Laughter and screams could be heard from the Stevens Building’s Players Theatre on Thursday and Friday as theater students presented “Children of the Corn II.”

“Children of the Corn II” contained parodies of 14 different movies including “Alien,” “The Blair Witch Project” and “The Ring.”

“I thought it was awesome,” said senior dance major Andrea Rodriguez, whose favorite skit was the parody of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” “They all did a great job.”

In addition to the skits, students dressed as monsters also roamed the audience.

Some students thought a background in horror movies was necessary to fully enjoy the show.

“I think you have to have a knowledge of a lot of scary movies to get stuff,” said junior art education major Bjana Lunde.

“Children of the Corn II” also featured an original piece titled “The Drifter.” The piece featured Alex Gunn, a senior theater major, dressed as a monster and had various scenes throughout the evening. In two scenes, Gunn “killed” disruptive audience members who were part of the show.

“It turned into an actor’s revenge,” said Alice Pacyga, senior theater major and member of the production’s coordinating committee.

The purpose of the piece also was to make the audience uncomfortable.

“We liked the idea of freaking out the audience a little,” said Gunn, who drank blood out of a fake severed hand.

Some aspects of the piece were improvised during the performance.

“I just started and kind of played with it,” Gunn said.

Peers from the theater department said they enjoyed “Children of the Corn II” overall.

“They did a good job becoming the characters,” sophomore theater major Colleen Boag said.

A new study states that taller people have higher salaries in the workplace. Timothy Judge, a management professor at the University of Florida, and Dan Cable, a management professor in the Kenan Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill, conducted the study.

“We discussed the ‘common’ belief that tall people somehow ‘get ahead’ and the ‘Napoleon complex’ idea and we decided to take a look at the linkage between height and work performance/income,” Cable said.

Cable said he and Judge conducted a meta-analysis of all the studies they could find on height and career success since the 1900s, which amounted to about 45 studies.

He said they conducted four new investigations linking height and income. Cable said 8,590 people participated in the study, which also controlled for sex, weight and age.

The results of the study revealed height does matter in terms of workplace success, Cable said.

The findings suggest a person who is 6 feet tall is predicted to earn $166,000 more over a 30-year period compared to a person who is 5 feet 5 inches.

He also said according to their study, height matters over the course of a person’s career, not just at the start of it. Results also showed height is somewhat more import for men in terms of career success, but it still affects women.

Cable and Judge found there is a stronger link between height and salary in jobs where the skills of persuasion are more important (such as sales and management), but it still is a factor in jobs that are not as socially-oriented, such as engineering, accounting and clerical work.

Cable said he and Judge did not focus on why height affects salary, but they did develop a model that would help explain it.

The model sows height affects self-esteem and job performance. These factors relate to salaries and career success.

Not everyone is buying into the study.

“It sounds kind of crazy,” said Ashley Castro, a sophomore journalism major.

“I’m 5-foot-2 and more self-confident than most people, I think. From personal experience and the jobs that I’ve had, I don’t feel like that rings true.”

Illinois policy makers’ attitudes toward wildlife conservation do not reflect the views of residents, according to a study by the Illinois Natural History Survey.

East-central Illinois residents and their local government officials answered a series of questions relating to protection of the environment and water resources.

The responses may indicate the general population wants more government protection for the wildlife habitat than officials want to give.

“We found there are significant differences,” primary author Craig Miller said. “I think it has to do with the values, beliefs and perspectives on water use.”

Of the general public, 66 percent agreed with a statement that stronger protection is needed for wildlife habitats along rivers and streams. Fewer than half - 46 percent - of the officials agreed.

“A lot of [policy makers] are agriculturalists,” said Jean Flemma, executive director of Prairie Rivers Network.

Flemma said the agribusiness community is making decisions based on their own needs rather than the wishes of the public.

“It’s an interesting finding; we have a job to do in educating policy makers on the wishes of the public,” Flemma said.

While 52 percent of policy makers felt too much attention is given to wildlife in deciding how land is to be used, only 20 percent of the public felt this way.

