Recent content from Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis' effervescent Barbara Carlson shares her cautionary riches-to-rags tale
Politician and gadfly Barbara Carlson once lived a life as large as her personality. Now she's trying to keep other women from going broke like she did.
Director Christopher Nolan turns defeat at 'Dunkirk' into a cinematic triumph
REVIEW: This ferocious depiction of the World War II beachfront battle will awe some viewers and alienate others — for the same basic reasons.
Why the average American runner 'has never been slower'
Except for elites, data show steady increase in race times across board over 20 years.
REVIEW: 'Camino Island,' by John Grisham
FICTION: Fitzgerald manuscripts disappear in John Grisham's latest mystery — which is really all about writing.
Are we on the brink of a bacon shortage? Depends on whom you ask
There's a bacon crisis looming on the horizon, the USDA warned. The country's bacon reserves are at the lowest point they've been since December 1957.
Review: 'Snowblind,' by Ragnar Jonasson
FICTION: This murder mystery set in a small Icelandic town takes a page from "Murder on the Orient Express."
Oscars so inclusive: This year's list sets a record for nominees of color
While "La La Land" emerged as a big favorite, diversity is on the dance card, too, with seven of the 20 acting nominees being people of color.
Minnesota volunteer and his 'DQ buddy' share a sweet bond
The Care Providers of Minnesota volunteer of the year has formed a special bond with a resident at the Good Samaritan Society in Robbinsdale.
At 92, St. Anthony woman fulfills 'dream' of driving a semi
Six months past cancer surgery and nine days shy of her 92nd birthday, Louise Spencer pushed her walker up to the door of the 18-wheeler. She was crossing an item off her bucket list — driving a semi.
After concussions, ex-Gophers football star Ben Utecht fights not to forget
With new concussion treatment, Minnesota football star Ben Utecht is determined to remember what's most important: his family.
Review: 'Escape Clause,' by John Sandford
FICTION: The latest Virgil Flowers mystery takes a while to hit its stride.
Car karaoke en route to care: St. Paul man sings Sinatra while chauffering seniors
"Going to see a doctor or dentist isn't always the most pleasant experience. The music puts them at ease."
Century-old Walker Library gets a new chapter
Century-old Uptown landmark continues to find new life 35 years after it supposedly was closed.
U.S. Bank Stadium isn't just for football
From baseball to weddings, rock concerts to roller blading, the new facility is going to get a workout.
Minneapolis hairstylist helps cancer survivors 'feel stronger'
Jon Richards specializes in attaching hair extensions to clients who've undergone chemotherapy and been told their hair can't handle the process.
Minnesota dancer Mike Cohn leaps past disabilities
New troupe I Can Dance You Can Dance aims to show "dance is possible for anybody at any age."
How to get you and your bike ready to hit the road
What: The first day of spring is a great time to get your bicycle ready for the upcoming riding season. It needs a little TLC…
For Bridging founder Fran Heitzman, helping those in need is in his genes
Twin Cities nonprofit helps provide home furnishings for more than 100 families a week.
Science Museum exhibit brings mummies into the 21st century
Cutting-edge technology lets visitors see ancient remains as clearly as researchers can.
Pole dancing outstrips its sleazy stigma with Twin Cities tournament
The mere mention of the term pole dancing still draws more than its share of snickers from the uninitiated who associate it with strip clubs. But it has become one of the fastest-growing exercise regimens.
Watch what you eat – literally
The principle is that if we sit in front of a mirror watching ourselves stuff food into our mouths, we will eat less junk food and more fruits and vegetables.
Marriage proposals are still a guy thing
Gender-based role expectations have changed a lot over the past 50 years. But one thing remains the same: Women still expect the man to be the one who proposes.
Curses! It turns out we were wrong about cussing
The long-held belief that people who curse a lot do so because they have a limited vocabulary has been refuted.It turns out that people who…
Five dating turnoffs, for men and women
When you're getting ready for a date, make sure it gets off on the right foot. Ladies, straighten up your apartment — or at least the part of it that your date can see from the front door when he picks you up. And guys, look industrious.
For some people, it's OK again to bring home the bacon
Bacon lovers were sizzling after the World Health Organization issued its recent warning that bacon, sausage and other processed meats may cause cancer. But faster…
Twin Cities gives a big 'huzzah!' to Halloween
We've never been overly concerned about being a little behind the sartorial times, but five centuries? That's a stretch even by our plaid flannel shirt standards.
