At Lucky Strike lanes, runway lights flash as the balls roll toward the pins, which stand beneath large-screen TVs. Bowlers nosh on finger food and sip beer on low-slung couches at tables lit by candles and huge red lanterns.

Elsewhere, this might not be the definition of nightlife, but in Bellevue, where after-dark activities have been largely synonymous with premium shopping, it's a big deal.

The Twilight Sad

After these two shows, they rejected many gig offers, and became a more reclusive unit, spending any spare time they had in the studio focused on writing and sculpting away at new material.

In September 2005, they wrote four songs they thought gave a relatively good perspective of the band, and went into a local studio to record them, producing it themselves. Staying in the studio for many nights, they used a 24-track desk to build layer upon layer of sound, trying to get the best representation as possible. Thinking that the CD they came out with showed little more than some kind of raw potential, they posted it down to FatCat as a demo. After receiving a positive response and a request for more tracks, the band continued to expand on their song writing and kept regularly in contact with the label.

MVC notes: Panthers pumped for MVC Indoor

CEDAR FALLS — One of the greatest shows in Missouri Valley Conference athletics is under the UNI-Dome big top this weekend.The MVC Indoor Track and Field Championships will be hosted by the University of Northern Iowa Saturday and Sunday. The field includes some of the country’s top athletes in their respective disciplines, not to mention a pair of Panther teams with designs on championship hardware."It should be a great weekend," said head coach Chris Bucknam. "If you want to see a great athletic event, take the time to watch an unbelievable track meet and an unbelievable athletic event."There are some outstanding athletes and Olympic-caliber athletes who will be competing at this meet, along with a great group of university athletes who might not aspire to be Olympians or have that ability, but are going to put a great effort forth this weekend."Physically, Bucknam said his men’s and women’s teams are ready for their championship season."We know our kids are physically ready," said Bucknam.

Astronaut to throw boomerang in space

Astronaut Takao Doi, 53, is set to travel on a US shuttle in March to the International Space Station, where he will be in charge of construction of a Japanese scientific testing room.

Doi later underwent training from the world champion on how to throw it, media reports said.

Place your bets

Gates' replacement Ray Ozzie won't excite the bookies while Steve Ballmer is too sweaty and kooky. Larry Ellison's Oracle has no direct impact on consumers. Vinod Khosla founded Sun and as a venture capitalist helped Amazon.com, Netscape, Electronic Arts and Google get off the ground but is more interested in ethanol than IT these days. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg is too young. Google's Page and Brin have the backstory, the bank balance and ambition to match, but may lack the necessary charisma. That leaves Apple's Steve Jobs (above) odds-on to become top geek. So tell us about the future, Steve.
-- SIMON SHARWOOD

Last year eBay red-facedly admitted it paid about $US1 billion ($1.3 billion) too much for Skype in 2005, having over-estimated its revenue potential.

Are Canada's athletes receiving enough funding?

Who are you to deny these amateur athletes whose talents are in being able to cross country ski incredibly well, or ride a sled down a bobsleigh run faster than everyone else in the world, an income. What makes your dead-end job worth an annual salary while these people who pour 100 times the effort into their chosen sport get nothing? If you're posting on here you obviously have an interest in sport and want to see Canada do well on the international stage. Please leave out comments on how we shouldn't be spending money on athletes when Africa is going hungry, because that is not the issue here. Support our amateur athletes because they aren't the Toronto Maple Leafs, who get paid in the millions and can't perform. Support our athletes like Devon Kershaw who has been supported by his parents as well as having a job and receiving limited government carding to cross country ski as the best male in the country.

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Here we go again! See what's in store for Dusty Baker's squad as Enquirer reporter John Fay takes an in-depth look at the team before pitchers & catchers report Saturday.