8 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(11/06/18 11:40pm)
Over the past two months motorized scooters have become a common sight in Indianapolis, and seem to be especially popular here on the IUPUI campus. The ubiquity of the scooters has provided an easily accessible and zippy transportation alternative for those looking to make long treks across campus a little easier on their feet, but the scooters do have have their drawbacks.
In the short amount of time the scooters have been on campus, riders have been seen weaving in between pedestrians on sidewalks, barreling through crosswalks, and scooters have been abandoned in front of entrances, in parking spots, and perhaps most annoyingly, right in the middle of a busy sidewalk.
What some people may fail to consider, however, is that not all IUPUI students are capable of doing something as simple as picking one of the scooters up and moving it out of the way.
Kevin McCracken, Director of Adaptive Educational Services at IUPUI, advocates for disabled students on campus. He also wants others to understand the issues they may create by leaving their scooters in inconvenient places.
“I think the scooters look really fun,” he said. “They’re no more of a threat than skateboards or bicycles, but you never find those in the middle of the walkway or obstructing traffic.”
McCracken went on to offer examples of how the scooters could impede students with different disabilities on campus.
“Blind students navigate primarily from memory, so a scooter left in the middle of a walkway could be problematic,” he said. “If a scooter was left on a wheelchair ramp, the student would have to go out of their way to navigate around it.”
McCracken also had some advice for students who aren’t disabled in regards to what they can do to make life easier for disabled students.
“Park the scooters in places that are out of the way, or move them out of the way,” he said. “It’s not terribly difficult to be mindful of the challenges that students with mobility limitations face. Whether it’s physical or sensory, it’s not too difficult to figure out what their challenges are.
McCracken said he thinks Lime and Bird, the two scooter companies found in the city, could do something to alleviate the issues they’re causing, but isn’t holding out much hope.
“They could do something, yes, but they won’t,” he said. “Nothing against them--I admire the innovative and disruptive business model they’ve implemented, but part of their business model is that they’ve created a public nuisance. It’s a minor nuisance for the vast majority of people, but for students with mobility challenges, it can be a major nuisance.”
(11/06/18 2:42pm)
Thousands gathered at Southport High School on Friday to see President Trump, Vice President Pence, and former IU basketball coach Bobby Knight speak in support of Indiana Senate candidate Mike Braun.
Approximately 8,500 people were crammed into the school’s gymnasium, one of the largest in the state, to see the trio speak in support of the candidate running against Democratic incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly.
Thousands of attendees were lined up for the event hours before the president was scheduled to arrive. From the streets surrounding the school to the main entrances, staffers with bullhorns directed the snaking lines of Trump supporters decked out in the infamous MAGA hats and red, white, and blue outfits--but they mostly wore red.
Kathy, from Beech Grove, was excited to get a chance to see the president. A fan since Trump’s days on the television show “The Apprentice” and a political supporter since 2015, she spoke excitedly about being at the rally.
“I’m here to show my support tonight,” she said. “He fights for us every day. He’s telling the truth and will give it back to those who have lied to us.”
A few blocks away from the entrance to the high school, a group of protesters gathered in defiance of the rally. Logan Collins, the 23-year-old organizer of the protest and Southport High School alumnus, wanted to make it clear that Trump’s visit was not appreciated.
“Trump isn’t welcome here. Perry Township has a lot of problems with violence, so I think it was a poor choice on the school administration’s part to allow them to come here,” he said.
As the protesters continued to gather on the corner of the block, the line to gain entrance to the Trump rally wrapped around the opposite corner. The protesters let loose with chants of, “Love, not hate! That’s what makes America great,” and “Made in China.” Those waiting in line responded with, “Get a job,” “MAGA,” and some with raised middle fingers.
Longtime neighborhood residents watched from across the street and stood in their driveway with arms crossed. A large Joe Donnelly sign was placed in their front yard.
“This is sad,” one of the residents said. “There’s so much of a divide right now.”
One of the residents said that since the 2016 elections, they had experienced strained relationships with close family members and didn’t think they would be fixed any time soon.
“This political divide has ripped our family apart,” they said. “Since Trump came along, talking to family is like talking to a brick wall.”
As the protest mobilized and marched toward the high school, news crews quickly followed in an attempt to capture footage and set up interviews with those participating. As Mary Milz of WTHR and her cameraman attempted to set up a shot, shouts of “Fake news” could be heard coming from those waiting in line for the event.
At 6:15 pm, staffers announced to the crowds that the school was at capacity and that no one else would be allowed in.