Stand up and cheer: sitting is OK again
Pull up a chair and check out the newest research on sitting: Turns out that it's not going to kill you, after all.
Ultra-expensive running shoes aren't worth the price
Before you start lacing up for the big race, there's something you should know: The old adage about getting what you pay for doesn't always apply to running shoes. In fact, the opposite often is the case.
Twin Cities seniors with memory loss will perform radio play
Radio play at Old Log is believed to be first with a cast made up of seniors with memory problems.
You can milk these pods to help butterflies (and make a little cash)
Minnesota Native Landscapes, a supplier of native seeds and plants, is offering a bounty on milkweed pods.
Think your brain is doomed to senility? Think again
Focusing on good mental habits can keep our minds sharp as we age.
Whatever happened to front entrances to our buildings?
The reorganization of our lives around automobiles – and the parking lots they necessitate – has turned us into a back-door society.
Minneapolis native might be the last Renaissance man
From fighter pilot to Peace Corps volunteer, prosecutor to professional singer, Twin Cities photographer finds life is a series of adventures.
Day trip: Take a walk on the mild side in Northfield
Northfield has manged to embrace its history without turning its back on the 21st century. One of the first things you notice is that the place smells like your grandmother's kitchen.
Minnesota fathers get a crash course in Hairstyling 101
Mike Korman spent 25 years in the Navy, including four combat deployments. Still, he admitted that he was scared: "This really intimidates me." The source of his terror? His 7-year-old daughter Sophia's hair.
Team of Twin Cities aficionados works to get church bells ringing again
A growing number of Twin Cities advocates are reviving long dormant church bells, to ring out the "heartbeat of the city."
Minnesota running series is booming by offering a beer chaser
"5K-ish" runs tap into the craft brewery boom by pairing neighborhood jogs with local beers.
Day trip: Jordan is much more than you see from the highway
Just a few blocks off Hwy. 169, Jordan is nestled along the Minnesota River. While the residential streets have a suburban feel — this town of 6,000 is just a half-hour commute from Minneapolis — the downtown evokes a quaint, turn-of-the-century small town.
Retired Realtor finds a home raising gentle – and humming – alpacas
The animals — 18 alpacas as well as "horses, a dog, cats and one giant macaw" — are the Abbey's Little Brothers and Sisters.
Study: Vikings fans have terrible grammar
Online proofreading service Grammarly says Vikings fans rank 26th out of 32 NFL fan bases when it comes to grammar.
Vikings fans aren't scoring many points for grammar
We Vikings fans don't express us selves so good. In online fan postings for NFL teams, our grammar stinked and our spelling was abismal ……
5 reasons for and against paying attention to Mayweather-Pacquiao bout
Five reasons for and against paying attention to the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout.
If you're getting older, you'd better learn how to fall
Elliott Royce estimates that he has fallen down at least 15,000 times over the past 10 years.Royce, who is turning 96, falls on purpose at…
White Bear Lake leukemia patient races to set record for high-fiving
A determined young leukemia patient races to set the world record for high-fiving.
Baby boomers should not have survived childhood (studies show)
No helmets or seat belts? They spent their days immersed in activities that they'd never for a second allow their children or grandchildren do. Or even think about doing.
Church program offers hot soup, warm welcome
A chef who once spent a year living under the Franklin Avenue bridge and a hard-charging minister who recently took over a struggling Minneapolis church have joined forces to redefine the soup kitchen.
Auto fetishes: The cars we fell in love with
Cars used to be seen as extensions of our personalities. You could tell what sort of a person someone was — or wanted to be — by the car they drove.
Art in Bloom: Same name but two different shows
If you plan to go to the Art in Bloom show this year, make sure you end up going to the right one. There will…
Scientist's latte helps with breakthrough on fuel spills
A scientist’s morning latte has led to a potential new way to minimize fuel spills. Emilie Dressaire, a mechanical engineer at New York University’s Polytechnic…
Competitive tree climber is headed to the top
One of the first female arborists in the state is on her way to an international tournament.
