What you WANT, WHERE you should go, WHAT you will get

Stephens film frenzy

Stop-motion animation with vegetables and a man yearning to escape in his homemade spaceship are just two of the subjects for final projects directed by senior film students at Stephens College. At the Stephens Senior Film Showcase, these films will show on the big screen for the first time in front of friends, family and a professional jury.

What DO women want?

Women want sensitive but macho men. Women want men who work but also take care of the kids. Women want men who cook dinner and wash the dishes too. These paradoxes have caused men to ask themselves, “What do women really want?” Women continue to have absurd standards, and men rarely find the answer.

The lives of the financial crisis

The economy has affected just about everyone in some way. While some have had to make adjustments to their lifestyle; others have found unexpected fortune. Here are the stories of nine regular Columbia residents: their problems, thoughts and insights about our nation's financial state.

The jingle of currency

Quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies are the loudest currency in the U.S. People crank coins into bubble gum machines and plunk them into parking meters. The currency is slipping through fingers and pockets, which leads to its residence in couch cushions next to stale Cheerios. Change is a tremendous nuisance but remains a necessity.

Four designs on the penny

For Lincoln’s 200th birthday and the 100th anniversary of the first Lincoln penny, the U.S. Mint will issue four different penny designs representing important periods during Lincoln’s life.

Click this: fmylife.com

No one’s laughing out loud anymore. With the deepening recession, near absence of a job market and impending thermal destruction, “OMG” just won’t cut it for the younger crowd. Out of their repositories of curse words and talent for abbreviations, a new phrase was born: FML. The second and third letters stand for “my life.” The first letter — you can guess what it stands for.

Drumming for education

Although many musicians are known for their crappy attitudes, their trashy hotel room etiquette and their rehab-inducing behavior, Matt Wilson is the polar opposite. He’s the jazz luminary with a heart and a set of drumsticks.

Show-Me the music

Even if you’re not up to snuff on pop music, you’ll recognize at least one of the songs featured at the Show-Me A Cappella Benefit Concert tomorrow night. The five student groups performing consist of passionate musicians whose energy is bound to spread from their vocal chords down to your feet as you groove to the familiar tunes.

Hear This

MSTRKRFT – Fist of God Jesse F. Keeler of the now defunct Death From Above 1979 and his close friend Al-P form MSTRKRFT (pronounced “master craft”), an electronic band with punk and hip-hop influences. Fist of God features some special guests such as John Legend and Ghostface Killah. This is great dance music for hipsters who wouldn’t be caught dead at Generic or Tonic.

Cursive – Mama, I’m Swollen

(Web Exclusive) Tim Kasher is a man with demons, and he’s not afraid to share. Six albums in, the Cursive frontman and his Omaha band are tackling as many issues as ever. Their story is a perfect example of how to turn conflicted into punk and disorderly. On their latest album, Mama, I’m Swollen, Kasher can be found at his best, at his worst, alone with a loaded gun, and singing about donkeys, monkeys and canaries. He says he’s a psychoanalyst and “an inkblot shaped like Zeus” (“Mama, I’m Swollen”). And more than once, he’s going to Hell (see: “We’re Going To Hell”). But most of all, he and his band are forgivable.

Cash crunch

Yes, we’re still talking about the economy. Bailout plans blanket the news, the job market remains in the toilet, and car companies continue to suffer. For those who have always lived moderately, the effects might not be noticeable, but for others who have struggled, living paycheck to paycheck has become even more difficult. In today’s economy, quick cash can mean salvation.

On (not) smoking in Japan

David Sedaris’ rise to mainstream success has always revolved around his dry, often self-deprecating sense of humor and his inimitable way of looking at the world.His newest collection of essays, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, quickly ran to the top of the New York Times Nonfiction Bestsellers list in June and stayed there for eight consecutive weeks.

On the Job: Landscaper

Erin Woodward has a vision. She’s dedicated to the art of creating beautiful designs outside area businesses and homes. Despite having no actual landscaping outside her own home or a favorite plant or flower (she’s a self-professed big-picture person), she’s dedicated to making spots around the city look special from season to season. Woodward, who has her degree in commercial turf and ground management, explains why she’s passionate about playing outside.

The good, the bad and the ugly

Fast cash today, in debt tomorrow?

Although Mabel Harris has merely dipped her toes into the waters of payday lending, she already thinks they are shark-infested seas.

Streetside Chatter

Dish of the week: Crab stuffed bistro

When customers enter Mackenzie’s Seafood and Steak off North Rangeline Street, they are transported from the strip mall outside to a much more intimate setting. The intoxicating smell of the kitchen’s wood-burning grill and the soft music beckon first dates to fall in love, if not with their date then at least with the food. Owner and chef Chris Thompson’s surf ’n’ turf skills make it easy to fall for Mackenzie’s.

Move Review: Fast and Furious

(Web Exclusive)

Movie Review: Adventureland

(Web Exclusive) If Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist was pegged as Juno’s legitimate successor, Adventureland can’t be far behind on the throne list. All the telltale signs are here: near-precious plotline, incredibly awkward virgin romance, laughably ignorant parents and a pivotally placed soundtrack. The only thing missing is heart.

Movie Review: The Haunting in Connecticut

(Web Exclusive) Based on a true story (though we've heard that before), The Haunting in Connecticut fulfills the role of a classic horror movie: thrilling enough to keep your undivided attention, yet during certain scenes, you’ll be jumping out of your seat and covering your eyes.