hand out,” was started in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, and is a Christian faith-based organization that builds and repairs houses for families in need.

The houses that Habitat for Humanity builds are not free to the recipients. Instead, the recipients purchase a house and make small monthly payments, in addition to putting in at least 250 hours of work per adult in the receiving household. According to habitatkokomo.com, the average cost for a Habitat for Humanity house in the United States costs around $30,000 for the receiving family, while houses built by the international division are usually no more than $3,000. Comparatively speaking, $30,000 seems like a lot of money, but it’s just a fraction of what most comparable homes sell for. The money from the payments that the house recipients make goes back into a fund used for building more Habitat for Humanity houses.

Habitat for Humanity Kokomo has an online volunteer form for those of you who are interested in helping out in some way. The form asks for basic contact information and church affiliation, then asks you to check boxes for various ways you’d like to help. The selections are divided into two categories: Organizational, where you can check selections such as “volunteer relations” and “public awareness,” and Construction, under which “cabinets,” “electrical”, “framing,” “HVAC,” “plumbing,” “painting,” “site cleanup,” and “general helper” can be found. The construction category truly offers a place for anyone willing to work with his or her hands.

If you aren’t able to donate your time or have physical limitations, there are several other ways to help out. You can make a monetary donation online, recycle scrap metal and old cans at Omni Source on 990 East Carter Street, where the cash proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity, or donate your old car. You can even help out just by having a meal out. Every Tuesday this month, Ruby Tuesday’s in Kokomo will donate 20% of the cost of your meal to Habitat for Humanity. All you have to do is print off and bring in a flyer found at www.habitatkokomo.com/donation.htm. It’s a completely effortless way to help.

For more information, contact Habitat for Humanity at hfhkokomo@gmail.com, or call 765.452.2185. Habitat for Humanity is, at its heart, a grassroots organization, so it invites you to spread the word wherever and whenever you can.

Story by Tiffani Bonifant, Copy Editor

The winter holidays are filled with the sound of bells. Church bells, Christmas bells, jingle bells, silver bells, and…Salvation Army bells.

Active worldwide and founded in 1865, The Salvation Army, which is famous for those bells, is a Christian-based ministry and charity that caters to people in need, whether that need be food, money for rent, clothing, or Christmas gifts for children. The organization offers many programs, including housing efforts for the homeless, youth camps, Christmas charities, care for the elderly, and disaster

The Salvation Army, located in downtown Kokomo. Photo Provided by Nicolas Parkhurt

relief. It even offers rehabilitation programs for adults struggling with drug and alcohol addictions, and nation-wide family-finding services. There is also an important focus on the elimination of human trafficking worldwide. It is very clear that The Salvation Army aims to be well-rounded in its efforts and in the aid of people in every part of the world.

The Kokomo division of The Salvation Army was founded more than a hundred years ago, in 1903, and serves all of Howard County.

How can you help? The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers who adhere to the Christian faith, are community-minded, and want to help out those less fortunate than themselves. The more relevant need right now is for bell ringers for the Red Kettle Campaign. According to The Salvation Army Kokomo’s website, taking just two hours to ring a bell at one of the Red Kettle locations “can prevent a family of four from going hungry for one month,” as well as “provide a Christmas basket and toys for a family of four.” Although the Red Kettle Campaign is done near Christmastime, the funds collected help year-round and go towards helping people with a variety of serious problems, from emergency rent and food provisions to disaster relief.

If ringing a bell isn’t for you, there are many other opportunities. Donate yours or your children’s gently-used coats during the Coats for Kids drive, donate your efforts to the Christmas Senior Citizens’ Luncheon, or help out with office work or with the Salvation Army Thrift Store. You can also donate used (but still nice) clothes, furniture, and even cars. There is also a program called the League of Mercy that helps give comfort and company to those who are lonely.

New to The Salvation Army is an innovation in the Red Kettle Campaign. Although not yet available in Kokomo, The Salvation Army is setting up special credit card readers at its Red Kettle locations in five major U.S. cities. Because many people don’t carry cash anymore, this new plan will allow more people to donate. According to a news release at www.salvationarmyusa.org, approximately 800,000 card readers will be used during this drive, and people will be able to safely donate using their internet-capable smartphones.

Dr. TJ Sullivan, who is the Assistant Professor of Molecular Ecology in the Department of Science, Mathematics, and Informatics here at Indiana University Kokomo, has won a $173,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.

Professor Sullivan and his colleague from Hope College of Holland, Michigan, Dr. Tom Bultman, will study the relationship between toxic and non-toxic grasses that livestock eat, which the money from the grant will go toward. The grant he received was one of 11,500 grants given, out of 45,000 requests that the National Science Foundation received.

In order to apply for the grant, Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Bultman had to write a proposal describing what they wanted to do and provide justification that the experiments would be important to science. They then had to create a budget and describe how much money was being requested. All of that information was then submitted to be reviewed by other scientists.

When asked how he felt when he received the news, Dr. Sullivan stated, “I was really excited and happy when I got the news. It was a great reassurance not only that my proposed research actually was a good idea, but also that I’d be able to financially support it for the next few years.” However, this is not the first grant that Dr. Sullivan has received. He received smaller grants when he was a graduate student, as well as here at Indiana University Kokomo, but this grant is the largest.

He has been studying the relationship between fungi and grasses since graduate school. Says Sullivan, “When I was initially looking into going to graduate school, I knew I wanted to study ecology, specifically symbiotic relationships involving microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi, and larger organisms, like plants and animals. While I was visiting graduate schools, I visited Arizona State, where I met with Dr. Stan Faeth, who was working with these fungi already. I became fascinated by this grass/fungal interaction, and ended up going to ASU to get my Ph.D.”