Some of the crowd remained outside to watch the event on the large screen that had been set up just outside the entrance to the high school. Mike Pence took the stage first to thunderous cheers and applause, and spoke briefly before he introduced Trump, who received an even more enthusiastic response from the crowd.
Trump touched on familiar topics such as the migrant caravan, democratic opposition, and job growth. Mike Braun and Bobby Knight made brief appearances as well, but Trump himself and those attending made it clear the night was decidedly more of a Trump rally than it was a Braun rally.
(10/19/18 4:02pm)
The 2018 midterm elections are rapidly approaching, and on Nov. 6, millions will have the opportunity to influence the course of the country’s future with their votes. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, and 35 senate seats are also up for grabs.
Here in Indiana, incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly will defend his seat from the Republican businessman Mike Braun. If Sen. Donnelly successfully defends his seat, the Democrats would need only a net gain of two seats to gain majority control over the Senate if they sustain no other losses. A failure to do so would see the Republicans maintain majority control.
According to FiveThirtyEight, there’s a substantial chance that young voters will go to the polls in increased numbers this election. IUPUI students represent that young demographic, and of those interviewed, it appears that there may be some truth to that assessment.
Isaac Kilgore, a senior majoring in media and public affairs, said that he would be voting in the upcoming election.
“I always make sure I’m registered to vote,” Kilgore said. “I know it’s supposed to be a pretty important election. I’m from LaGrange County, and we tend to vote Republican.”
Others felt that they don’t have enough information available to them to head to the polls. Madison, a freshman majoring in biology, doesn’t feel comfortable casting a vote.
“I’m registered to vote, but I don’t think I’m informed enough to do so,” Madison said.
Other students who have participated in previous elections planned on voting again this year as well.
Jake, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, voted in the 2016 elections and will be voting again this November. He feels obligated to cast his ballot.
“It feels like what you’re supposed to do,” he said. “I don’t really like our president now. It’s the same reason why I voted in 2016.”
Melissa Gutierrez, a senior double majoring in German and French, started voting in 2008. She thinks that the current Republican majority in the Senate isn’t representing its constituents well.
“I’m concerned as a woman and a minority,” she said. “I don’t think the current House majority is reflective of what U.S. citizens want.”
(10/12/18 3:13pm)
I arrived at the Indiana Renaissance Faire on the morning of Oct. 6, 2018 and found a section of the Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center transformed from a spillover parking lot into a small tent city.
Peasants from both the 1500s and the modern day sloshed around me in the deep troughs of mud that had been carved through the (previously) dirt footpaths, the straw laid down on top of the muck doing little to prevent a thick layer of gunk from building up on my boots as they sank into the earth with each step.
The recently-erected, anachronistic town had been laid out in a circular fashion with a lengthy bazaar that ran straight through the middle. Merchants garbed in gambisons and tunics peddled wares that ranged from crystal necklaces to swords and axes. Along the perimeter was a slew of vendors selling food and drink. Period-appropriate choices such as turkey legs were a popular choice, and bottles of wine and mead were as readily available as craft beers. In keeping with the spirit of the event, I decided to order an Italian beef sandwich.
Farther in, crowds gathered in anticipation of various shows. Children and their parents watched a puppet show replete with high-pitched shouting and the bonking of heads. A raunchier show put on by a group of “comedy swordsmen” known as the Rogue Blades entertained with choreographed sword fights, a plethora of silly puns, and the humiliation of one audience member who was coaxed into an onstage marriage. The audience member did, however, refuse to suck the poison out of a wound inflicted by a toxic arrow.
A few hundred feet past an axe throwing stall in a shallow, sunken valley, hundreds of attendees had gathered around a large and narrow stretch of land similar in size to a football field that was cordoned off with lengths of rope and triangular, multi-colored flags. It was
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"] A knight receives help removing his helmet after the joust.[/caption]
there I heard the shouts of a large, bearded man through the speakers at each corner of the arena. Shane Adams, the captain and owner of the full-contact jousting team known as The Knights of Valour, was preparing the audience for what they were about to witness.
“These are real lances,” he exclaimed. “Everything you’re about to see is 100 percent authentic and non-choreographed. If you’re impaled by a broken lance, you can keep it as a souvenir.”
The jousters, wearing full plate armor, mounted their massive horses, grabbed their lances, and charged. They passed each other multiple times, sometimes without so much as gently scratching one another. On the passes where a jouster was hit, those real lances exploded into fabulous eruptions of splintery shrapnel. As far as I know, no audience members were impaled.
