Stories for May 2010

Native sisterhood: Students building Haskell’s first sorority

Corey LeRoy and Ariane Franklin, students at Haskell Indian Nations University, wanted a place for other female students to connect and help one another throughout college. They wanted something never seen at Haskell: a greek organization.

Returned male: ‘Retrosexual’ trend taps into desire for manliness of yore

No, “retrosexual” doesn’t mean a sexual preference for vintage clothing. Well, it kind of does. We should back up a little bit.

‘Fit as a firefighter’

Three Lawrence firefighters visit “Jayni’s Kitchen” this week to share their recipes for staying fit. Fire marshall joins the crew at the end of the program to taste the results.

Men’s summer shoes go beyond flip-flops

This spring and summer, changes in shapes and styles will be noticeable in the men’s shoe department. Read on for some alternatives from the typical summer flip-flop — some classic choices and a few new additions are in style.

Memorial Days: Funeral director helps others in tough times

Death and its aftermath is no stranger to Bart Yost. He lived in a funeral home until he was 14. “Caskets were displayed in the front room where my friends and I gathered,” he says. “It seemed pretty normal to us.”

Clean out dryer vent to get an efficiency boost

If you notice that your clothes dryer is taking longer to dry your clothes, it is probably time to clean out your dryer vent.

Great spaces: Lawrence residents create unique outdoor living rooms

After a long, dark and wet winter, Lawrence residents are eagerly reclaiming their place in the sun — or shade, as the case may be — by enjoying restful retreats in their own backyards.

Don’t I know you?

I first met my friend Sarah at a holiday party in December. She had just moved to town, and I found her to be positively delightful.

Brain over pawn: Childhood chess studies have benefits beyond the board

Parents, if you’re hoping to mold your child into the next Bobby Fischer (minus the late Grandmaster’s weird behavior in exile, of course), you’d better get those aspiring chess prodigies pushing pawns early.

Mom Is Very Upset About "American Idol"

Daily Dose

A woman's preferred "American Idol" contestant doesn't win. She doesn't handle it well.

Actor, director and hell-raiser Dennis Hopper dies at 74

Dennis Hopper, 74, an actor and director whose low-budget biker movie “Easy Rider” made an unexpected fortune by exploring the late 1960s counterculture, and who changed Hollywood by helping open doors to younger directors such as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, died Saturday at his home in Venice, Calif.

Behind the Lens: Get the most from vacation pics

Photography is usually not the main purpose of vacation, but I always pack a camera. Not only is it a way to document an adventure, but it's a great tool to creatively engage with and experience the environment. I linger longer as I put some thoughtfulness into framing what I am seeing in the moment. If done in a visually interesting manner, vacation photographs can provide others with a unique glimpse of what I witnessed...

‘Steak’ chronicles one man’s quest for finest cut of meat

Some meats have an image problem. No one wants to be chicken or a turkey, a dead duck or a lamb to the slaughter. In politics, nothing is dodgier than pork.

Fringe dwellers: ‘Role Models’ gives insight into John Waters

An artist drawn to the margins, John Waters achieved infamy with low-budget 1970s films starring garish, up-for-anything transvestite Divine and other horrifying/lovable Baltimore misfits.

Road-trip radio

A guide to podcasts to make your summer drives fly by

Whether or not you appreciate the window views on your road trips this summer, those three-, five-, 10-plus-hour stints in the car sure are a lot more enjoyable if they fly by. For my money, loading up on free podcasts before you hit the road is the best way to make trips fly by...

Found objects: Lawrence resident decorates with quaint discoveries

When designing a landscape, objects and structures are often as important as the plants. Fences, arbors, trellises and pergolas emphasize the flowers and vines that grow on and next to them. A well-placed birdbath, feeder or fountain adds line and shape to a landscape design...

Cop Rescues Dog

Daily Dose

A cop rescues a dog trapped in a fence. There's an adorable twist at the end.

Faith Forum: Does your place of worship’s attitude change in the summer?

Preacher to teacher: Minister heeds call to flip careers

Don Dunn has always been eager to share a lesson, though for a good part of his life, he stood behind a pulpit rather than a lectern.