“It’s too broad [a study] to make any specific conclusions on whether or not individual units do or do not respect environmental issues,” said Paul Miller, of the DeKalb County Regional Planning Commission.

Miller said DeKalb County includes a comprehensive environmental plan in its growth plan.

“We identify those areas that are environmentally important, and those will be conserved,” Miller said.

“They’re definitely coming from a different perspective,” researcher Craig Miller said.

“Perceptions are important for policy,” Craig said. “They shouldn’t be discounted just because they’re thoughts. If the public is concerned, the public will act on those concerns.”

Questions concerning water quality show further differences between policy makers and the public.

Chemical contamination in drinking water was a concern for 70 percent of the public. Slightly more than half of policy makers said they were concerned.

More than two-thirds of policy makers said water contamination is not a problem in their community.

The survey was completed by 1,263 members of the public and 158 policy makers in spring 2003 in primarily rural east-central Illinois.

The report was issued in August by the Illinois Natural History Survey, a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, isn’t the only NIU alumnus to succeed in Hollywood. Jason Matthew Smith has found success on ESPN’s “Playmakers.”

Smith plays the role of Eric Olczyk, the ill-tempered linebacker on ESPN’s first dramatic series. Smith received his master’s degree in theater from NIU and was in DeKalb from 1996 to ’99. He also taught and assisted Theater 101 and 110 courses during his time on campus.

Followers of the show on campus were surprised when told the 6-foot-1, 248-pound Smith got his master’s from NIU.

“Wait, the linebacker went here?” senior communication major Rob Stern said. “I’m shocked.”

Residing in Los Angeles, Smith said the thing he remembers most about his time in DeKalb is the cold winters.

“DeKalb was like Siberia,” Smith said. “The winters were brutal. They were so cold. I spent most of my time inside of Eduardo’s, Lord Stanley’s and Otto’s.”

Smith doesn’t miss the cold temperatures, but does crave food from one of his favorite restaurants.

“I love Burritoville,” Smith said. “I miss those burritos, man.”

The “Playmakers” actor played football from seventh grade until his senior year in high school as an offensive and defensive lineman, but didn’t play in college despite being recruited by Michigan, Ohio State and Tennessee.

“I wanted to follow my heart instead of my brawn,” Smith said. “I didn’t want to go through all the punishment those guys go through.”

When Smith was on campus, the football team was in the midst of a 23-game losing streak. Smith remembers being at the game when NIU defeated Central Michigan to break the streak in 1998.

Today, the NIU football team is ranked No. 12, which shocked Smith.

“They’re No. 12!” Smith said. “I knew they beat Alabama and Maryland, but No. 12, wow.”

Coming to DeKalb to see the Huskies play is something Smith would like to do, but, he said, now is too busy of a time. However, if the Huskies were to make a bowl game, he said he and some of his NIU buddies definitely will be there.

“I’ve heard of the show, but I’ve never watched it,” NIU football coach Joe Novak said. “But is that so? Wow, how’d that happen?”

In episode one of “Playmakers,” Smith’s character reveals he is mentally and emotionally stressed by events that have taken place in his life.

Viewers find out that Olczyk’s brother died on the field from overexertion in the heat.

“I like his character, he’s the one I’m most intrigued about,” Stern said. “I like the actual emotion he displays, that often times as the public, we don’t think they (athletes) have.”

NIU receiver P.J. Fleck, like Stern, also likes Smith’s character and certain aspects of the show.

“I like his toughness,” Fleck said. “It also shows that he’s got problems off the field. He’s got some things that he’s thought about in the past, and that’s with all of us too. Football is just like life, you’ve got problems, you deal with it and you move on. He makes sure he separates football from life, and that’s what you have to do.”

A few months ago, Smith was out of shape after breaking up with a long-time girlfriend. He said he wanted and needed to do something about his appearance and began working out.

“I lost 45 pounds in three months. I went to an audition for “Playmakers” and they told me I was too skinny,” Smith said. “So I told them to give me a week and I kept working out and taking protein drinks. I gained 15 pounds in a week-and-a-half and I was working out nine hours a day. I went back in, shaved my head, grew a goatee and they liked it.”

