Lawrence.com

WET T-SHIRT CONTESTS, HOWEVER, NEED ONLY BE APPROVED BY THE INTERFRATERNITY WET T-SHIRT CONTEST COUNCIL: A KU fraternity has been expelled from campus for organizing a party last month in which police cited nine people for alcohol violations and seized 16 kegs of beer. KU officials said the party violated several policies, including those that require all parties to be registered with the Interfraternity Council, prohibit the use of kegs, and prohibit the sale of an unlimited quantity of alcohol. Police shut the party down, removing signs advertising $5 beer and a 'Wet T-shirt Contest.' The decision against Phi Kappa Theta, announced Monday by KU's Interfraternity Council's judicial board, marks the first time a fraternity has been kicked off KU's campus, university officials said.

WE ARE No. 3. ALL OTHERS - EXCEPT FOR THE TWO GUYS AHEAD OF US - ARE No. 4 OR LOWER: KU's late-season mediocrity pulled it down from what just over a week ago seemed like a sure-fire bet to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Instead, the Jayhawks are seeded No. 3 and will play its first game Friday against Bucknell (we don't know who that is, either -ed.) If both KU and North Carolina win their first two games, the showdown with ex-coach Roy Williams that Kansas fans have pined for will be a reality. It's also possible that KU could play top-ranked Illinois (whose players were largely recruited by now KU coach Bill Self) in the championship game April 4.

THIS TIME THE CHRISTIANS (AT LEAST SOME OF THEM) ARE ON GOLIATH'S SIDE: Calling it a "David versus Goliath" effort, a new group announced last week its statewide campaign to defeat the proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Kansans for Fairness formed Feb. 12, shortly after the Kansas House approved putting the amendment to a public vote. But it wasn't until Thursday that the organization announced it was coordinating and promoting the efforts of grassroots groups in cities across the state, including Salina, Manhattan and Wichita. "For once you're going to see kind of a unified message and effort," said Bruce Ney, of Lawrence, chairman of Kansans for Fairness.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE MEDIA THE GAG ORDER SHOULD STAY IN PLACE. IRONY MUCH? The Kansas Supreme Court has lifted a gag order covering Atty. Gen. Phill Kline's pursuit of records from two abortion clinics, with Kline saying the decision could harm child rape victims. The gag order was imposed last year by a Shawnee County district judge who issued subpoenas for the records of 90 patients from the still-unknown clinics. Kline said the records contained information that would help him pursue child rapes and potentially illegal late-term abortions.

AIN'T NO GOAT LIKE A SCAPEGOAT: A Pentagon report has cleared top civilian and military officials in the abuse of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay, but its conclusion drew a critical response from some senators who questioned the report's scope and objectivity. By declining to blame top military leaders for the abuses, the report implicitly held individual soldiers, some of whom have been charged or already convicted of criminal offenses, as responsible for their actions in abusing the detainees.

HE SAID THEY WERE STUDYING "SONG OF SOLOMON." HE ACTUALLY MEANT RICK SOLOMON: Prosecutors alleged Wednesday that a well-known carpenter and former Christian school leader strangled his wife so he could pursue relationships with other women. Before his wife died, witnesses said, Martin Miller would tell her he was attending Bible study while he was meeting with his mistress. Miller has been ordered to stand trial in June.

HAH! ALL OUR LIVES WE'VE BEEN MADE FUN OF FOR DRIVING A 1983 YUGO. WHO'S LAUGHING NOW, SUCKERS! At Zarco 66 on 23rd Street, the price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline Wednesday jumped to $2.05. It wasn't the most expensive gas in town, but it was costly enough to get this reaction: "I think it stinks," said Chuck Ledom, 72, who had just filled up the tank on his white pickup truck. Don't blame the gas stations, though. Energy experts say it's the oil suppliers - most of them outside the United States - who are pocketing the recent price increases. Do, however, blame drivers of SUVs, who have ensured demand for oil will continue to climb despite wide availability much more fuel-efficient vehicles.

AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF WHY EVERY ROBOT SHOULD DO A MONTHLY SELF-EXAMINATION: Optimus Prime, the most famous Transformer, died of prostate cancer last month on the Cartoon Network Show "Robot Chicken." "When it comes to prostate cancer, there's more than meets the eye," National Prostate Cancer Coalition CEO Richard N. Atkins, M.D. said. "Often times when one has symptoms for prostate cancer it's already in its late stages, that's why early detection is so important." He added: "Being a Tractor Truck, Optimus should have known the importance of check-ups - oil, anti-freeze, spark plugs - the works."

LOOKS LIKE THE MIZZOU POLICE CHIEF IS TAKING THOSE FORD "BORDER SHOWDOWN" COMMERCIALS WAAAAAY TOO SERIOUSLY: Four KU fans thought their banner would make for a fun afternoon of taunting Tiger fans at Sunday's basketball game against the University of Missouri. But their plans came to a grinding halt when an argument over the sign ended with one fan in jail and another assaulted after an altercation with an MU fan. The fan turned out to be Jack Watring, the chief of the Columbia campus' police department. "It was totally inappropriate and totally out of line," said Barry Lewis, a former Missouri legislator and MU fan who watched the incident. "It was an overreaction to the situation. The kid was polite in every single way. There's no way kids should be roughed up and assaulted like that." One of the KU fans was told by an officer that he could not re-enter the arena using the ticket he had in hand. The fan was later arrested for trespassing when he purchased another ticket and attempted to re-enter the arena. MU officials say they're investigating the incident.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SENATORS DON'T KNOW POOR PEOPLE: The U.S. Senate lined up to defeat dueling proposals to raise the minimum wage, one backed by organized labor, the other salted with pro-business provisions. Congress last voted to raise the federal minimum wage to $5.15 an hour in 1996. A Democratic proposal to raise the rate from $5.15 to $7.25 over three years failed 49-46 Monday in the Senate. A Republican proposal to increase it to $6.25 in two years fared even worse, losing 61-38.