Bea Arthur Mountains Pizza

Daily Dose

Photos of Bea Arthur in front of mountains as giant slices of pizza float in the sky. Yes.

Net Worth: Splicing and morphing are all the rage on Internet

Few things have burrowed under my skin lately like “The Human Centipede.” As with last year’s “Paranormal Activity,” it’s become the movie that everyone is talking about but few have actually seen.

Theater camp: KU drama students save a venue and found a repertory troupe

The year was 1966, and the tiny mountain city of Creede, Colo., was in imminent danger of becoming a ghost town. Half a dozen local silver mines, the burg's economic lifeline for decades, were closing. Something had to be done, and fast...

Vintage Men's Magazine Covers

Daily Dose

Grizzled and manly magazine covers from the '50s that recall an era where men were men and weasels ripped those mens' flesh.

Review: "Prince of Persia"

“Prince of Persia” is a satisfying big-budget contradiction — a breath of retro fresh air — from a Hollywood gone nuts over 3-D and Roman numerals. That it’s good, given its very unpromising trailer and that it’s based on a video game, makes it all the more surprising.

Style scout: Becca Raynes

Fashion influences: Sarah Jessica Parker because she is a fashion icon, and Vogue magazine because it addresses and includes a variety of different fashion styles...

Style scout: Justin Wilson

Fashion influences: Musician Derek Webb. I read an interview that said he only wore white T-shirts. I like that simplistic mindset - purposeful dressing...

Everything old is brew again

The old Walruff Brewery was killed by prohibition, but its legacy lives on in Free State

"... because without beer, things do not seem to go as well." —Diary of Brother Epp, 1902. We're all familiar with the Free State shirt with this quote. But have you ever considered the significance of that date?

BP Public Relations

Daily Dose

The (fake and not at all) official Twitter feed of BP Public Relations as they attempt to rebrand the gulf oil spill a "Southern Fun Party."

Risk & reward: A son gambles at the game his father never wished to play: full-time farming

Avery Lominska's job description is in black-and-white, right there on his leg. There, on skin that's been tanned by hours upon hours spent in the sun, is a message much louder than even his recognizable name: three heirloom tomatoes, tattooed into his calf...

Free State Brewery's success built on humble beginnings of founder Chuck Magerl

Chuck Magerl was supposed to be a doctor. It kind of sounds like the beginning of a story that would be told from a barstool at Magerl’s downtown pub and Lawrence institution, Free State Brewery, 636 Mass.

Tea Party Jesus

Daily Dose

Real quotes from the contemporary conservative movement combined with Sunday School images of Jesus. WWTPJD?

Review: Red Dead Redemption (360, PS3)

Red Dead Redemption is the newest sandbox-style game from Rockstar (makers of the GTA series) that now takes place in the Old West. When you think about it, the antics involved in GTA are well suited for life in the old west — and this game does a great job of combining the familiar GTA gameplay with a totally new western look and feel...

Double Take: Helping suicidal friend requires aid of others

If someone tells me that they have suicidal thoughts but are smart enough know it’s not the right thing to do, what should I do?

Designing woman: Free State graduate sees graphics programs as stepping stones to future career

Artists often start their career by picking up a pencil, charcoal or a paintbrush. After they've mastered the basics, it's on to the digital arts. But Drue Davis' started in front of a computer — and eventually went old-school...

Kung Fu Bear

Daily Dose

A bear in a Japanese zoo twirls a staff like a martial arts expert. Stephen Colbert is curled up in the fetal position and weeping.

Post-festival wrap: Festy Fest 2010

The fourth annual Festy Fest did indeed happen last weekend, despite organizer's failure to secure a county permit. Approximately 300 to 400 people attended Saturday, which featured the bluegrass festival's main acts, including Mountain Sprout and Split Lip Rayfield. A few videos from the evening are posted herein for posterity...

Channel flipper

Kathy Bailey always figured her son, Evan, would be on TV. He was a great dancer, but if his moves didn’t get him on TV, the personality that made him Lawrence High School’s Homecoming king in 1997 certainly would have.

Family-friendly Lawrence City Band series starts Wednesday

The first concert of the summer for the Lawrence City Band kicks off at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the band stand in South Park, 1200 Mass. Guest conductor will be Leroy Esau, former conductor of the Hutchinson Municipal Band.

