Kansas City Star: FYI / Living

Send us your funny pics of kids on Santa's lap

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:51 CST

We know a good idea when we see it, even if Mr. Ho-Ho-Ho may take us off his list this year. Nothing screams Christmas quite like a picture of a really unhappy tyke on Santa's lap. You have a picture like that? Send it to us.

Send us a picture of your ugliest ornament

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:27 CST

We know you have an ugly ornament, and we want to see it. Quirky, dog-eared, bug-eyed and made from pasta, pipe cleaners or felt, throwing it out just isn't an option. So as you prepare to adorn your tree, why not show it off? The uglier the better. E-mail one close-up picture to starfyi@gmail.com.

Predict the box office

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:31 CST

Which film will rake in the most dough this weekend?

Ho-ho-hottie, for a good cause

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:52 CST

Sitting on Santa’s lap is usually reserved for the kiddies, but this year, adults should remember to have some fun, too.

Black Jack the mini-horse has a big talent for connecting to people

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:56 CST

Black Jack has been to nursing homes, libraries, women’s shelters. He’s been to the American Royal, and he recently visited kindergartners at Wellsville Elementary School in Kansas during the week they studied the letter “H.” Wherever he goes, people hug him, stroke him, whisper sweet nothings in his ear.

Putting the punch in 'Boeing Boeing': timing is everything

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:44 CST

Ever wonder how actors get the hair-trigger timing right in a comedy? Pull up a front row seat.

The winners of Star Mag's Chiefs caption contest

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:07 CST

Welcome to the results show of the Star Magazine Chiefs caption contest. In October we printed six pictures from Chiefs seasons past and asked readers to come up with fake, funny captions for them. (The real captions appear with each picture today.)

Did you miss the �Twilight' cast with Tyra Banks? The show is on again Friday night

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:30 CST

If you missed Robert Pattinson biting Tyra Banks' neck, you have another chance! Look for the show at 11 p.m. (Central Time) Friday on the Oxygen Network.

Of werewolves and romance and Edward: ‘Twilight' director reveals ‘New Moon' plans

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:13 CST

Catherine Hardwicke divulged plenty in a new interview with MTV News: “New Moon” could be finished by the end of 2009, Taylor Lautner could most definitely play a bigger, more passionate Jacob Black, and Robert Pattinson should get more screen time.

Does this ‘Twilight' spoof make you laugh or fume?

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:28 CST

When you can live forever, what do you live for? If you’re Devon, you live for stalking the mailroom guy …

‘Cadillac Records' review: Go for the music | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:53 CST

Too fragmented and episodic to deliver much drama, “Cadillac Records” still satisfies as an amble through a rich chapter of American pop culture.

‘Punisher: War Zone' review: Don't bother | 1 stars

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:57 CST

Punisher: War Zone” is the best Punisher movie of the three made so far. That said, it’s still terrible.

‘Nobel Son' review: It's no prize winner | 2 stars

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:56 CST

Rated R | Time: 1:42 In “Nobel Son” the great Alan Rickman is over-the-top and deliciously insufferable as a college chemistry prof who is rude to everyone — including his family and the grad students he sleeps with — and believes his new Nobel Prize is nothing more than what is due his “superior intellect.”

‘Flow' | 3 stars

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:56 CST

No rating | Time: 1:24 In “Quantum of Solace” the villains buy up the water rights of Bolivia so they can gouge the citizenry for every life-sustaining sip.

‘Fear(s) of the Dark' | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:56 CST

Not rated | Time: 1:25 As with all anthologies, the animated “Fear(s) of the Dark” goes from lame to terrific and back again, depending on whose work is onscreen. (It opens today at the Tivoli.)

‘Four Christmases' review: No fun in the dysfunction | 2 stars

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:56 CST

It’s hard for most couples to figure out whose family to visit on which holiday. When both sets of parents are divorced, it can be a logistical (and emotional) nightmare.

‘Australia' review: Big continent, big mess | 2 stars

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:15 CST

Apparently Baz Luhrmann couldn’t decide which movie he wanted to make. So he made them all and called it “Australia.”