Smith said he and Olczyk have a lot of similarities. He said they both are the strong, silent type. But Smith wouldn’t take his temper as far as Olczyk does because of lawsuits and jail time.

“Playmakers” has received good ratings this season, Smith said, but with the Cubs’ playoff games, ratings recently have been down a little.

The first season of “Playmakers” finished shooting Oct. 7. Another season of “Playmakers” has been discussed, but isn’t definite as of now, Smith said.

“If I were guessing, I’d say we’d have a season two,” Smith said. “I’d be back. I have a lot of fun doing it, and I think we all do.”

Throughout his nearly two-hour speech, Arnost Lustig kept his audience both laughing and in a state of sad awe while describing his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp.

Lustig, a professor of film and literature, screenwriter, and author of 13 books - including “Night and Hope” and “Lovely Green Eyes” - spoke about his experiences to an audience of about 60 people Tuesday night at Douglas Hall.

Lustig was brought to NIU to speak about the Holocaust at an event sponsored by the University Honors Program.

“I hate serious discussion. I want to be clever, but that is impossible,” Lustig said. “You would not laugh if you read my books.”

English professor Steve Franklin introduced Lustig as the greatest of Holocaust writers; one who transformed his experience in Nazi Germany into the most remarkable literature of our time.

Lustig spoke about his experiences living in a Nazi concentration camp, working as a screenwriter during the Soviet occupation and as a freedom fighter in Czechoslovakia. He also talked about literature, life, faith, joy, politics and how they all meet.

“Literature is imitation of life,” Lustig said. “It pretends that the writer sees and understands everything. We need story to share the experiences of others, to have beauty, meaning and stability.”

Lustig said in literature you cannot lie, and that literature must have truth. It’s a crime to lie in literature, he said. That’s why the Nazis and totalitarian regimes never had good writers, he added.

Even after horrors such as living in Auschwitz, having his father killed, seeing his mother’s dignity stripped away in the Nazi camps and being exiled from his home, Lustig still sees life as a miracle.

Lustig’s parting request from the audience was that within the year, they would read one of his books; perhaps so the reader, too, could understand his experiences, pains, joy and appreciation for life.

After months of preparation, student radio is returning to NIU.

NS*Radio, a Web-based radio station broadcasting a diverse selection of music, launches today on www.northernstar.info.

The station’s programming will highlight the latest releases in a variety of music genres.

“We’re excited to launch the station because of the void in student broadcasting on campus,” said Scott Smith, NS*Radio program director.

To coincide with the debut, the Northern Star is sponsoring a live music event at 2 p.m. today at the King Memorial Commons. The show will feature After the Fall, a local rock band.

“In the next several weeks, we’ll be adding live on-air personalities to host specialty shows,” Smith said.

Interested students can apply at the Campus Life Building, Suite 130, or online.

Live broadcasts will begin as early as November; until then, the station will feature automated programming.

NIU has remained without a student radio station since WKDI shut down in spring 2002.

For the fourth time in school history, the NIU football team will play on ESPN.

The announcement came Monday that ESPN2 would carry the Huskies’ game at Bowling Green on Saturday, Oct. 25.

“Wow, that’s cool,” quarterback Josh Haldi said. “It’s fun to be on national TV. We have to worry about Western Michigan first, but that will be fun when we get there.”

NIU also was on ESPN in 1983 for the California Bowl, in 1987 against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and against Northwestern.

The contest marks the first nationally-televised game from Perry Stadium.

NIU and BGSU are both undefeated in conference play going into this week.

NIU (6-0, 2-0) hosts Western Michigan (3-3, 2-1) while BGSU (5-1, 2-0) visits Eastern Michigan (1-6, 0-3).

Bowling Green’s only loss this season was a 24-17 setback to Ohio State.

NIU is No. 12 in the country, while BGSU enters this week at No. 27.

Starting QB a go

Haldi will play this week against Western Michigan.

Haldi suffered a mild concussion in the third quarter against Central Michigan. The junior was shaken up when he tried running a naked bootleg into the endzone.