Camp champion: Ticket vendor calls Clinton State Park home

A large acorn and redundancy helped bring Linda Dowding’s dream of traveling around the country as a work camper to fruition. She and her husband, Terry, are the ticket and license vendors at Clinton State Park. You’ll see them smiling at the booth, or sitting outside their 325-square-foot fifth-wheel RV in the early evening, drinking in the sights, smells and sounds of the 1,500-acre park.

I know Victoria’s secret

Apparently Victoria’s Secret sells a Brazilian bikini. How I know this is part of a long story, ending with me accepting the fact that it will take far more than an intimate wax job to get me in one.

Blossoming education: KU’s Hilltop program to expand gardening, related curricula

These are the reasons why gardening with preschoolers is adorable. Taj Polonchek, 5, sits on the sidewalk near a bed of green plants barely poking out of the ground. Even a seasoned gardener might wonder which is a weed and which is a vegetable plant. Taj, with great confidence, pulls a tomato plant out of the dirt. He holds it up to his teacher. “Can I pick this one?” he says.

Lawrence chiropractor offers new body therapy

Do you suffer from allergies, headaches, depression, insomnia, backache or other physical and emotional ailments that keep you from functioning at full capacity? Do you feel generally stressed out and find your body, mind and spirit disconnected? If so, you might be interested in a therapy that’s created waves across five continents.

Nature’s medicine chest: Family, experts tout the health-giving, delectable elderberry

After managing the Herbs and Wellness departments during his 20-year tenure at Community Mercantile, 901 Iowa, herbalist Hal Sears is convinced of the health benefits of the elderberry.

Summer reading program dedicated to former librarian

Free food? Check. Prizes? Check. Street performers? Check. A three-month-long event, the library’s summer-reading program launches Tuesday and will be crammed with fun activities, including a yo-yo master, a dance group and loads of prizes for participants.

Steam is no folly when removing tough wallpaper

Removing wallpaper is seldom easy, but if chemical strippers are not doing the trick, renting a wallpaper steamer may be the answer to your stripping dilemma.

Spraying on summer: New tanning options eliminate dangerous sun exposure

The results of a recent survey by the American Academy of Dermatology reveals the majority of people still idolize the bronzed look of a tan despite wanting to protect themselves from skin cancer.

Become a sensation in print

Read on for some good looks for spring and summer. Experimenting with color is an entertaining way to indulge in warm-weather trends.

Muppets Audition For "Lost"

To prime your nerd pump before tonight's series finale of "Lost," here's a bunch of Muppets auditioning for the role of the smoke monster.

A new ballgame: Fatherly advice for a high school grad

My oldest son, Eric, graduates from Free State High School today. In August he leaves for college in Illinois to play baseball. At 17, he hasn’t yet learned all the lessons I’ve learned in 47 years. He will learn them, and likely the hard way, but not before I share my wisdom.

Rain check: Garden designed to manage stormwater flow

Sally Myers' rain garden is barely noticeable from the street, but it has a definite impact on the neighborhood. The garden does what rain gardens are intended to do: It collects and filters water that runs off of Myers' roof and yard. Without the garden, the excess water would run down the street and into the storm drain, where it then goes directly to the river...

Critter Care: We rearrange our lives for beloved pets

As someone who is earning a degree in communication studies and also owns pets, I’ve come to realize that logically, my area of study should be conspiracy theories.

‘War’ zone: Author Sebastian Junger bands with brothers

On a typically blissful Sunday morning in Southern California, physically and figuratively about as far as you can get from eastern Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley, hundreds of people have come to hear author Sebastian Junger speak about men at war on the other side of the world.

‘Charlotte and Emily’ tells superb tale of Brontes

It takes only a few pages into the new biographical novel “Charlotte and Emily: A Novel of the Brontes” (Griffin Original, $14.99) to understand the source of the Bronte sisters’ dark tales.

New generation of bloggers waxing nostalgic over the joys of housewifery

Consider this: Three-quarters of Americans believe both partners should contribute to the household income, but only 37 percent of mothers who work outside the home want to be working full time...

Sloth Orphanage

Daily Dose

Happy Slothurday, everyone! Just sit back and let the "awwww" wash over you.