‘Transporter 3' review: Statham should have stopped at ‘2' | 2 stars

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:59 CST

The “Transporter” series turned Brit actor Jason Statham into a movie star. But maybe it’s time to hang up his car keys. He’s better than this.

‘Bolt' | 3 ½ stars

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:47 CST

Disney’s “Bolt” is the studio’s best non-Pixar animated movie in ages. It’s smart enough to keep adults on their toes and exciting enough to keep a kid with a short attention span glued to his seat.

‘Synecdoche, New York' | 3 stars

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:32 CST

Rated R | Run time: 2:03 “Synecdoche, New York” is a self-indulgent mope. It’s also a work of genius.

‘A Christmas Story' still hits people where they live after 25 years

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:39 CST

Fans of the holiday classic “A Christmas Story” are celebrating the film’s 25th anniversary with a convention and trips to the house where the movie was made.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS 12/5/08

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:08 CST

•Singer Little Richard is 76. •Guitarist J.J. Cale is 70. •Actor Jeroen Krabbe (“The Fugitive”) is 64.

Send us a picture of your ugliest ornament

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:03 CST

You gingerly tuck it away each year with your Christmas décor. It’s so awful that it’s somehow endearing. You can’t bear to part with it. We know you have an ugly ornament, and we want to see it.

Here are ways to fake out a thief

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:08 CST

You might expect a tightwad like me to recommend a cheap home security device. Guilty as charged. Spending $1,000 or more on a real burglar alarm seems like overkill when you can get the job done for much less with good locks and a few fakes.

James Cameron says he can't live up to the ‘Avatar' hype

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:39 CST

Director James Cameron said this week that his upcoming big-budget 3-D movie “Avatar” couldn’t possibly live up to the hype on the Internet ahead of its release late next year.

Movie news | ‘Terminator: Salvation,' ‘Godfather II,' ‘Twilight' contest

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:39 CST

•As the music editor for “Cadillac Records,” John Carbonara put together a tail-kicking soundtrack of Chess Record hits re-created by modern performers (Jeffrey Wright, Beyonce Knowles, Mos Def). They’re only slightly less impressive than the originals … and that’s saying something. See review, E5.

Dear Abby: Speaker phone lets everyone in on the secrets

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:08 CST

DEAR ABBY: About a year ago my sister, “Pam,” and her husband bought a new telephone with all the features, including speaker, where everyone in the room can hear and contribute to the conversation.

Local artists open their studios to holiday shoppers

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:19 CST

There are only three weeks left to shop for holiday gifts. But don’t worry. Local artists are working on items to impress any art collector — and others who enjoy a creative surprise — on your list.

Britney Spears' 'Circus': A three-ring hit

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:31 CST

It’s time for another Britney Spears comeback: Call this one the remix version. Spears — seems on the road to recovery

Stargazing: Adkins survives, ‘Christmases' director played his ‘Quarters' right

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:19 CST

Director Seth Gordon, whose previous film was the documentary “The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters,” says his first studio feature, “Four Christmases,” was a “baptism by the River Styx. It was crazy.”

Wearable art with an upfront message is Brad Bruce's stock in trade

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:07 CST

Brad Bruce hopes people will wear his art, embrace his message and help him protect the environment. And he doesn’t think that’s too much to ask from the simple purchase of a refurbished T-shirt, pair of jeans, necktie or baby onesie.

Dear Abby | A baby sitter is a free agent

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:59 CST

DEAR ABBY: Regarding “Feels Like a Fool in Gainesville, Fla.,” who complained that her friend “stole” her baby sitter, I have news for that woman. Baby sitters, even those under 18, aren’t indentured servants who serve only one master. A baby sitter is a free agent who can work for anybody she wants. What is that baby sitter supposed to do — keep her schedule open in the hope this woman is going to call her? What if she doesn’t...