Ikea furniture to include wireless phone recharging
Ikea costumers should get a charge out of the Swedish company's new line of furniture.Literally get a charge — as in for their smartphones and…
Alzheimer's chorus specializes in songs to remember
A choir for people facing Alzheimer's taps into music's power to circumvent memory loss.
95-year-old shares tricks of safe falling
Elliott Royce takes practice falls at least five times every morning. He doesn't just practice; he preaches, too. He goes to assisted living centers, senior centers and community centers to talk about how to prevent serious injuries if you take a tumble.
Write? On paper? Summer camp letters are an oddity in digital world
Most summer camps frown on — if not outright ban — all forms of electronic communication. They do, however, encourage the campers to communicate with their parents. With letters. Written by hand. Sent by mail. What is this, the Dark Ages?
Professional rodeo cowboys aren't just horsing around
Modern-day cowboys, who consider themselves athletes, not outlaws, take their rodeos seriously.
St. Cloud pedaling pioneer has been biking in winter for 30 years
The first time Jim Bertram hopped on his bicycle to commute to work in the dead of winter, he didn't have any anti-frosting goggles, polypropylene leggings or extra-wide tires. They didn't exist. That's because the St. Cloud man started biking year-round 30 years ago.
Danes raise a glass to alcohol-induced ingenuity
A Danish beer maker's marketing campaign capitalizes on a study that found that drinking increases creativity — at least, at first. The effect exists only until the drinker's blood alcohol level reaches 0.075 percent; after that, things start going downhill fast.
With Mercury in retrograde, we can remain blameless
For the next three weeks, no matter what goes wrong, we're off the hook, blame-wise anyway. At 9:54 a.m. Wednesday, Mercury is going into retrograde, a phenomenon during which the planet appears to move backward across the sky. Even more important, according to many astrologists, it also makes things go wrong.
Google this: Do Internet searches mirror our moods?
If you buy the theory that Google searches reflect our moods, then spring and fall -- not winter -- are the times of the year that we're the most miserable.
Citrus Bowl: 91-year-old is a Gophers fan for the ages
The last time the Gophers played in a New Year's Day bowl game was in 1962, and Andy Dyrdal was there. He'll be in Orlando on Thursday.
Matthew Little, 92: Tenacious defender of human rights
As the longtime president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP, he was on the front lines of the civil rights struggles of the 1960s and '70s, in his own community and beyond.
Nancy Brataas, 86: Dauntless force for women in politics
A former Republican Party chair and the first woman elected to the state Senate on her own merits, she was a master organizer and indefatigable champion for Rochester.
History Center toy story is nearing its final chapter
It's time to quit playing around if you want to see the popular "Toys of the '50s, '60s and '70s" exhibit at the Minnesota History Center. The show is closing Jan. 4.
Shedding light on solstice celebrations
Celebrations commemorating the winter solstice are growing in popularity in the Twin Cities.
Minneapolis vintage bridal shop offers gowns and memories
Vintage bridal-gown shop offers new brides something old and precious — the stories of the original owners.
Fans eat up the idea of a vegan butcher shop
The creators of a fast-selling line of vegetarian meats are preparing to open a store in Minneapolis.
Black Friday goes artsy at MIA's anti-shopping event
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts draws a crowd for an early morning anti-shopping event.
Marriage proposal was a real puzzler for Twin Cities crossword fan
What's a 15-letter term for proposal? For a Twin Cities couple, it's "crossword puzzle."
Winter's early arrival puts a chill on home chores
Winter's surprise arrival caught many of us with a "to do" list that wasn't quite "done." But there are very good reasons to tackle some chores, no matter how unsavory the thought of battling the cold, snow and ice might be.
Deflating the myths about pumping up
Strength training has built up a strong set of preconceptions. They include:It will make you bulk up.False. In fact, it's a moot point for women,…
Twin Cities man trades commodities work for healing arts
After three decades of high-pressure deal making, a futures trader gave up million-dollar deals to soothe people who are in pain.
Peak performances: Skier tests sanity as well as ability
An elite Minnesota skier, now featured in an adventure film, tackles some of the most difficult mountains in the world.
There's something fishy about these jack-o-lanterns
Mall of America aquarium's divers are taking a deep-water interest in carving pumpkins.
Organist plays with chutzpah
Since 1969, an Edina church has been singing to a Jewish organist. She stumbled into the unlikely profession, and discovered a passion for the music and the congregation.
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