‘What a difference a day has made’

Legendary musicians assemble for Lawrence illustrator’s cancer benefit

Greg Volpert’s favorite song by his favorite band is “Indifference,” a track from Moby Grape’s 1967 eponymous debut.

Festy Fest going on without permit from Leavenworth County

The Festy Fest Bluegrass Festival in southwest Leavenworth County is going on despite the possibility of fines from Leavenworth County for code violations.

MAN !!!! LOOK AT THIS THING I SAW IN A LAWRENCE, KANSAS ALLEY !!!

Daily Dose

A Facebook page devoted to the artful and the bizarre found in the back alleys of Lawrence. We live in such an awesome community, even our garbage is cool.

Net Worth: Humor found in site that fosters demotivation

In this era of economic futility, corporations are often asked to resort to cruel tactics with their employees.

Comedic Forte: 'MacGruber,' 'SNL' star approaches career as soldier of fortune

ill Forte has learned that life can deliver you to some pretty weird and unexpected places. When the "Saturday Night Live" star appeared in the first goofy "MacGruber" sketch, he never, in his most deranged dreams, envisioned his clueless, mullet-headed, bomb-diffusing character at the center of a big-screen summer action movie...

Taboo-busting Silverman answers 20 questions

The satirically taboo-busting, notoriously potty-mouthed Sarah Silverman has written a book about ... well, pee — among other things.

Free at last: After months of anticipation, bottles of Free State beer on sale Friday

"Barring a flood or tornado, Free State bottles will be for sale Friday morning." So said owner Chuck Magerl after the last of 1,600 cases of Free State Brewery's first bottled beer was picked up for distribution to Lawrence liquor stores Thursday afternoon...

Heavy Metal Musicians Tell A Child Where Babies Come From

Daily Dose

Wanting to know where babies come from, an inquisitive young man does the logical thing and interviews a bunch of doctors...oops, I mean a bunch of heavy metal musicians.

Review: "Shrek Forever After"

The magic is gone. Like its watermelon-headed hero, “Shrek Forever After” has the midlife blahs. The fourth and final chapter finds Shrek dispirited by the routine of family life with Fiona and their belching, pooping triplets. He yearns for ye goode olde days when he was ferocious and feared...

Style scout: Casey Don Williams

I think it's more important what is underneath the clothes that makes me look and feel stylish. Fitness is in!

Style scout: Samantha Bindrum

I'd like to see people dress up more in Lawrence. I think people should take pride in their appearance and put more effort into what they wear...

Live audio: A Beatboxing Lobo

It was a dark and stormy night...

The Next Fest Thing

A year after the Wakarusa festival split town, the much smaller Festy Fest fills the summer outdoor music void

This, the fourth annual Festy Fest, promises to be significantly bigger than before. In the past, the event was solely promoted by word of mouth, but this year organizers made it more "official" by selling tickets through The Bottleneck and advertising...

Unclear wording of tax credit short changes two-wheel commuters

Benefit encourages cycling, but few are taking advantage of it

Just before National Bike to Work Day — Friday — not a company in town was to be found providing a bicycle commuter benefit to its employees, despite Lawrence's status as a "Bicycle Friendly Community" ...

God Hates Oklahoma

Daily Dose

A Biblical hail storm touches down in an Oklahoma City swimming pool. No diving or bludgeoning with ice boulders in the shallow end.

Lessons in lunch: Elementary students learn ingredients come from places besides grocery store

School is about education. And for the past week the children at Cordley School have gotten an education in something they've been studying since before they could read or write. Food...

More Fun With Justin Bieber

Daily Dose

Justin Bieber-ized movie posters. Now more than ever.

Downtown movies feature Cary Grant

Starting in June, the Downtown Lawrence Film Festival will feature six Cary Grant movies shown outdoors on the parking garage wall at Ninth and New Hampshire streets...

Double Take: Same-sex relationship creates parental dilemma

I saw your column last fall on same sex relationships. I’ve reached a peace about this with my daughter, but the other’s girl’s family doesn’t know.

Art on four wheels: Putting the 'art' in kindergarten

This year's Art Tougeau parade on Saturday will have something for everyone, including some never-before-seen creative conveyances from the national art car circuit...

