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Going green catches on at big events The director of the NFL’s environmental program talked about the league’s effort to make sporting events, such as the Super Bowl, more environmentally friendly.
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February 19, 2010, Volume 204 >> Number 104 >> 40 cents >> iowastatedaily.com >> An independent newspaper serving Iowa State since 1890
Suicide
Angry at IRS, man crashes plane By Jim Vertuno Associated Press Writer AUSTIN, Texas — A software engineer furious with the Internal Revenue Service launched a suicide attack on the agency Thursday by crashing his small plane into an office building containing nearly 200 IRS employees, setting off a raging fire that sent workers running for their lives. Emergency crews recovered two bodies from the wreckage.
The pilot was presumed dead and one worker in the building had been missing. Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief Palmer Buck declined to discuss the identities of those found, but said Thursday night that authorities had “accounted for everybody.” The FBI tentatively identified the pilot as A. Joseph Stack III, 53. Law enforcement officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still going on, said
that before taking off, Stack apparently set fire to his house and posted a long anti-government rant on the Web. It was dated Thursday and signed “Joe Stack (1956-2010).” In it, the author cited run-ins he had with the IRS and ranted about the tax agency, government bailouts and corporate America’s “thugs and plunderers.” “I have had all I can stand,” he wrote, adding: “I choose not to keep looking over my shoulder at ‘big brother’ while
he strips my carcass.” The pilot took off in a four-seat, single engineer Piper PA-28 from an airport in Georgetown, about 30 miles from Austin, without filing a flight plan. He flew low over the Austin skyline before plowing into the side of the hulking, seven-story, black-glass building just before 10 a.m. with a thunderous explosion that instantly stirred memories of Sept. 11. Flames shot from the building, windows exploded, a huge pillar of black
Culture
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Internet
Rule No. 1: Smile Bhangra Club works to share joy, excitement of west Indian dance
Ames possible Google Fiber trial candidate By Allison Suesse Daily Staff Writer The city of Ames has taken the initiative to apply for the new Google Fiber experimental trial of highspeed broadband network. This new network could increase Internet speed by more than 100 times, according to Google. The company will select one or more candidate communities for this trial of the network, and representatives from the city of Ames are intrigued by the possibility of being selected. The high-speed network will serve anywhere from 50,000 to 500,000 residents. Ward 3 councilman Jeremy Davis has received numerous e-mails encouraging City Council to consider applying for the experimental trial. Jeremy alerted the city manager of this opportunity, who referred the notion to the city staff. The council will discuss further plans at Tuesday’s meeting. Jeremy said the council will discuss reasons Ames would be a good candidate for Google Fiber. “High-speed Internet has become almost like a utility,” Jeremy said. “Having the option to make the Internet and the access to information on the World Wide Web become faster ... than what it currently is now, I think would help increase the overall quality of life for everybody that lives in Ames.” Jeremy said he had heard feedback from residents of Ames, ISU students and other council members who were in support of applying. He also noted that there is no cost to be part of the trial, only the time it takes the city to apply. Jeremy also said there is potential for Iowa State to get involved with Google Fiber. He said the Internet connection would incorporate everything in the city, including the university — an “integral part of the community.” As the city begins the application process, Jeremy said the council hopes to involve Iowa State. He said he would like to hear the university’s ideas and thoughts on how Google Fiber could help it. Jeremy said Google Fiber could help researchers at Iowa State have faster access to information.
