Thanks to some smart and courageous state legislators around the country, the progressive agenda actually inched forward in 2011. Yes, you read that correctly: This year, progressive state laws have been enacted that may actually have a positive economic effect for families and state economies. And their passage came despite unprecedented assaults on the middle…
There is a widespread misperception that, unless it’s a Catholic school or very expensive private school, to send your children to school in the city of St. Louis is to commit them to a fate of under-resourced classrooms, poorly behaved (even dangerous) classmates, incompetent teachers, and academic underachievement. But that perception is not reality. Or…
One of the most crazy-making aspects of political news is having to listen to government double-speak, especially when it involves foreign policy. When the White House, or the State Department, or the military issues a foreign policy statement, I listen for the code words that are hiding the truth of what’s really going on. I…
Newt Gingrich has been the subject of well-deserved criticism as he attempts to be the “outside-insider” candidate to win the Republican presidential nomination. Because he is such a fun target for many Republicans as well as virtually all Democrats, there is little discrimination in the criticism directed his way. Many of his opponents acknowledge that…
Jessie Outhouse of East Alton, Illinois, was found dead on June 13th, 2011 from what is believed to be Madison Count’s 12th heroin overdose this year. Madison County Coroner Stephen Noon confirmed in a phone conversation that although not all the toxicology reports are back yet, substantial evidence points to heroin overdose in the 4…
The behavior of the human species, especially when under pressure, is demonstrated with remarkable clarity in both sports and politics. Every day is different; some individuals rise to the occasion; others fail with the misfortune of it being in the public limelight. Last week I was in Washington, DC watching the Cardinals fail in probably…
I’d never heard of Valley Stream. It sounds like the sorta non-descript town that could be anywhere in America. (Apparently it’s in New York.) It has a population of 37,000 people. Around 260 of those people are employed at their local Target. They may not sound terrible exciting, but these people are movers and shakers.…
My Southwest Airlines “A” boarding pass on flight #427 from Baltimore to Albany lost its advantage last week, as I was bumped to the back of the line for patriotic reasons. But I didn’t mind. On this designated “Honor Flight,” about 60 military veterans, mostly in their 80s and 90s, were returning from a trip…
Ron Jacober has been broadcasting for 38 years. He has called games for the St. Louis Cardinals, the St. Louis Blues, the St. Louis Storm and Ambush soccer teams, University of Missouri football as well as S.L.U. and Mizzou basketball teams. Most of his work has been with KMOX Radio in St. Louis–a station that,…
Filed under TMI: Every week, there’s just too much information on the web, and a lot of stuff just gets lost in the shuffle. But it’s cool stuff, intriguing stuff, beautiful stuff, amazing stuff. Ooh..aah stuff, even. Occasionally, we find some of it and post links to it in our “Occasional bits” department, up there…