After the jousting match had finished, I spoke with Mr. Adams about his jousting team as he rested in the shade adjacent to a makeshift horse barn. Mr. Adams, who produced a television show about jousting on The History Channel called “Full Metal Jousting,” was unsurprisingly very passionate about the subject.
“I saw the Errol Flynn Robin Hood movie when I was four years old,” he said. “After that, I developed a fascination with knights in shining armor.”
This infatuation with knights led him to found the Knights of Valour in 1997. He’s been roaming North America with his band of mounted warriors ever since.
“We’ve had everyone from lawyers, nuclear engineers, scientists, and pro sports enthusiasts as part of our group,” he said. “It’s amazing how many different personalities and body types are drawn to jousting.”
Mr. Adams estimated that there are approximately 3,000 choreographed jousters in the world, and that only 20 full-contact jousters participate in the sport. When asked what sets the real deal knights apart from their choreographed counterparts, he said it was a matter of mettle.
“Heart sets them apart from the other 3,000 choreographed jousters. They hold fast to their dreams.”
Like the knights who dash toward one another at breakneck speeds with lances lowered, the Indianapolis Renaissance Faire is an event steeped in heart. Those in attendance are afforded the chance to cast aside their modern worries and hold fast to their dreams.
(10/05/18 3:02pm)
The 14th annual Indiana Renaissance Faire will transport the Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center back to the 16th century from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 and Sunday, Oct. 7.
The event, formerly known as the Fishers Renaissance Faire, transforms the modern-day grounds of the Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center into a living, breathing replica of the town of Billericay in the year 1579 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
According to Alexandra Segal, the marketing and communication chair of the event, the Indiana Renaissance Faire averages about 10,000 attendees. The amount of attendees far outnumbers the relatively small group of dedicated volunteers who put the event together.
“The Indiana Renaissance Faire replicates Billericay’s market by presenting more than 70 artisans and merchants and plentiful food vendors in a vibrant, open-air environment,” Segal said. “We have a contingent of about 50 dedicated costumed volunteers, and dozens of other unconsumed volunteers.”
Segal went on to explain the amount of work each one of the faire’s costumed volunteers puts into their characters.
“Our costumed cast that roam the lanes throughout the day work tremendously hard during the year to prepare for this weekend. Each one of these characters have carefully crafted back stories, unique personalities and quite a bit of intrigue and humor,” Segal said. “Visitors will encounter Queen Elizabeth I and her court, Billericay villagers and English-folklore fairies. They’re really a sight to see! Introduce yourself to any of them, and we guarantee you won’t be disappointed.”
In addition to the roving bands of period-accurate performers, attendees can expect other exciting attractions such as a fire-breather, a sword-fighting comedy group and authentic full-contact jousting.
“The Knights of Valour are a professional jousting troupe whose members ride large war horses while wearing authentic armor and wielding real lances. These are true, full-contact jousts that take place in the arena twice each day,” Segal said.
Attendees will also be able to partake in a selection of various foods and drinks, with standouts including turkey legs, craft brewed root beer, freshly popped kettle corn, cheesecake on a stick, Scotch eggs and soup in a bread bowl.
If you have entertained the idea of attending the Indiana Renaissance Faire before but aren't entirely sure if it’s for you, Segal thinks you will find something to enjoy.
“Expect the unexpected. The faire is full of comedy and quite a few thrills,” Segal said. “There is something here for everyone – from the littlest princess to the most battle-hardened knight. It's a great place for the entire family.”
Tickets are available at http://www.indianarenfaire.com.
(09/28/18 3:55pm)
The morning of September 22, 2018 marked an important day of the year for me - I had finally been given the chance to free one of my beloved hoodies from its closet prison. Stepping out into the chilly morning air was an act I had been looking forward to for months, but I couldn’t help but wonder if those participating in the IUPUI Regatta would share my enthusiasm.
Upon arriving at the Indiana State Museum, I made my way to the staging area just behind the starting line on the canal. It was there I found a sizeable group of young men and women milling about in swimwear. Most of the men were wearing Speedo-style trunks, and the women were adorned in two-piece swimsuits.
At first glance I thought these were the people who would be racing canoes down the canal, but I found I was mistaken when, one after the other, they began jumping into the presumably cold water. As they did, they cried out about the new conditions they had subjected themselves to.
“It’s so cold!” one man screeched.
“Oh my God, the bottom is so squishy!” another exclaimed.
As it turned out, these minimally dressed individuals had bravely volunteered to ferry the canoes and their occupants to the starting line. They were the true unsung heroes of the day.