Rally Car Accident Caused By Bare Bottom

Daily Dose

A driver in a rally car race gets into a spectacular accident after being mooned by a spectator. Yes, there's video.

Firm directions: KU students plan to bike across country to benefit affordable housing

When a group of bicyclists came through Lawrence last summer as part of a cross-country fundraising trip, Kansas University senior Jillian Strobel watched with envy.

Junior gardeners: West students start unique partnership with The Merc

Under cloudy skies, a handful of West Junior High School students put down mulch, dug holes and planted 40 tomato plants.

Restoration movement: Couple honored for years spent remodeling east Lawrence home

When Josh and Cari Davis first started fixing up their house in east Lawrence, they didn’t even own it. It was in such bad shape, no bank would loan them the money to buy it.

Tale of a third-grade dropout

While driving with my son, I noticed a “Now Hiring” sign in the window of a soon-to-open restaurant near our home.

Don’t let money get flushed down the toilet

If you have replaced the flapper in your toilet tank and water is still seeping out, it is most likely time to replace the flush valve.

Financial advice for new grads

It is the time of year when many young people move on from high school or college to begin life on their own. Starting your new career or job can be very rewarding and a giant leap toward new levels of responsibility. Although there is very little taught in school, developing strong financial habits early can help to ease this transition.

On the fringe: Stylists give tips for texturized hair care

Choppy haircuts with texturized, fringy edges are making a mark with women and men, old and young alike. The super-straight, texturized hairstyle appeals to all ages, says Beckie McGovern, owner of Scizzors Hair Salon and Spa, 600 Lawrence Ave.

Seasonal spring bites

The power of spring means the much-welcomed arrival of spring produce. Join Jayni Carey in the kitchen this week for a spring menu featuring seasonal vegetables and fruit.

A day at the groomer’s

It’s springtime, and the back room of Christal K-9 dog grooming shop is a flurry of fur. Dakota the huskie is getting his thick, shedding undercoat blasted away with a high-powered blow dryer before his bath. Dog hair is, literally, flying through the air.

Smart moves: Businesswoman, novelist achieves dreams

When Valerie Foos was a little girl, she loved to read and write. She dreamed of writing a novel and owning a business like her parents did one day.

Take a peep at summer shoe styles

The hottest heels for spring and summer...

Idol talk: Lawrence residents reminisce about their teen crushes

The hottest man on the planet isn’t a man at all. He’s looking for his estranged “Baby,” even though at 16, he’s not much more than a baby himself. And that’s just the way millions of girls like him.

The Killing of Satan

Daily Dose

Clips from a Philippine horror film from the '80s called "The Killing of Satan." More like "The Killing of My Mind Because It Was Just Blown."

Behind the Lens: Shooting photos of clouds a challenging enterprise

For three days, a bright blue sky provided a backdrop for one stunning display after another. One cloud-scape was so amazing that we quickly searched out a bright green wheat field to include beneath...

Abnormal growths on plants unlikely to cause harm

Ever notice the balls of orange tentacles on a cedar tree in the spring or red bladder-shaped growths hanging from a maple leaf? Both are common pests in our area that might catch your attention but are nothing to worry about...

Story tells of America’s aim to rid itself of alcohol

Considering it lasted for barely more than a dozen years, Prohibition really gave American life a kick.

Garage sale guerrillas: For profit or the thrill of the hunt, early birds thrive in the height of the season

"The early bird gets the worm," she says. "That's my motto." And just like a mama robin, leaving the nest at dawn to feed her young, Julie Vineyard of Lawrence springs from her bed before daylight to feed her garage sale habit...

Polygamy loves company: Udall looks at when big love just isn’t enough

It’s hard to imagine a man with four wives and 28 children craving company so badly that he takes on a mistress. But that’s the premise of Brady Udall’s uproarious new novel, “The Lonely Polygamist.”

Cupcake Cannon

Daily Dose

An ad for a t-shirt company featuring slow motion footage of cupcakes being shot out of an air cannon at peoples' heads. Hypnotically delicious.

Life after death: Lawrence artist Jason Wood lives with no regrets after devastating injury

In July of 1999, Jason Wood was found lying in a San Francisco street barely clinging to life. As best as anyone could piece together, he had been struck by a car, but no one knows precisely — least of all Jason Wood himself.

