SHORT TALK
A Canadian couple was arrested in May for placing their week-old baby for sale on Craigslist.org. This, however, isn’t the first time users have listed something preposterous on the site, which receives 10 billion hits each month. A search through ads for Columbia and Jefferson City on Craigslist yielded no babies for sale, yet some items are nearly as absurd. Here’s what your fellow townies are posting on the site.
July 03, 2008
Odd items are up for sale
A Canadian couple was arrested in May for placing their week-old baby for sale on Craigslist.org. This, however, isn’t the first time users have listed something preposterous on the site, which receives 10 billion hits each month. A search through ads for Columbia and Jefferson City on Craigslist yielded no babies for sale, yet some items are nearly as absurd. Here’s what your fellow townies are posting on the site.
How to turn your small space into a garden
(Web Exclusive) How to turn your small space into a garden
June 26, 2008
Attend in style and under budget
Your unsuspecting hand glides over an envelope in your mailbox. The sight of it causes you to sweat. Its arrival means empty pockets and mandatory budget control. It’s not a bill or an IRS notice. It’s a wedding invitation.
June 19, 2008
How to act like a world traveler without leaving town
Do you lie by the pool and wish you were on the French Riviera? Ever go to McNally’s and wish you were sipping a Guinness in Dublin? You’re not alone. AAA just released figures suggesting that 25.1 million Americans have been holding back on taking trips to the movies or the mall in order to jet around internationally this summer. Even with the recent negative chatter about the economy, the 2.6 percent increase shows that the penny-pinching is paying off for the travel industry. But if you don’t want to break the bank by converting your dollars to Euros, stick around Columbia and live life like people do in Europe.
Armadillos make a new home in Missouri
It’s 10 p.m. You’re in the car driving home, and you see a small animal in the road. Honking the horn and flashing the headlights startles the creature, and it jumps straight up into the air and into the path of the vehicle. Then it lies on the side of the road, contained by its armored back, with stiff legs in the air. The now lifeless creature, while living, was Missouri’s newest resident: an armadillo. A native of South America, it has been migrating north since the 1800s and in the past 30 years has become an official mammal of Missouri.
June 12, 2008
Missouri reacts to California ruling
Political observers say other issues are more important than gay marriage
Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres recently announced that she and girlfriend Portia de Rossi would legally marry in California. The announcement was made live via her talk show in New York City.
First placebo tablet hits the online market
What’s the 10-second cure for a child crying about an owie? Kiss it and make it better. That’s the logic Jennifer Buettner of Maryland was banking on when baby-sitting her 12-year-old niece. To curb the stomachache that seemed to appear and disappear depending on her niece’s mood, Jennifer decided to skip on the Motrin her mother-in-law, a doctor, recommended and buy a placebo from her local grocery store to ease her niece’s nerves.
June 05, 2008
Web site: DWI tests are a bust
Drivers argue that unfair methods lead to inaccurate charges
Receiving a DWI carries serious consequences, but one Web site says that DWI tests are not accurate — some people can’t even pass them sober. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, a person weighing at least 120 pounds can have two drinks in his or her system when driving and generally have a legally “safe” blood alcohol content (BAC) level.
May 29, 2008
Top recruit comes to MU
In August 2008, like every year before, MU freshmen will walk through the MU Columns and wonder what it’s going to take to leave in four years with a diploma in hand. One freshman, Blaine Gabbert, will have more than just a heavy class load — he’ll have some huge cleats to fill.
May 22, 2008
Post-grad bar scene
On the teeming streets of downtown Columbia, incoming grad students and young professionals dodge stampeding frat boys and minors puking the fruits of their fake IDs. As beer sloshes over their shoes for the umpteenth time, it’s not hard to picture them wondering where older folks go for student-free nights out.
Baseball fans get vocal at Taylor Stadium
Taylor Stadium is a sea of bright colors as Little Leaguers bombard MU’s baseball stands in their team jerseys. Parents and coaches follow suit, all ready to enjoy a Saturday afternoon at the ballpark as the Tigers take on the Kansas State Wildcats.
May 15, 2008
(Web Exclusive) The past 10 years have seen huge changes in Columbia — some more welcome than others. Favorite restaurants, recreation areas and businesses may be long gone, but their impact remains in the memories of area residents.
The big day for out favorite ED pill
Some of the world’s greatest inventions were unintentional. Frisbees. Post-its. Oh, and Viagra. In testing a drug that might lower blood pressure, Pfizer researchers discovered an eyebrow-raising side effect: Test subjects reported longer-lasting erections. Voila: Viagra. This year, the blue pill celebrates its 10th birthday.
Events that have shaped the past decade
May 08, 2008
The truth behind nutritional foods
When looking at the nutrition facts on a bottle of Glaceau Vitamin Water, it’s not crazy to assume a consumer would find two ingredients for sure: vitamins and water. But look closer. Vitamin Water is more than its name claims. By the looks of the nutritional facts label, the company might consider making the drink’s simple and snappy name Sugar Liquid.
(Web Exclusive) Some health foods are not as sweet as most consumers think. Here are three products containing certain sweeteners that make them suprisingly less healthy.
May 01, 2008
Working the streets to gain support for change
The streets are packed. Clipboards piled high. Pens ready. Curses prepared. The days of friendly activism might be gone. Or perhaps there are just too many people battling for signatures on Columbia’s sidewalks.
Protesters crash China's party
To protest or not to protest is a big question for this summer’s Beijing Olympics. President Bush recently said of the controversy surrounding the games: “I don’t view the Olympics as a political event. I view it as a sporting event.” Sorry, prez, it’s getting political. And for the 61 MU journalism students who will work as reporting interns at China’s coming out party, this year’s Olympics might be a lesson in more than just sports journalism.
April 24, 2008
MU policy bars domestic partners
Health insurance might not be on anyone’s wedding registry. But a marriage license is a requirement for couples to receive full medical benefits from the University of Missouri System. This policy is similar to many employers in the U.S. For couples who aren’t allowed to marry — and even for those who choose not to tie the knot — the partners could go without.
A glimpse of life on the flipside
Religion, politics, high school and support