After a brief speech by Chancellor Paydar, the races on the canal began. The first boat off of the starting line quickly made a sharp turn toward the starboard side. Despite the crews’ best efforts at correcting their error, the bow of their canoe struck the wall of the canal. Using their oars to push off from the wall, they eventually managed to right their path and continue their cruise. Many other participants in the race that shared a similar fate-ricocheting back and forth from wall to wall down the length of the canal like ping pong balls.
Other exciting additions to the race included near-misses and a few low-speed collisions. The crowds along the edges of the canals cheered the racers on, whom despite their apparent lack of navigational skills enjoyed themselves fully. Few and far between were the boats that went by that didn’t contain two faces plastered with smiles.
In the end, my suspicions that the participants wouldn’t enjoy themselves fully because of the chilly weather were completely unfounded. The ferry persons sinking their toes into the questionable muck on the bottom of the canal, the zig-zagging canoe crews splashed with the spray from their oars, and the supportive crowds on the sidelines all seemed to have fun.
[envira-gallery id="1889"]
(09/26/18 9:30pm)
The American Heart Association Indianapolis Heart Walk and 5K Run was hosted this past Saturday at the Michael A. Carroll Stadium on the IUPUI Campus.
The annual charity event was attended by thousands of participants in support of the American Heart Association. According to the AHA website, participants and sponsors raised $585,453 in support of the organization’s heart health initiatives, which include improving patient care, advocacy efforts, raising awareness of prevention efforts, and outreach programs targeting at-risk minority communities.
Early arrivers to the event had access to health screenings, free heart-healthy snacks and water, and an infield filled with activities for kids--including bag races, obstacle courses, and giant, inflatable, velcro-covered soccer ball targets.
On the main stage, local radio personality Sean Copeland of B105.7 presented a performance by the Avon Aerial Orioles, a performance and competition jump rope team from the Avon Community School Corporation.
Back on the infield, kids lined up on the track for the Kids Fun Run, a raucous and chaotic mad-dash of indeterminate length.
The opening ceremonies were presented by WTHR personalities John Stehr and Chuck Lofton. Stehr spoke about his recent personal experiences with his heart health and presented awards for “most improved heart health” to seven local community members.
Many of the participants present had been personally affected by heart disease. Gabe and Cheryl Finchum, a married couple from Brookville, Ohio, came to the Indianapolis Heart Walk for the fifth time this year with miniature dachshund Josie in tow. They both know all too well the risks heart disease can present.
Gabe’s brother, Chris, died of a heart attack while swimming at the age of 42.
Gabe himself has heart disease, and had advice for those who may also be suffering from the illness.
“Just get started. Eat well and exercise every day. Once you get going, you’ll feel so much better. It’s all about the quality of life you want,” he said.
After the opening ceremonies, participants lined up on New York Street to begin the walk and run. The walkers followed a path up to 10th Street and back down, while the runners followed New York Street to the west, turned around just past the White River, and returned.
[envira-gallery id="1825"]
(09/19/18 6:00pm)
Dr. Spencer Lourens, Ph.D. and Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at the IUPUI Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health is passionate about the programming language, R, and he wants to share that enthusiasm and excitement with IUPUI students.
R, an open-source programming language, will be the main topic of discussion at the IUPUI Open Hackathon this Friday, Sept. 21. Dr. Lourens hopes to raise awareness about the programming language that those in the tech sphere may be unaware of.
“I want to spread knowledge about R and what it can do,” Lourens said.
The free, open-source software suite is used primarily in the medical field for statistical computing and graphics. Dr. Lourens thinks attendees who are familiar with other programming languages may be surprised with R’s capabilities.
“I’m excited to show students how much power they can have at their fingertips with R,” he said. “It can do more than they might expect.”
The event - organized by Dr. Lourens - will give IUPUI students an opportunity to learn about the R programming language and its applications. Attendees will be shown how to install the R software suite on their computers and will be guided through its potential uses.
Dr. Lourens also expressed interest in hosting a similar event next Spring.
The event will take place on Friday, September 21, from 5:00-11:00 p.m. The meeting will begin with a meet and greet at Burgerhaus, located at 335 W 9th St. D, and then will move to the Health Information and Translational Sciences Building.
Late attendees are advised to wait by the canal side doors to gain entrance to the Health Information and Translational Sciences Building as the doors will be locked. Students are required to bring their own computers.
Those interested in registering for the event can do so here:
https://fsph.iupui.edu/news-events/events/Open-Hackathon.html