The funniest, funkiest and downright filthiest TV ads we could find

(Web Exclusive) Violence in the workplace, awkward sauna situations, kids risking their lives for a mere cola ... check out some of our favorite "did-they-really-just-do-that?" commercials from around the globe. Beware crude humor, shocking punch lines and some tantalizing Axe commercials.

The value of education

For a 20th Century American History class I took a few years ago, I read The 9/11 Commission Report. It provided great entertainment during pointless Friday microeconomics labs. But seriously, I was excited to be reading the informative document. I felt like a responsible citizen as I educated myself on world-changing events.

Remotely controlled

Click. One swift finger movement capable of so much. Increasingly, viewers have the power to control their television-viewing destinies. But inventions such as TiVo have advertisers scrambling either to innovate or relocate. Since the inception of TiVo and DVR, television audiences can not only record favorite shows but also skip incessant commercial breaks when they sit down to watch.

Event of the week: Rockin’ on the garage

Rockin’ out in your parents’ garage is one thing, but playing in front of your peers on top of a public parking garage is something totally different. The Back to School Garage Band Bash continues for a fourth year. Located on the top of the Sixth and Cherry Street parking garage, the event gives teens a chance to have some end-of-summer fun and welcome the new school year.

The good, the bad & the ugly

A Fat Outing A 700-pound man left his home for the first time in five months. Manuel Uribe has slimmed down from his 1,235-pound Guinness World Record weight and was transported via forklift to the coast of northern Mexico. Although somewhat bothered by the heat, Uribe was in good spirits and joked with a fisherman about sinking his boat. Then again, he got a day at the beach without leaving the comfort of his own bed.

Streetside Chatter: Must-reads

Vox asks Columbians what book they would require people to read.

Penning your own story

Virginia Woolf and Harry S. Truman don’t have much in common. Neither do Daniel Defoe and Jack the Ripper. But the one thing they do share is their penchant for diaries. Although diaries have been saddled with an unfair reputation as overly sentimental or childish, journal keeping can be beneficial — even for grown-ups.

Sewing their own trend

Budding fashion designers, take note. There’s no need to tackle the French language in Paris or brave the streets of New York City to become a successful designer. As Project Runway’s Tim Gunn says, you just need to “make it work,” and Columbia’s just as good a place as any to do so. The fashion scene in mid-Missouri has expanded over the past five years, and three designers are threading their way to the national level.

Learning from students

What does a burly, soft-spoken mountain climber have to teach a bunch of fresh-faced college kids about diplomacy? Quite a lot, actually. Like how education can beget tolerance, and how, sometimes, one person can do more to move diplomatic mountains than a thousand deep-pocketed statesmen. When it comes to nation building, they say the pen is mightier than the sword.

Monkey business

With a woman bitten by a monkey this summer and the recent discovery of a funeral home hiding dead bodies, Columbia is no stranger to odd news. We’ve dug through Missouri newspaper archives to bring you some peculiar tales that occurred right here in the Show-Me State.

Olympic bad behavior

With the Beijing Olympics’ Aug. 8 start, the competitions have been blasted all over the news. But who cares about the winners, right? Instead, Vox has compiled a list of Beijing’s most misbehaved moments so far. There are surely more to come.

Essential Electronic

Electronic music is a vast genre. There's trance, house, techno, breakbeat, drum and bass and on and on. So Vox is here to help with a list vital electronic albums to help start or expand your collection. Features additional online content.

Longhaired redneck

Plenty of country music artists call themselves outlaws, but most of them have never spent any time behind bars. David Allan Coe, though, is the real deal. This singer/songwriter served prison time and even wrote his first album, Penitentiary Blues, released in 1969, while he was locked up.

Spinning hype

DJs who play electronic music are a major element of the club scene worldwide, but large cities boast the majority of the talent. However, as pop incorporated elements of electronic music in the late ’90s, the two fused and gained popularity in small towns, too. As a result, there is a growing scene for this overlooked genre, even in a place like Columbia.

Bosom buddies

Flip through your TV channels on a Thursday night, and you’ll see some of comedy’s leading ladies. First, it’s Tina Fey keeping order in her variety show on 30 Rock, then it’s Samantha Bee providing witty commentary on The Daily Show, followed by fabulous snark from Chelsea Handler on Chelsea Lately. But as these women dominate the comedy stages across America, as well as the small screen, one big question becomes apparent: Why are these female comedians still being overlooked in movies, especially when you put two on the bill?