Can you know your faith but still need to ‘find yourself’?

Reverends Valerie Miller-Coleman and Kent Winters-Hazelton discuss knowing your faith and "finding yourself."

Techno Dog

Daily Dose

A rhythmically inclined dog feels the beat.

Net Worth: Whether in person or on the web, Conan delivers

Jay Leno is the black hole of comedy.

Time out: Kansan Chely Wright becomes first openly gay country star

In country music, you couldn't be gay. Not in Nashville. Not around mainstream country audiences. Chely Wright challenged that last week. The Wellsville native came out to the world, and braced for the response...

Worst Wedding DJ Ever

Daily Dose

Is this real? Does it really matter in this viral internet age? Is there a distinction between "real" and "not real" anymore? Is this a meta-argument? Did I just turn this into meta-meta-argument by asking if it's a meta-argument? Just watch the slightly disturbing video.

'Robin Hood' favors history over mirth

Here, at last, is Ridley Scott’s “Russell Hood: Prince of Prequels,” a dark and brawny version of the Robin Hood legend that anchors itself in English history and loses some of the merriment in the process...

Style scout: Alex Anderson

Too much of anything is not a good thing. I don't like to recognize that someone's part of a clique before I meet them - you lose a sense of individuality. But then again, you can't judge a book by its cover, but people usually do.

Fiddling the night away: Stringband Rendezvous offers a weekend of camping and music

Even though it's been around for seven years, Stringband Rendezvous is virtually unknown when compared to other regional music and camping festivals like Wakarusa or Winfield. And they'd prefer to keep it that way...

Style scout: Carol Malakasis

Fashion is very personal, it is important to dress according to your body type. I'd like to see fewer women wearing unflattering outfits just because the shape or style is trendy right now.

Animated Albums

Daily Dose

A site that animates your favorite album covers in the style of Terry Gilliam's work with Monty Python. GIFs ahoy!

House dressing: Making your own salad dressing at home isn't as hard as you think

Why buy salad dressing from the store when you can have it just as fresh as the salad adorning your plate? Dressings are easy to make and take little more equipment than a whisk or a blender...

Kitten On A Slide

Daily Dose

Someone call the internet repairman, because it just imploded from cuteness.

Double Take: New student author selected for teen advice column

Again this year I had the chance to select a new Double Take co-author from a strong group of completed applications, one each from LHS, Free State and Bishop Seabury.

A 'Bridge' to learning: Gifted students expand their brains with traditional card game

Janice Fullerton's job is to engage some of the smartest students in Lawrence. But this semester the lesson plan went from mostly work to mostly play — with the card game bridge...

Short films honored at Lawrence Arts Center festival

The Lawrence Arts Center announced winners of the second annual Short Film Festival.

The Art of Picklebacking

Daily Dose

A shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle brine...or what I like to call "breakfast."

Kitchen wisdom: Eighteen Lawrence culinary masters share some of their best tips

Lawrence’s restaurant scene has come a long way since the turn of the century. Massachusetts Street has become a bona-fide Restaurant Row, an asset to local culture and prestige...

When ants come marching, send them packing

When the ants come marching two-by-two, into your kitchen, “hurrah, hurrah” is most likely not the first phrase that comes to mind. With a little due diligence and some chemical intervention, you can fix your ant problem in no time.

Yoga for yuks

New workout harnesses the healing power of guffaws and giggles

They say that laughter is the best medicine. What they won’t say is that you will look like a stark, raving lunatic when you take this particular medicine...

Senior advocate: Nigerian native thrives in elder care work

Former Nigerian children’s television star Jessie Kwatamdia’s system was badly shocked when she arrived in Manhattan, Kan., in 1985. “The cold nearly killed me,” she says, shivering at the memory.

See you at the reunion

An invitation came for my 20-year high school reunion. After checking the current date, referring to an old yearbook, doing some math and crying a little, I realized the invitation had, indeed, arrived at the correct address.