Thomas Kinkade to visit KC Saturday; a Q&A with the gallery owner who invited him

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:19 CST

When Donald Robb left the furniture business in 2001, he figured he was done with his career. Boy, was he wrong. After retiring to Palm Desert, Calif., he and his wife, Karen, moved to Kansas City two years later to care for aging parents. Today they own the Thomas Kinkade Gallery on the Country Club Plaza.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS 12/4/08

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:24 CST

•Game show host Wink Martindale is 74. •Actor-producer-director Max Baer Jr. (“The Beverly Hillbillies”) is 71.

Trappist monks mark the 20th anniversary of holiday baking at Assumption Abbey

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:13 CST

AVA, Mo. | Use the words “fruitcake” and “monk” in the same sentence, and people think you’re telling a joke. But the fruitcakes made by Trappist monks at Assumption Abbey southeast of Springfield are closer to a revelation.

What's happening in KC this weekend

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:54 CST

There's a bevy of holiday affairs all over town this weekend, but there's also other stuff to do: a Big 12 championship football game at Arrowhead, zydeco legend Chubby Carrier performs on two nights, YouTube funny man Jon Lajoie is here, as is jazz singer Carol Duboc.

Billy Graham | A church is people, not buildings

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:59 CST

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: My husband and I are upset because our church is talking about a campaign to raise an enormous amount of money for a new building. We think the old building is sufficient for our needs. The first Christians didn’t even have church buildings, did they? — Mrs. N.J.D.

On the drive-through menu: One bagel, spread with kindness

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:21 CST

I so did not want to come to work on Monday. Not with Cyber Monday bargains — and free shipping! — calling my name. So I was kinda grumpy when, on my way in, I pulled into McDonald’s drive-through for breakfast: a bacon-egg-and-cheese bagel and a medium diet Dr Pepper.

Stargazing: Minnelli is back on stage, La Rue finds her place on prime time

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:13 CST

Eva La Rue, who played Maria on “All My Children,” is now Natalia on “CSI: Miami.” She’s part of a growing list of soap stars who have been able to go on to prime-time success.

J.K. Rowling quietly returns tonight with Beedle the Bard.

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:13 CST

“You’ve never heard of The Tales of Beedle the Bard?” said Ron, incredulously. “You’re kidding, right?”

Showtime | The column that's no longer considered America's sweetheart

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:22 CST

The news that David Cook placed third on last week’s list of best-selling albums brought out all the haters (again) on Back to Rockville.

Skipping the streets: Boomers and teens abuse prescription drugs

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:48 CST

It has been four decades since the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, but aging baby boomers haven’t stopped turning on.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS 12/03/08

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:03 CST

•Country singer Ferlin Husky is 83. •Singer Andy Williams is 81. •Director Jean-Luc Godard is 78.

Dear Abby: ‘Boy's club' incident rankles lioness of the family

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:03 CST

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are still at odds over something that happened months ago. He, his best friend and my 13-year-old son, “Mark,” went to spring training in Florida. On one of the days they went to lunch at a restaurant that features scantily clad waitresses. My husband told Mark not to tell me about it and to leave the telling to him.

Pets of the week: Dixie and Susan

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:17 CST

1-year-old female wire-haired terrier mix Dixie is an adorable little dog. She is very friendly and gets along with other dogs. She would do better in a home without small children and cats. Dixie weighs 11 pounds has been spayed, vaccinated, microchipped and tested for heartworms. She is available for a $120 adoption fee.

Don't buy, bake for the food lovers on your holiday gift list

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:53 CST

Instead of buying a holiday gift, why not bake something? If you’re looking for inspiration, guidance and suggestions, consider these four cookbooks.

Greener living | Personal care products might contain harmful chemicals

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:25 CST

Now we're really getting personal. This installment of FYI's Greener Living series is focused on your private place — the bathroom.

Here's something everyone can do � plant the greenest tree

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:51 CDT

Pursuing a greener lifestyle can sometimes feel punitive. Like the Ten Commandments, the “don'ts” seem to outnumber the “do's.” No fun, right?

Austrialian tourism industry hopes Kidman-Jackman epic film will attact visitors

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:24 CST

SYDNEY, Australia | The camera sweeps across the landscape, taking in flat plains, gushing waterfalls and a dusty country town. The color is brilliant, the emptiness palpable, and the soundtrack soars dramatically as warplanes bomb a city.

