Chris McCosky

Commentary: Pistons, Avery Johnson play leverage game

Don't be confused by all the play-by-play regarding the Pistons and Avery Johnson. This is all part of the leverage game both teams and prospective coaches play. - 07/04/2009

Scott Burgess

Testing the toughest Lincoln

I was surprised when one of my friends told me she bought the 2009 Lincoln MKX. It's a crossover I never considered someone under 30 might decide to make a long-term commitment. - 07/04/2009

• Photos: 2009 Lincoln MKX

Paul W. Smith

Remember sacrifices made for our freedom

Happy 233rd Birthday America! - 07/04/2009

• Balmy weather beckons large crowds to Cityfest
• Nation's patriotic symbol pops up everywhere, on everything

Tom Gage

Facts are what count with Maggs

There are those who think the Tigers should dump him now. There also are those who think the Tigers should stand by their man -- come hell, high water or $18 million. - 07/04/2009

• Tigers finally win in the 16th inning

Froma Harrop

For straying pols, it's the hurt that matters

An open-minded individual, I am willing to support an adulterer for elective office. But my ability to look past marital infidelity depends on how much humiliation was heaped on the wife. The details matter. - 07/04/2009

Jeanne Phillips: Dear Abby

Friend won't turn cell phone off

Dear Abby: I often go to the movies with my friend "Valerie." During the movie she puts her phone on mute, but I can still hear when it vibrates. Val acts embarrassed by it, but she never turns the phone off. - 07/04/2009

Dr. Paul Donohue: Your health

Keep hydrated to avoid heatstroke

Dear Dr. Donohue: I'd greatly appreciate it if you would say something about heatstroke. I began running about six months ago. I would like to continue year-round, but the heat can be unbearable in the summer. What sort of precautions can I take not to get heatstroke? - 07/04/2009

Daniel Howes

Brutal, unforgiving change was inevitable

Years ago, in a fit of organizational zeal, I customized an online stock chart to get a quick scan of important Michigan companies -- 10 of them in all, including the three automakers, five auto suppliers, a retailer and one bank. - 07/03/2009

• Professional men pay to serve at Twilight Gathering fundraiser

Glenn Haege

4 for the Fourth

It's the Fourth of July weekend, and if you are staying home for the holiday, you can finish off some things on your To-Do List that are simple and guaranteed to get your house in shape for the remainder of the summer months. - 07/03/2009

Tom Long: The Reel Deal

What can we believe in a world of misinformation overload?

Admit it. When you first heard Michael Jackson had died last week, didn't you think it might be a hoax? And why wouldn't you? Within 24 hours of Jackson's death, rumors were flying about on the Internet about two more celebrity deaths -- Harrison Ford and Jeff Goldblum. Those rumors turned out to be false, but the fact that something real might be considered a hoax while a hoax might be considered something real is hardly a surprise these days. - 07/03/2009

Mary Carol Garrity: Style at Home

Go natural for memorable table

I am not the rugged outdoorsy type (my idea of being in the great outdoors is spending an evening on my screened porch), but I love to celebrate the beauty of the natural world in my decorating. So when I entertain this summer, I'm inviting Mother Nature to help me dress my table with dishware, linens and accents inspired by her handiwork. - 07/03/2009

Frank Beckmann

Commentary: Climate bill gives huge powers to government

Independence Day has always been observed in the United States as a celebration of our freedom from rule of the United Kingdom. - 07/03/2009

Tom Greenwood

Web site helps motorists share horror stories, glories of commuting

Does your commute remind you of a vacuum cleaner? - 07/03/2009

• CyberSurvey: Where have you encountered a speed trap?

Khristi Zimmeth: Trash or Treasure?

Antiques even make for some pretty good page-turners

Summer is officially in full swing with the arrival of the July Fourth holiday weekend, but there's still time left for summer reading. And because the next best thing to shopping for antiques is reading about antiques, we've gathered a list of beach (and bed) reading for antiques and collectibles lovers. Some are out of print (check eBay and Amazon if you can't find them in local libraries or bookstores), but well-worth searching out. - 07/03/2009

Jocelynn Brown: Handmade

Mink and crystals dress up this purse

What do Erykah Badu and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm have in common? Both have been presented with an elegant, handcrafted bag from Lady Katherine Purses and Jewels by Katherine Biles of Detroit. - 07/03/2009

Judith Harris Solomon: Marketplace

It's time to show your colors

Three cheers for anything red, white and blue! It's patriotic, colorful and fun to haul out these items every Fourth of July. Here are a few things you might want to add to your holiday stash. But remember, if you want to use any of them this weekend, you'd better run -- not walk -- to get them. Or you might prefer to do your shopping next week when you are likely to get substantial discounts. And rest assured, everything that we've selected will still be in style a year from now. - 07/03/2009

Kate Lawson: Simply the Best

There's no fool like a fresh raspberry fool

No one likes being called a fool, but when it comes to raspberries, I'm the biggest there is. Thanks to raspberry fool, a rich, creamy dessert made with fresh raspberries, mascarpone cheese and heavy cream, with a splash of orange liqueur thrown in for good measure, I get positively goofy this time of year. - 07/03/2009

Jeff Ball: The Yardener

July and August turn up the heat on lawns

Fourth of July weekend begins two months of crunch time for our lawn. The heat of July and August will put the health of our turf grass to the ultimate test. Will it stay green all summer without daily watering? Will those weeds come back? Will I avoid any disease or insect problems? - 07/03/2009

Nancy Szerlag: Gardening

You can still plant late-season vegetables

If you want to start a vegetable garden, but failed to get it planted this spring, don't despair, there's still time. - 07/03/2009

Martha Stewart: Ask Martha

Maine's hard-shell lobsters just as delicious

Q . My family will be in Maine in early July. Will there be soft- or hard-shell lobsters at that time? How are they best prepared? - 07/03/2009

Jeanine Matlow: Smart Solutions

Turning small spaces into the lap of luxury

It's easy to live large in a small space as John Breco so deftly demonstrates in his 1,360-square-foot Farmington Hills home. All you need is a little ingenuity and the right attitude. - 07/03/2009

Jeanne Phillips: Dear Abby

Her see-through style needs a cover-up

Dear Abby: I have been involved with "Barbie" for about six months. She's everything I ever wanted in a mate. We have a similar sense of humor, and our goals and ambitions are almost identical. Our values match, too -- except for one: My sense of propriety seems to be a stumbling block. - 07/03/2009

Scott Burgess

Not all auto defects are created equally

Numbers are a beautiful thing and, for some, life itself. Pythagoras, the slightly insane Greek philosopher who dreamed about triangles, believed that life was numbers, literally. - 07/02/2009

Daniel Howes

Toyota's down, but not out

Could Toyota be mortal after all? For the third month in a row, Ford outsold the Japanese juggernaut in the United States, still a crucial and rich market amid this nagging recession. - 07/02/2009

• June auto sales fall short as buyers await 'clunkers' cash

Manny Lopez

Ford's big day not enough

Check those numbers again. Were Ford monthly sales numbers for June really down only 10.7%? And did General Motors say that its sales numbers were up 10% from May? - 07/02/2009