I'm rooting for the grand juror who's suing STL County prosecutor Bob McCulloch
A member of the Darren Wilson grand jury is suing St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch, claiming that McCulloch publicly mis-characterized the grand jury’s deliberations, and asking for...
View Article"Selma" is good, but...
Can I speak honestly about the new movie, “Selma?” I saw it this afternoon, and here's what I took away from the experience...No doubt, it’s going to get a lot of support for an Oscar. Critics have...
View ArticleRed-light-camera refund
Sometime between 2005 and 2014, I got nailed by a red-light camera. I don’t remember the date or the time, but I do remember the flash of light as the camera caught me sneaking through the intersection...
View Article"Guns 'n' Hoses" needs a name change
At the risk of being labeled a wet blanket, I’d like to lodge a complaint against Gun ‘n’ Hoses. The event is an evening of amateur boxing and martial-arts matches, pitting St. Louis police officers...
View Article"Citizen Four:" The Oscars got this one right
Having missed it during its initial theater run, I finally got to see Citizen Four last night on HBO, the day after it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary. It’s an exceptional film, both for its...
View ArticleMissouri State Auditor's suicide: the anti-Semitism connection
Having a Jewish grandfather may be smear-worthy in Missouri politics in 2015.
View ArticleMO State Auditor’s suicide: The gun factor no one wants to talk about
The sad details surrounding the suicide of Missouri State Auditor Tom Schweich continue to emerge. But something is missing in the reporting: the gun behind the tragedy.More below the fold...
View ArticleMO Supreme Court closes Ferguson’s municipal kangaroo court: Who’s next?
As many people around the country have recently learned, if you want a fair shake, don’t get ensnared in the legal system of Ferguson, Missouri. The recent DOJ report laid bare not just the...
View Article"We can't afford it." The untrue, anti-tax mantra of 21st century government
For the past 30 years, “We can’t afford it” has become the mantra of city councilmen, state legislators and even U.S. Congressional representatives.But there is something terribly wrong with the fact...
View ArticleIndiana: Elevating religion over…everything
I am troubled by Indiana’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act [RFRA] for the obvious reason—that it is apparently going to be used to discriminate against people in the LGBT community [and who knows...
View ArticleAl Gore's “Scientific Freedom Restoration Act”
Former Vice President Al Gore will meet with Congressional leaders today to propose the Scientific Freedom Restoration Act. The purpose of the bill is to ensure that science, scientific research, and...
View ArticleCitizen Police Academy: How I got to be a pretend police officer for one night
I’m not a cop, but I played one yesterday. On the final night of the 9-week Citizen Police Academy that I’ve been attending, 30 participants paired up, suited up in bullet-proof vests and utility...
View ArticleI've lost my handgun virginity
Last week, I fired a handgun for the first time in my life. And for those of you hoping to learn that my experience transformed me from a gun-phobe to a gun-lover: Sorry. I never want to do that...
View ArticleFerguson bus tour: Beyond the riot-porn
Last week, I took a bus tour of the Ferguson area, guided by local activist Patricia Bynes. What she showed us demonstrated the giant divide between what we've seen in media reports and what's real in...
View ArticleEric Greitens: Now officially lost in Republican-land in MO
Many Missouri Democrats have been wondering about Eric Greitens—the former Navy SEAL who is considering running for Governor in 2016. A few years ago, when he emerged onto the political scene, he...
View ArticleThe Kiss Cam: the new social barometer
The Kiss Cam has broken the same-sex romance barrier!
View ArticleWhy Donald Trump won't run as a third-party candidate
Donald Trump's threat to run as a third-party candidate is bunk. Here's why...
View ArticleThe vagina demagogues: It's time to fight back
Donald Trump's "from her whatever" insult is part of a long tradition of menstrual-shaming: I'm over it, and so are a lot of other women...
View ArticleWomen US Army Rangers: Pro and con
When the U.S. Army recently announced that two women had successfully completed its toughest training regimen, my initial reaction was, "Good for them, and good for the U.S. Army. It's about time!" But...
View Article"Best of Enemies:" How Buckley/Vidal helped spawn Trump
Gore Vidal’s and William F. Buckley’s political views were as diametrically opposed as they could be, but the two men shared one major characteristic: They were both insufferable narcissists.That’s one...
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