Top 10 | Best hotels in U.S. and Canada

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:39 CST

From Travel+Leisure magazine’s 2008 reader poll (last year’s rank in parentheses):

Geothermal systems conserve energy and reduce bills for heating and cooling

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:21 CST

You may not know anyone with a geothermal heating and cooling system in the house, but you will soon. With tax credits and financial incentives plus lowered utility bills and increased energy efficiency, the numbers of geothermal homes are growing.

Safety should be a key element of design

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:25 CST

So much consideration is given to the look of a room that it’s easy to forget about another, even more important aspect of interior design: safety.

Waiting has religious and political overtones

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:03 CST

Waiting can be a hard thing to do. If you are a parent who celebrates Christmas, you know how eager children can be for the gifts to be opened.

Lifelike figures modeled after Leonardo da Vinci's ‘Last Supper' masterpiece could see light of day

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:50 CST

Stunning life-size wax figures of Jesus and his Apostles patterned after Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece “The Last Supper” have been in a warehouse for 11 years.

Calendar, Dec. 2

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:23 CST

CROWN CENTER ICE TERRACE: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. $6, or free for those over 60 or under 5. Skate rental $3. www.crowncenter.com (816-274-8111)

KC scenes will fill a Times Square window all month; GMA comes to Crown Center Wednesday

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:06 CST

America will get a month-long shout-out from Kansas City, thanks to those industrious elves at Hallmark.

Sophistication is key to holiday fashion

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:59 CST

The holiday season is ripe for joy, peace and, regrettably, many fashion disasters. Just ask Gail Cluen, who is dressing up Friday for a charity gala where she and many other guests will be surrounded by elaborately decorated holiday trees up for auction amid a backdrop of contemporary art.

Stargazing | Greg Behrendt gets lucky, Kal Penn gets the job, Seth Rogen won't move on

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:25 CST

In the battle of the sexes, men and women hear what they want to hear — usually to their detriment. At least that’s the conventional wisdom that comedian Greg Behrendt has made a career out of mocking.

Here are ways to fake out a thief

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:26 CST

Caitlin Sanchez explores what it's like to be the voice of Dora

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:25 CST

When this 12-year-old talks, millions of preschoolers around the world listen. All Caitlin Sanchez needs to say is, “Swiper, no swiping!” Or to summon the powers of her magical backpack.

The Brian Williams Tie Report Archives blog monitors the anchor's neckwear

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:25 CST

Each night after watching Brian Williams deliver the “NBC Nightly News,” an English teacher in Ohio is moved to go to her computer and write — about what Williams wore around his neck.

Billy Graham | Your heart may become hardened if you hear the voice of God and ignore it

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:57 CST

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: Does God ever give up on some people? My brother and I grew up in the same Christian home and had the same opportunities to learn about God, but all his life he’s rejected faith. Has he gone too far? — N.C.

Dear Abby | There's no honor in bending rules

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:57 CST

DEAR ABBY: I am a foreign exchange student studying in the U.S. Other exchange students and I have been debating two questions.

Today's Birthdays 12/02/08

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:56 CST

•Actress Julie Harris is 83. •Actress Cathy Lee Crosby is 64. •Country singer John Wesley Ryles is 58.

Children need to be ignored

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:55 CST

Here’s something you already know, but don’t know you know: Children love to be ignored. Mind you, I’m not talking about neglect. I’m talking about ignored, as in being seen and not heard, out from underfoot, free to do their own thing without adults hovering neurotically over them making sure everything in their lives is all right and meaningful from moment to moment.

With ChaCha, answers just a text away

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:15 CST

You’re miles from your computer when some nattering nutbags say something you know isn’t true. How do you put them in their place?

Stargazing | Hill Harper's college buddy Obama does good, and Christmas specials begin

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:10 CST

Author and actor Hill Harper of “CSI: New York” went to Harvard with President-elect Barack Obama. He told eurweb.com the man he knew then isn’t that much different from the man he campaigned for this year.