Embracing responsibility to community a critical need

I’ve been reading a lot about economics lately. It’s hard to avoid. Economics, as we’ve all learned, isn’t just about money. It’s about human behavior. These days, the economics we read about tends to be about human behavior that has bad consequences. Economists have come up with some interesting terms to describe human economic behavior, and I’ll describe just a few.

Fit for travel: Lawrence residents part of growing wellness tourism industry

When Tyson Willoughby planned his recent vacation to Boston, he knew he would get to see the city, just from a vantage point that not everyone would normally get to see.

Great grad gifts: Get your senior something special for the places they’ll go

Graduation is an achievement to be celebrated with gifts befitting the occasion. And the most coveted presents are those that reward success while complementing the recipient’s future.

Spirit on the go: Online sermons, podcasts, other resources help faithful tune in to religion

The busy, hectic pace of many people’s lives can leave little time for personal and spiritual thought, but technology has allowed these people to practice faith on the go.

Coastal style, country charm on runways

Finally, the weather permits sleeveless tops in the evening and skirts without tights. Read on for the hottest spring and summer trends and fresh outfit ideas to kick off the season.

Mr. T Wishes You A Happy Mother's Day

Daily Dose

The perennial classic of Mr. T rapping about how awesome your mom is. Happy Mother's Day!

Happy housemothers: Lawrence women find jobs surrounded by college students

Before becoming housemother for KU's Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, Molly McGroder had been a reporter, a CIA analyst, an office manager and a single parent of six kids. Talk about being qualified for the job...

Behind the Lens: Environments best viewed in the round

Imagine yourself in the middle of a visually interesting environment, wishing you could photograph the entire scene that surrounds you. That vision is possible online...

Perfectly pretty peonies: Old-fashioned favorites require little care

Mother's Day always makes me a little sentimental about peonies. The three large clumps of the flowers that still grow in my mother's garden have bloomed their hearts out for more than 40 years. Their persistence attracts me, and this year I will add more peonies to my garden...

Smiley’s latest offers woman’s life in bygone era

“Private Life” (Alfred A. Knopf, $26.95) tells the story, from childhood to old age, of Margaret Early, nee Mayfield, raised in Missouri in the late 19th century and saved from spinsterhood by a late marriage at 27 to U.S. Navy Capt. Andrew Early.

Shiver of recognition: Writer weaves stories from wisps of L.A. life

Michael Connelly is looking to stage a kidnapping.

Dog Rides Turtle

Daily Dose

Lazy dog uses tortoise as a Segway.

The silence of the Quakers

There is nothing obvious at all except the silence. Every Sunday, or First Day, as they refer to it, the members of the Oread Friends Meeting sit on long wooden pews or individual chairs set in a circle around a bare white room.

Captain Picard Sings And Dances

Daily Dose

He's just really, really excited about "Iron Man 2."

The man behind 'A Man Within'

Former KU student creates signature documentary about William S. Burroughs

"I knew I wanted to make a documentary about Burroughs, but I didn't know I'd be making THE documentary about Burroughs," Yony Leyser says. After four years of work, he's done just that...

Net Worth: Technology allows even the least talented to dabble in ‘artistry’

Everything is so easy these days. With the click of a button, you can become a “musician” or an “artist” or an “experimental filmmaker.”

Review: ‘Iron Man 2’ doesn’t soar quite so high

The substance of the original “Iron Man,” the brain and the soul that set it apart from the typical seasonal fare and made it one of the best films of 2008, have been blown to bits along with everything else in this movie...

The Deprofiler

Daily Dose

Are you brown? Live in or plan on visiting Arizona? Don't want to get racially profiled? Here are some masks to help you avoid getting arrested!

Style scout: Sarah Wertzberger

I was Bjork’s hand double in a Matthew Barney art film...

Style scout: Stephen Spacek

People say I look like this dude Russ Miller from Leavenworth, but I have met him, and we don’t look alike at all...

Risky business: Lawrencian who does business in Uganda faces difficult climate under harsh Anti-Homosexual Law

Two years ago, Kate von Achen started her own fair trade business in Uganda. But in the wake of the Anti-Homosexual Law of 2009, things are a bit more complicated...

Hipster Tattoos

Daily Dose

Are these tattoos still going to be funny and ironic when the hipsters are in their 90s? Only time will tell.

