JULIE TURKEWITZ

Movie shorts

In Bruges 4 stars Watching "In Bruges" is like a trip to the modern art museum. One person's masterpiece is another's travesty. Is "Bruges" a quirky action flick? A dark comedy? A morally-muddled alternative drama? Writer/director Mark McDonagh won an Oscar for the 2006 short "Six Shooter," and there's no telling what he had in mind when he concocted his feature-length debut. And it's hard to care - after all, a wonderful mess is still wonderful.

Slideshow: Raleigh Rollers

Students view tragedy from afar

SEVILLE, Spain - The news of the 33 deaths in Blacksburg, Va., on Monday spread a sobering cloud over the UNC students studying in this traditional Spanish city. Here, where the streets still shut down for the sacred midday siesta, students have pulled themselves away from the news on their computers and have begun to speak with foreign friends and host families about the Virginia Tech shootings. In places around the world, UNC students are seeing the foreign reaction to the violence at home.

As casualties mount, pain persists

The worn army-issue boots sit empty next to the front door in the Beard home. It's been two years since 22-year-old Army Spc. Bradley Beard was killed when an explosive detonated near his vehicle in Iraq. But inside the Beard's sprawling Chapel Hill house, the pain has not subsided. "I remember saying after Sept. 11, 'The world will never be the same,'" said Randy Beard, a construction project manager whose nose and chin mirror his son's. "I had no idea at the time how much our world would actually change."

Dancing off the field

It's about more than just glitz. It's about more than showgirl-style crop tops, spandex, sharp kicks and swift hip jerks. Fans are used to seeing the UNC Dance Team shake it on the field and by the court. As football coaches come and go and basketball reputations wax and wane, the dancers remain a Carolina tradition. But what most fans see are Crest-white smiles and standard high kicks. Few realize what goes on when the 21 dancers leave Kenan Stadium or the Smith Center.

Lala strikes heartstrings of music downloaders

The creators of lala.com say they've found the answer to every music lover's prayers. Scared to download illegally? Cringe every time another dollar goes to iTunes for just one song? Frustrated with rising CD prices? Lala can help. "This is the cheapest legal alternative to getting new music," said Justin Sung, marketing analyst for Lala, a new Web site that allows users to trade used CDs - for $1.75 per exchange. "It's better than a used record store."

Students getting creative with fakes

A finger tapped his shoulder, and above the clatter of bar conversation at Pantana Bob's, Jonathan Thompson heard a familiar voice. "The cop stood behind me, and was like, 'You didn't listen the first time, did you?'" Thompson said. The cop was an agent from the state Alcohol Law Enforcement. Dressed in plain clothes, he was on the porch at Bob's in March and recognized the 19-year-old. He'd busted Thompson in February for having an open alcohol container on the street. He'd also confiscated a fake ID but hadn't charged him for it.

Technology overload

Christen Weaver armed herself with all the necessary weapons of mass communication Sunday night. Her arm dangled over a table in the Student Union as she shot off a text message about geology homework. She set her Gmail to alert her when a message arrived. Google searched for class notes as she shuttled instant messages to her ex-boyfriend. "It takes me twice as long to do my homework with all this," she said. "But it wouldn't be nearly as fun."

A home after the storm

The trio shows up regularly at Tupelo's, a Southern- and Creole-style bistro in Hillsborough. They order gumbo or shrimp remoulade and talk about home - New Orleans. Tracy Carroll, co-owner of Tupelo's, doesn't know their names or even exactly where they're from. What she knows is that the husband, wife and child who frequent her restaurant are just a few of the former Gulf Coast residents who came to North Carolina after Hurricane Katrina - and decided to stay.

Religious groups use varied tactics

When Britney Sink arrived on campus her freshman year, she knew she wouldn't join a campus church. She just isn't religious, she said. But a Christian group on campus thought they could convince her otherwise. They were at Craige Residence Hall to help her move in and slip in a word about the organization's events. Another religious group set up downstairs, asking for her e-mail address. She balked. "It's pushy," she said. "I feel like religion is a more personal thing."