Mom2Mom | Tasha doesn't feel bad about not cooking, Kate on Christmas décor

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:03 CST

As I write this it’s Thanksgiving night, and my mom is in the kitchen cooking. My dad is sitting at the kitchen table staring at me, wondering what I’m writing …

Blue ties, nothing but blue ties

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:13 CST

When President-elect Barack Obama met with John McCain recently to talk teamwork, his tie was blue. When Obama met President George Bush at the White House to talk transition, his tie was blue.

Readers help compile a list of unique gifts made close to home

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:11 CST

Blame it on that wild, bright roaring dinosaur in the mega-store, but it made me think that I was done, finished, kaput with all these fancy toys and flashing gizmos that are part of holiday shopping and an endless parade of things to buy! now! to celebrate! the season!

Win a $100 Chocolate Soup gift card

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:09 CST

Face it: This month you will be spending tons of money on toys and gifts for your family and friends. Couldn’t you use a little extra something for kids’ clothes at the end of the holiday? Log on to mom2momkc.com and click “Giveaways” to register for $100 to Chocolate Soup kids’ clothing store in Leawood. A winner will be drawn at the end of the month.

Mom2Mom | What is your philosophy on ear piercing?

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:05 CST

What is your philosophy on ear piercing? 13 percent: We had them pierced as a baby or toddler. 34 percent: We’ll allow it when our child asks.

Miss Manners | Birthday present? Just say, ‘Cash'

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:17 CST

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What would be the tactful way to say “no presents but a money tree” for a birthday party?

Dear Abby | Woman finds comfort in quiet holiday

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:14 CST

DEAR ABBY: Now that the year-end holidays are here, I find myself once again in the sometimes difficult position of having to explain to acquaintances and co-workers why I don’t celebrate them.

Billy Graham | Advent marks the coming of Jesus Christ

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:11 CST

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: We’ve moved and are in a new church, and they’ve made several announcements recently about what they’ll be doing during Advent season, but I’m not clear what they mean. — T.M.

Today's Birthdays 12/01/08

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:16 CST

•Actor-director Woody Allen is 73. •Singer Dianne Lennon of the Lennon Sisters is 69.

News of the Weird

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:00 CST

Recently in Spokane, Wash., police said a 67-year-old man robbed a downtown gas station, then waited for officers to arrest him.

The Stuff of Life, Part 1: 'Wanting is the thing that makes this world go around'

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:49 CST

“The things you own end up owning you.”

— Author Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

•••

William Shakespeare waxed on it. George Carlin joked about it. The economy is built on it.

What is it?

Why, stuff, of course.

Since the first humans began coveting nonessential objects, the pursuit of pleasurable stuff has been part of daily life.

Americans arguably have more stuff because they have a lot of discretionary income. Go to any shopping center and look around. How many of the wares offered there are truly necessary?

Television stokes desire with extravagant odes to home, life and auto. TLC’s “Clean Sweep” may rid people of their junky stuff, but “Trading Spaces” replaces it with cooler stuff. “What Not to Wear” helps regular folks exchange their bad fashion choices for good fashion choices – more stuff. There’s MTV’s “Cribs,” CMT’s “Trick My Truck” and on and on and on.

Whether viewed as a force behind “progress” or as a burden to be shed, humanity’s long and complicated relationship with material possessions can’t be denied. But perhaps it can be better understood.

Baring their souls about their stuff

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:58 CST

JOCELYN SCOGGIN 39, Kansas City Last stuff you bought? CDs. The new Foo Fighters, Nickelback and Sixx: A.M., which is Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue.

The hoard festival; Packrats celebrate their collections -- until they get in the way of living

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:22 CDT

Charlene Darnell would love to see her family living in a pristine home. "A big showcase house," the cheery 43-year-old nurse said, "with room to display stuff." But Darnell knows the truth. She says she is a "clutter-aholic," a packrat of such magnitude that even the suggestion of tossing away anything brings on a near panic attack. "It's almost like it hurts," she says.

