12 defensive driving tips from local road warriors that could save your life. Clay Johnson is a long-haul truck driver who trains others in how to safely operate a rig. He has all kinds of advice on safe driving, but most of it can be boiled down to one simple philosophy. “When I’m driving, I […]

For about an hour on a recent Thursday morning, the verified Twitter account of the late New York Times media columnist David Carr belonged to an apparent spambot. The account’s name changed to “Miranda Davis,” and “Miranda” tweeted, “I love role-playing games and sex.” The tweet shocked many of Carr’s hundreds of thousands of followers: […]

You think you’re all alone in the privacy of your car, but Don Boucher sees what you’re doing. At least, he does if you happen to be cruising the Lewiston streets during school hours. The Lewiston veteran fireman-turned-bus driver sees a lot from his perch high above the streets. Some of it is amusing, some […]

As their name implies, the Manic Optimists are all about fun, and recently that flair for fun has earned them fame well beyond the borders of the campus at Bates College, where they have been entertaining audiences for the past decade as one of the college’s most popular musical ensembles. The Man Ops, as they […]

Sometimes I wish I fit the stereotype of the totally independent single person who does not need anyone or anything. But as much as I savor my solitude and am up for doing all sorts of things on my own, I still want companionship and emotional closeness. I want confidants and dinner companions, sounding boards […]

Have you been bitten by the boho bug? The style has gone viral, spreading from retail and trendy restaurants into our homes, and suddenly it’s hard to go a day without encountering a fiddle-leaf fig or macramé tapestry. Design bloggers, eager to embrace their inner gypsies, have filled Instagram with pictures of rooms decked in […]

“The Prodigy’s Cousin”Joanne Ruthsatz and Kimberly Stephens Three interesting narrative lines propel “The Prodigy’s Cousin: The Family Link Between Autism and Extraordinary Talent,” a new book by psychologist Joanne Ruthsatz and her daughter, science writer Kimberly Stephens. First there is the endlessly fascinating connection between high intelligence and behavior on the autism spectrum – something […]

Harvard researchersstudied 76,000 womenover 20-year span Religious services aren’t just good for your soul — they might be good for your health. A new study, released this past week in a journal published by the American Medical Association, says that those who attend church services more often actually have a better chance of staying alive […]