“We ran a naked and it was covered,” Haldi said. “I was covered, and I tried to run it in. I jumped and a guy’s helmet hit me in the back of the head.”

Haldi said he felt “out of it” until the middle of the fourth quarter. The junior wanted to return, but was kept out for precautionary reasons.

Azar five away

Senior kicker Steve Azar’s 16 points against Central Michigan moved him within five points of the MAC’s all-time kick-scoring record.

Toledo kicker Todd France (1998-’01) holds the record with 320 points.

Azar passed Western Michigan’s Brad Selent and Miami’s Gary Gussman on Saturday.

Turner, Azar MAC Players of Week

The MAC announced an NIU-Bowling Green dominated players of the week list Monday.

The Huskies Michael Turner was rewarded for his season-high 199 yards in Saturday’s win over Central Michigan. The junior running back was one of two Huskies named a MAC Player of The Week Monday.

Along with Cole Magner of Bowling Green, Turner was named co-offensive player of the week.

Kicker Steve Azar also earned special teams player of the week for the Huskies.

“Michael and Steve played major roles in our comeback,” NIU coach Joe Novak said. “It was good to see Michael have that breakout run. That 46-yard touchdown ignited us in the third quarter. He looks back in form. That was a Michael Turner game.

What do you say about Steve? He had another great day with 16 kick-scoring points. He’s just had a a great career here. I hope I never take Steve Azar for granted.”

Turner ran for 199 yards on 28 carries in the 40-24 comeback win over the Chippewas.

Turner had a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter, including a 46-yarder to get the Huskies within seven.

Magner had 11 catches for 140 yards in Bowling Green’s 32-21 win over Western Michigan. Magner also had two touchdowns and 31 yards rushing for the Falcons.

Azar, who moved to within five points of the MAC record for points by a kick, accounted for 16 points in the Huskies win.

The senior was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals and extra points for NIU.

Azar improved to 20-for-20 on extra points this season. He is now 11-for-14 on field goals.

The Falcons Janssen Patton was the Defensive Player of The Week. Patton, a cornerback, had three interceptions and four tackles for the Falcons.

DeKalb resident Laura Barwegen jokingly nudged her husband when she first saw NIU’s new Convocation Center and said, "Toto, we’re not in DeKalb anymore."

Taking two years to complete among continuous planning, NIU’s state-of-the art $35.8 million arena is now complete and fully operational.

Students, faculty, alumni and surrounding area residents alike made their way to the center Friday to see opening performer Bill Cosby. DeKalb residents also were given the option to embark on self-guided tours Sunday at the arena’s open house.

With Cosby bringing in about 6,500 attendants, many hope that the center will attract more entertainment, business and more students to NIU and DeKalb.

Recent NIU graduate Darryl Deer said he would like to see TV’s Bernie Mac come to the arena.

"I think it’s going to attract more students," he said. "It caps off the university with everything they are adding. Once the lagoons are finished, it’s really going to be nice."

Sycamore resident Larry Gorenzi said he thinks the Convocation Center is just right for DeKalb.

"If it brings business and entertainment, then it is good," Gorenzi said.

Matt Harms, a 1997 NIU alumnus, attended the Cosby performance and was impressed by the structure and design of the arena.

"I’m glad to see they’re putting our money to good use," Harms said. "But, I wish we would have had the center when I was here."

Barwegen, who attended the Cosby performance with her husband, is happy to have the arena finally here, although she wasn’t sure at first.

"I think different now than I did when they first talked of a center, because of cost and because of traffic," Barwegen said.

Although everyone enjoyed the new building, those attending the Cosby performance didn’t appreciate the traffic, which stretched along Lincoln Highway all the way to First Street.

"I think it [Cosby performance] was pretty good, but parking was atrocious," Gorenzi said.

Arena officials are coordinating with University Police to improve traffic and parking for upcoming events.

"As usual with first events, there is a lot of stuff to work out," University Police Lt. John Hunter said. "We’ll take a look at each individual problem and devise a new plan for next time. It takes a while but we’ll get it down."