The result is a tiny Olathe home that is, by her own admission, a colossal mess.

Good & cheap; Garage sales can be the source of great finds and a grand addiction

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:40 CST

When you've gone to more than 25,000 garage sales, you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. Just ask Lisa Payne. She has a walk-out basement you can't walk into and a three-car-garage that barely fits one vehicle. With more than 100 cardboard boxes full of garage-sale treasures taking over her lower level, some might call the Overland Park woman fanatical or obsessed. She prefers to think of herself as passionate and dedicated. She's hardly alone. Every year in America, buyers make more than 500 million stops at the humble garage sale.

Heir grievances; Arguments over heirlooms can tear families apart

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:57 CDT

One can only imagine what Aunt Jane would think. On the day in 2003 that 90-year-old Jane Frost Empie died, the former Hallmark executive and beloved aunt left a will that spelled out exactly what she wanted to be done with her stuff: "I hereby direct that a trust fund of $20,000 be set up to provide for the care of my cats, namely Tiger, Bolivar Gray Girl and Motor Mouse," she directed. Only problem: The cats were dead.

�My stuff defines me'; Is it just clutter or collectibles? Readers share their tales

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:25 CDT

Readers sent reams of comments and e-mails about this week's "The Stuff of Life" series, which examined how "stuff" is cluttering up our lives. Some wrote long family histories about who saved what through the generations, and others wrote, simply, "HELP!"

Part 1: First one trauma, and now another

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:20 CDT

Child sex crimes are the toughest to prosecute, but it is even tougher on the kids who testify. In the first of a four-part series, The Star follows the trial of The State of Missouri v. David A. Brake in order to examine the process and problems of prosecuting child sexual crime. First of four parts.

How �The System' works in Missouri and Kansas

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:25 CDT

Who reports? Anyone can make a report of suspected child abuse. Laws mandate that individuals in certain professions report suspected child abuse. “Mandated reporters” include medical personnel, social workers, therapists, teachers, police and firefighters.

Part 2: Sexual abuse casts a long shadow over jury selection process

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:20 CDT

Jury selection. Vital and never easy, this one — for a case in which a 12-year-old girl will testify that her mother's boyfriend raped her when she was 9 — turned more dramatic and emotional than any Lori Fluegel had ever seen. Second of four parts.

Part 3: At last, Jessica's time to testify

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:21 CDT

Alone on the witness stand, 12-year-old Jessica tells how her mother's boyfriend raped her when she was 9 — but her story has changed. Third of four parts.

Part 4: Incriminating evidence comes forth, and a witness is surprised on the stand

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:21 CDT

The conclusion of The Star's four-part series, which followed the State of Missouri v. David A. Brake in order to examine the process and problems of prosecuting child sexual crimes. Last of four parts.

Carolyn Hax: Ring phobia will come full circle

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:33 CST

DEAR CAROLYN: I have been with my boyfriend for almost two years and love him very much. It is no secret that he doesn’t want to get married in the near future. He has made comments that he wants to marry when he’s very old so that he doesn’t have to be married long. He thinks marriage can ruin a good thing and doesn’t see the point when everything is great as it is.

Style briefs: 12-05-08

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:33 CST

Some of the pieces that were cool for teens in the 1980s are cool again today. Here’s how to wear them.

Finola Hughes has ‘a passion for fashion'

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:33 CST

Finola Hughes, host of Style Network’s “How Do I Look?,” has always been a fan of fashion.

Luxury-goods makers trim their prices

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:33 CST

F or the first time in recent memory, luxury-goods makers are cutting prices on designer apparel, shoes and handbags in the U.S. market.

Holiday movie guide | Why so early?

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:59 CST

Yeah, you’re right. It is too early to talk about holiday movies. Don’t blame us. Blame Hollywood.

Billy Graham | You can hear the Bible, as well as read it

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:33 CST

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: Several months ago you answered a question from someone with a mild learning disability who has a hard time reading the Bible. I have the same problem, but recently my niece gave me a set of CDs with the Bible in audio form. It has helped me greatly, and maybe it would help this person also. — Mrs. V.C.