By Justine Scattarelli Daily Staff Writer A group of ISU students are working to share the joy and excitement of Punjabi Indian dance with Iowa State through the recently formed ISU Bhangra club. The club held a practice and audition for the team Tuesday night. At the practice, dancers’ hands, knees and elbows shot in opposite directions. Each movement seemed to be led by particular body part — hands, shoulders — with the rest of the body pulled along by the certainty and intensity of the movement. Bhangra is a celebratory folk dance from the Punjab region in northwestern India. It is performed at weddings and celebrations, and emphasizes big, animated movements. ISU Bhangra club is made up of Punjabi Indians, non-Punjabi Indians, Americans of Indian descent, and non-Indians. Many of the Indians in the club have been dancing Bhangra at parties and family gatherings their entire lives. Darin Williams, senior in advertising, has just recently been introduced to Bhangra. Williams is one of only two non-Indians in the club. Williams first became fascinated with the energy and excitement of Indian dance two years ago when he participated in the Diwali dance performance, part of the Indian Festival of Lights. “At the end of the dance, we were all drenched in sweat, because when you do it you put your heart and soul into it. It’s not something you just do and be passive about.” After enjoying that experience, Williams joined the recently formed ISU Bhangra club. Williams said it’s weird at times being the only white American at practice, but the club members do a good job of making everyone feel welcome. “They have embraced me and I’ve taken an active part in being embraced.” Participating in Bhangra has taught him more than just steps to a dance. “It’s not just the practice and learning the dance. We talk and hang out outside the practice,” Williams said. Williams says he is trying to learn some Hindi through his friends in Bhangra club, and listens to Bhangra music and practices the dance outside of club meetings. Meeting people through the club has also taught Williams about Indian culture. He said he has learned a little about how relationships between men and women and parents and children work in India. “The [club members] that are from India, they’ll fill me in. You know, ‘this is how it actually works,’ because I’m really curious,” Williams said. Williams said he has always been interested in Indian culture because of its rich and unique traditions, and hopes to travel to India someday. Williams said the feeling of dancing Bhangra is indescribable. “The music is just really upbeat; it fills you,” he explained. “You’re just in the moment.” Nishan Singh , freshman in business, is one of the founding members of the club. He said the purpose of Bhangra is simply to have fun.
smoke rose over the city, and terrified workers rushed to get out. The Pentagon scrambled two F-16 fighter jets from Houston to patrol the skies over the burning building before it became clear that it was the act of a lone pilot, and President Barack Obama was briefed. “It felt like a bomb blew off,” said Peggy Walker, an IRS revenue officer who was sitting at her desk. “The ceil-
see GOOGLE on PAGE 3
Student Government
Student insight needed on bill Rajin Olson, sophomore in electrical engineering, and Darin Williams, senior in advertising, both members of ISU’s Bhangra club, step through some of the moves of the traditional Indian folk dance Tuesday. The Bhangra club is new to Iowa State and wants to bring more awareness to the dance in the Midwest. Photo: Kelsey Kremer/Iowa State Daily
“The number one rule of Bhangra is to keep a smile on your face,” Singh said. Williams remembered the effect dancing had on him when he first started. “When we were practicing for Diwali I was having a really rough semester at the time, and going to practice was always the bright point of my day or my week. I knew as soon as I got there I would be in a good mood, because the music and the dance just brings you up. It really does,” Williams said. Rajin Olson, sophomore in electrical engineering and Spanish, is the founder and president of the club. Olson said participating in competitions is
the club’s long-term goal, but mainly members want to spread Bhangra around Iowa State. “I think it’s such great music and dancing. I want everyone to experience that joy and that fun,” Olson said. Another member of the club, Haema Nilakanta, senior in mathematics, said the dance has been gaining popularity on the U.S. coasts but is underrepresented throughout the rest of the U.S. “It’s such an amazing dance,” Nilakanta said. “If we could be a competition level group, we could show that good Bhangra could be performed at Iowa State. Hopefully that will interest some other people in the dance form.”
By Paige Godden Daily Staff Writer The Varsity Task Force is seeking to gather student feedback before its presentation to the Board of Regents. An e-mail sent out to all students late Wednesday night featuring a survey and the announcement of the second open forum which was held on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union. Turk, two members of the task force, and two students showed up to the open forum. Brian Ryherd, one of the task force members at the meeting, said that the students didn’t have a strong opinion for or against the theater. “One student wanted to figure out where the money was coming from, and the other was trying to figure out what other options on campus the money could be used for,” Ryherd said.
see VARSITY on PAGE 3