Review: Final Fight — Double Impact (360)

Like a lot of throwback console downloads, this one has you basically jamming down one button over and over until you knock out each enemy — but trust me, back then that was a ton of fun.

What do I do with fennel?

If Dr. Seuss had created a vegetable instead of Truffula Trees in his kiddie lit masterpiece "The Lorax," it surely would look a bit like summer's coolest vegetable since the cucumber: fennel...

Happy Star Wars Day, Nerds!

Daily Dose

To get your midichlorians flowing on this most sacred of days, here's a preview of the fan-made tribute film, "Star Wars: Uncut."

Double Take: Pathological behavior may incur some tough love

We want more information about teenage lying that borders on the pathological. In addition to being bright and talented, our 17-year-old daughter lies, cheats and steals.

Prom at the hospital

On the eighth floor of Texas Children's Hospital, behind double doors leading to the renal dialysis unit, Jasmine Davis floated through the hallway in a frothy cocktail dress of black lace and teal satin. A rhinestone tiara glittered against her soft halo of dark curls...

Violent J Is John Goodman

Daily Dose

Website attempts to answer the question that has tormented scientists and philosophers for generations: Is actor John Goodman in actuality one half of the Insane Clown Posse?

The Burger Stand set to move out of Dempsey's and into the Casbah

Molly Krause announced today on her blog that later this summer The Burger Stand will move into the Casbah Market building — right next door to Esquina...

Young filmmakers are focus of festival

Youths and filmmaking were showcased Sunday during a ceremony for the fifth annual Lawrence High School Focus Film Festival Awards at Liberty Hall, 644 Mass.

Author to share how she escaped extremist cult

Carolyn Jessop’s story is quite simply one of the most disturbing, yet inspirational life stories you’ll ever read. Of course, there’s no way to boil it down into a something that fits in the newspaper — that’s why she’s written two books now, and will be giving a book talk in KC...

With these 7 steps, you can post it yourself

Whether it is one post for a mailbox or 100 posts for a fence, it is important to follow some simple steps when setting a wooden post in the ground.

Masterpiece by chance: Students make unusual raku pieces in annual event

Every year a group of 25 to 30 students from Free State and Lawrence high schools hop into vans and shuttle to David Leach’s house to learn the ancient art called "raku"...

Life after high school: Experts recommend some skills graduates will need to succeed

Ashley Carter, is preparing herself for life after high school. Although the Lawrence High School senior is still uncertain about her long-term plans after she graduates in May, Carter doesn’t take lightly the responsibilities she will have when she leaves the comforts of her family home.

Lawrence group reduces electricity use

The Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson has said, “The epic of evolution is the best myth we will ever have.” Wilson joins a chorus of voices calling for us to reclaim our story, our 13.7 billion-year-old evolutionary and ecological identity. Spatially and temporally, humans don’t end or begin at our skin. We are woven into a vast and ancient web of relationship.

Merc bakery’s reputation set

Karla Bhana of Lawrence adores the scones at Community Mercantile, 901 Iowa. That’s why she asked Go! to score the recipe for her.

Simple accessories put style in spring 2010

Here are some simple ways to accessorize for spring 2010.

Terms of service: Robert Fairchild devoted to job on bench

“I’m not one of those people who knew from birth what he wanted to do with his life, nor was I inspired to find my vocation by one person,” admits Chief Douglas County District Court Judge Robert Fairchild.

First-time moms, don’t judge

My friend, Janie, was on the treadmill next to me at the gym not long ago, telling me about her recent family vacation. “We had a great time,” she said, “except we were the only people at the hotel with children over 1 year old.”

The end of the pay phone: Onetime public mainstay easing into obscurity

Pay phone receiver wedged between shoulder and ear, Richard Dean listened carefully. Around him car doors slammed. Wheels squeaked and rattled. Children squealed, giggled and sometimes cried. Noisy and imperfect, the pay phone at Dillons, 1740 Mass., is as close to an office as Richard Dean gets.

Food label lingo: Nutrition experts weigh in on which claims are legit

A food package isn’t just a package anymore. It’s a marketing tool. Sure, modern bags and boxes still contain all the important material — name, type of food, manufacturer, etc., but there’s something else you might notice smack dab on the front of your favorite cereal box.