Jeff Fox: Drop the baggage, keep the pie
Maybe we need the quiet holidays as much we need the over-thetop holidays. We live in a culture of excess, as the coming of the commercial version of Christmas has already been reminding us for weeks.
Opinion
Read MoreJeff Fox: Drop the baggage, keep the pie
Will the Missouri Senate be less divided and more productive?
The recent party caucuses of Missouri’s legislature provide an example for the U.S. Congress of a more civil and productive approach to dealing with changes after a general election.
Missouri deserves a better approach to supporting jobs
Last month, Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation to lower the state’s income tax rate at an annual cost of more than $500 million — shorting Missouri taxpayers out of a greater return for their money.
Keep pressing ahead with library plans
We view with concern the decision by Mid-Continent Public Library trustees to push back, at least for a few weeks, plans to proceed with the new East Independence branch. This new branch was among the facility upgrades and replacements that voters embraced six years ago.
Nancy Pelosi’s legacy of grit and accomplishment
The poor schmo who would do anything to follow Nancy Pelosi as House speaker is her opposite in ways that have nothing to do with ideology: In his lack of consistency, lack of discipline and lack of courage, Rep. Kevin McCarthy falls so far short of his fellow Californian’s standards that it feels silly to even compare the two. No wonder he couldn’t bring himself to show up and listen to her gorgeously patriotic Thursday resignation speech.
Trudy Rubin: Missile incident shows need to send Ukraine more air defenses now
No matter who fired the missile that struck inside Poland’s border, “Russia bears ultimate responsibility for this incident.” Those are the words of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during a press conference on Wednesday, and he is right on. He added that, should the missile turn out to be an off-course Ukrainian defense weapon, “Ukraine has a bedrock right to defend itself.” Indeed.
Growing spread of illness means vaccinations are needed
Your lifetime risk of dying in a destructive storm is minimal: 1 in 35,074, according to the nonprofit National Safety Council. You’re much more likely to die by drowning (1 in 1,024) or fire (1 in 1,450), yet it’s still a long shot.
Sharon Randall: Live and love for others, and embrace the joys of the moment
Years ago, when I met Sam and his brother Joe, I had no idea what lay ahead. Do we ever know where life will lead us? Sam was 11.
A word of encouragement, real or not
I’ve never embraced the vast universe of video gaming, though I respect the fact that it’s a place – virtual, real, real enough, you tell me – where many people find challenge, satisfaction and comfort. As for me, I’ll take an actual game of cards or pool.
Time to pull the plug on daylight saving time
Most Americans turned their clocks back one hour earlier this month, and Congress should see to it that they stay there — permanently. The presumed contributions of daylight saving time to saving energy are spurious, a triumph of supposition over fact.