The project has already been started. Dr. Sullivan started collecting seeds from natural populations of Canada Wild Rye from all over the United States. He says that “since that can only be done in August when the plants are producing seeds, I did some collecting because I wanted to be able to start right away and not have to wait until next summer if the grant was funded.”

When asked how he thought this will affect Indiana University Kokomo research projects for this department in the future, Dr. Sullivan replied that “faculty in SMI and at IU Kokomo in general are all active researchers, all doing interesting things. Hopefully this news will help shine a light on everything else faculty are doing here, and help people realize that important research doesn’t have to be done at a large campus. We can do it here, too.”

Amanda Chesshir

The life and death of Steve Jobs have been prominently featured in the news and social media since early October, when the Apple co-founder passed away. Some may have mourned when they heard the news, while others may have said muttered a “who cares?” and changed the channel. However, Jobs spent his life thinking about technology and how it could improve the lives of humans. Most of his work was done while employed by Apple Computers, but not all of his work was directly linked with them.

The design of modern laptop computers that we all know and love comes directly from the Apple PowerBook 100, which was the first to incorporate a central control (trackball then, trackpad now) for the mouse pointer, and extra space underneath the keyboard to rest your wrists as you type.

Steve Jobs was a pioneer in computer fonts as well. When Apple launched the first Macintosh computer, it came preloaded with various proportional fonts that gave the user a chance to change the way a document looked, based on the typeface. The innovation was the ability to actually see what the typeface looked like before printing it. This was the first of the “what you see is what you get” font-changing systems. This led to PostScript, and then to the TrueType fonts that are now used in most current document creating programs.

Lucas Films Graphic Division had been working on animated films before Steve Jobs joined their team, but once he was on board, they gained strength quickly, producing a film called Toy Story, changing their name to Pixar, and influencing the look of animated movies drastically.

The iPod, and later the iPhone, allowed us to take our entire music library with us without dragging around a duffel bag full of cassette tapes or CDs. Under Jobs’ design guidance, Apple was also the first company to successfully market a tablet version of their computer.

The iPhone changed what was expected from a phone not only in the software available, but also in the mechanics. Touch screens were clunky and unresponsive until Apple released the first iPhone. The ability to use it without a stylus was attractive to many users, and then the intuitiveness of the system kept them coming back for more. Now, every major cell phone manufacturer offers a Smartphone with stylus-less touch screen controls.

Apple’s App Store was one of Jobs’ many creations that sent mobile communications and productivity to new heights. From Angry Birds to ACT prep software to Facebook, there is an app for everything, and they’re all available with just a few swipes of the finger. The Android platform followed suit and created their Market to provide their customers with the same type of innovative system.

Steve Jobs was directly involved in the design and creation of these technologies. While it may not seem as significant as Thomas Edison’s light bulb, it’s quite safe to say that Steve Jobs’ creativity and innovation make him the most influential creator of our generation.

John Robertson

Aren’t hearing enough election news? Well, for all you political junkies out there who never get enough, here are a few words about Kokomo’s recent local elections. Mayor Greg Goodnight won a historic landslide victory over Republican challenger Scott Kern in the mayoral race, garnering just over 70% of the vote.

During his first term, Goodnight earned substantial praise for his role in cutting the size of local government and improving the city’s economic climate. Kokomo was on Forbes’ list of “Fastest-Dying Towns” at the end of 2008, but it is now on Forbes’ list of “Best Cities for Jobs.”  The mayor’s first four years also saw the city’s $5 million deficit turn into a $7 million surplus, as well as the creation of a city bus service. According to the Kokomo Tribune, Goodnight feels the city needs to keep moving forward, stating that his goals are to “clean up the city, make the proper investments, and improve the quality of life for people who’ve invested their lives here.”

Goodnight’s difficult decision to downsize the fire department was controversial, leading Scott Kern first to resign as fire chief and eventually to oppose him in the mayoral race. The department supported Kern in his run, but around 15 firefighters broke away in support of Goodnight. Kern was good-natured about his loss, telling the Tribune, “I wish nothing but the best for the City of Kokomo.”

The city council races were won by Mike Wyant (D) of District 1, Bob Cameron (D) of District 2, Cindy Sanders (R) of District 5, and Tom Miklik (R) of District 6, as well as Kevin Summers (R), Robert Hayes (D), and Mike Kennedy (D) for Councilmen-At-Large. This gives Democrats a 6-3 advantage on the council. However, representatives from both parties have shown solidarity, saying they are looking forward to working together for the good of the city.

Many of the candidates and their supporters even celebrated the end of the election at the same place—the Elks Lodge. Goodnight, a Democrat, praised the reelection of the three Republican councilmen as an example of the council and the voters putting city before party. The precedence of civic over political considerations can be seen in the prevalence of split-ticket voting in this election.

The mutual respect and love of community revealed in this election are refreshing compared to the partisan divide we often see on the national stage. However, there is one major concern. Voter turnout has dropped 6% since the 2007 election. Vote totals dived from over 10,000 four years ago to about 8,000 this year, with the drop virtually equal across party lines.  Only 25% of Kokomo’s registered voters participated in the election, meaning the results were determined by just under 18% of the city’s population. These figures are astonishing. Voting is an important civic responsibility, as well as a right that men and women have given their lives for. If you sat out this election or if you have in the past, please remember that your voice counts.  With the presidential election next year, we cannot afford to let our apathy or disillusionment as voters prevent us from making the best possible decision for the good of our nation.

BY: Andrew Jones