We need to see some ID

Anyone who’s had to wait in long lines at the DMV and provide seemingly endless amounts of paperwork knows what a pain it is to get a photo ID. Inevitably, the DMV is miles away from anywhere.

Real ID? Real Problem

Unconstitutional wiretaps? Check. Weakening the basic right of habeas corpus? Check. How about the ability of the government to know exactly where you are at all times? They’re working on that, or at least Big Brother in Washington is.

Holiday reading

He led his soldiers to victory to establish our nation. He is recognized on the $1 bill as our first president. He also wore a pair of dentures made out of hippopotamus bone. It’s easy to forget that the heroic George Washington, like all U.S. presidents, had his share of quirks. To honor the singularities of our 43 chief executives on President’s Day, Vox explores the lighter sides of the U.S. heads of state.

Tavern tales

People love to gossip, but sometimes it becomes a game of telephone in which the line between truth and fiction becomes blurred. Everyone has heard rumors about their favorite downtown destinations — the most recent is that Athena has shut its doors, which police have confirmed. It seems every bar has something hidden beneath its beer-stained floorboards. But what’s for real, and what should be forgotten? Maybe everything you hear on the street shouldn’t be taken at face value.

Event of the Week: Sue Johanson

Here’s your chance to talk about sex with an auditorium full of people you’ve never met. Spend Valentine’s Day with Sue Johanson of the Oxygen Network’s Talk Sex with Sue Johanson when she comes to MU. She has been involved in the sex education field for more than 20 years and speaks to more than 47,000 people annually. This doesn’t even include her talk show, which airs live every Sunday night. In 2001, she even received the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honor. Dr. Marty Klein, a marriage and family counselor and sex therapist who has written five books and published more than 100 articles, will be talking sex on stage with Sue. But don’t worry about all those strangers; the Q&A session at the end of the show is anonymous.

Crazy ink love

Her name was Jenny Rankin. Upon Dan Hull’s wishes and with the help of a friend, her initials were slowly and crudely hand-poked into Hull’s shoulder when he was 13.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The Good: Safety Bubble

Streetside Chatter: Valentine's Day Massacres

Country grammar

Jason Boland loves country music but hates country radio. Not surprising, as most country radio stations stuff their airwaves with Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts. “That’s not country music; it’s bad pop,” Boland says. “Country radio is embarrassing.”

Identity crisis

Even more grim than a cold, wet February morning is the mammoth steel frame that towers awkwardly over the corner of Ninth and Locust — gaping evidence of Quinton’s rooftop patio addition that was stalled last year by overlooked building codes. Less than a block away, the stern, modern addition to the Missouri United Methodist Church boasts a dreary windowless facade that seems more conducive to mourning than worshiping. The view’s not much brighter on nearby Eighth Street, an anonymous wasteland of barren parking lots and low-slung office buildings.

Romance redux

Movie-lovers, prepare to experience a little déjà two this month when Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey meet again in the lighthearted romantic comedy Fool’s Gold. The duo made their coupling debut in 2003’s How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and they’re at it again, which promises even more PG-13 wit and on-screen sparkle.

Turn on, tune in, space out

Norman, Okla., might not be challenging Brooklyn for its title as the epicenter of indie rock, but the town has made a name for itself with bands such as the Flaming Lips and Starlight Mints that reach for the sky with their spacey rock. The latest band to blast off from Norman’s launch pad is Evangelicals.

The ins and outs of erotic film

This Valentine’s Day, don’t forget that romance involves more than just lovey-dovey stuff. Erotic cinema is brimming with thrills for both adventurous couples and the currently unattached. We settled down for some intimate interviews with the expert employees at Venus and the Olde Un Theatre, and they gave a few pointers about erotic film’s bare essentials.

Sound Advice: The Mountain Goats

(Web Exclusive) Venturing to “Craters on the Moon” and “Sept. 15, 1983,” is possible when listening to the Mountain Goats’ latest album, coming out Feb. 19. Written in various countries all over the globe, Heretic Pride has an element of fantasy to it. Lead singer John Darnielle employs the influence of travel to infuse creative sounds with imaginative lyrics. The album was co-produced by longtime collaborator John Vanderslice. It’s a return to Darnielle’s fictional roots after the autobiographical turn seen with 2005’s The Sunset Tree and 2006’s Get Lonely.

A shot in the dark

As the regular season draws to a close for MU’s club hockey team, the players and coaches have more than exceeded expectations. From the beginning of the season, the team has been against the odds.