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Drawing red lines -- remember, sand shifts

In Commentary

12:56 am on Tue, 05.07.13

We deal with many nations of less prominence whose cultures and history we do not fully comprehend. We may issue our warnings but leaders who view us as a paper tiger greet them with derision.

How representative are our legislators?

In Commentary

12:36 am on Tue, 04.16.13

The increase in ideological purity within parties has led to a larger division between them -- and that is one of the underlying causes of the gridlock that is more prevalent in Washington.

Sequestration and the potential for good

In Commentary

12:03 am on Wed, 03.27.13

If bureaucrats and their constituencies behave true to form, all cuts will deny necessary service to the public and imperil national safety. But they don't have to. This could be an opportunity for internal reform in agencies and departments.

Mayoral primary results were about more than race

In Commentary

6:23 am on Mon, 03.11.13

Other factors include turnout, which continues to be related to income: Higher income, higher turnout. But turnout is also boosted by contested aldermanic races and dampened by bad weather. But issues, such as pensions and crime also mattered, with the incumbent losing support among firefighters.

Looking ahead for the St. Louis mayor

In Commentary

12:06 am on Wed, 02.13.13

The city continues to have attractive attributes that the mayor should sell and that will, in turn, help attract new housing and jobs. Addressing outdated governmental structures could also make progress on housing and jobs easier.

Lessons from housing efforts in Benton Park and the West End

In Commentary

7:57 am on Wed, 01.23.13

As local housing markets slowly lurch back to normal, those concerned with the revitalization of local neighborhoods have the story of redevelopment in the 1990s and 2000s to teach important lessons. During that time, many local neighborhoods, including the poorest, saw significant public and private investment, with thousands of units rehabbed or built.

State, Benghazi and organizational caution

In Commentary

7:54 am on Mon, 12.24.12

Missing from this contemporary dialogue of what led to insufficient security in the Libyan city is any focus on the State Department itself as a bureaucratic institution with a history and culture that shape the behavior of those who labor within in. That culture is one of caution and slow motion.

Negative campaigning and race

In Commentary

7:48 am on Wed, 12.05.12

For a brief period, we are free of political advertising on television. But after the holidays, the St. Louis area is likely to see ads begin for the mayoral election. The incumbent says the "race card" shouldn't be played. Will it?

Change is coming to St. Louis -- finally

In Commentary

7:38 am on Wed, 11.21.12

Civil service, which took root in many cities by 1915, did not come to St. Louis until 1941. Missouri has controlled the police department since the Civil War. The number of wards was set in 1914. Why was change an option this year?

Politics and baseball; swings and misses

In Commentary

7:04 am on Fri, 10.19.12

If you watch a baseball playoff game – as some in St. Louis have been doing -- and switch to post-debate coverage, the language can seem strikingly similar. Will people make up their minds on emotion, team loyalty or studying the issues?

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Conference of American nuns will mull response to Vatican charges

In Nation

7:55 am on Fri, 08.03.12

Meeting in St. Louis next week, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious will have its first opportunity as an assembled group to consider what to do after the Vatican issued a mandate for change this spring. It calls on the conference to reorganize and more strictly observe church teachings.

The 'free' Zoo

In Commentary

7:51 am on Tue, 05.22.12

When a family of four goes to the St. Louis Zoo, they can be forgiven for not knowing it will cost them $60, $72 if they park. If they can't pay, the alternative is to tell the kids they can't do what kids do at the zoo.

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Pirates are first to land on Opera Theatre's shore

In Performing Arts

12:24 am on Mon, 05.20.13

“We speak in old language in a new witty way with contemporary feel,” Sean Curran said about the OTSL production of "Pirates of Penzance," which is set in the 1870s. Much of the Gilbert and Sullivan satire, however, focuses on still-relevant human foibles, government officials’ ineptitude and opera excesses.

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Save that dirt, Howard Buffett says

In Science

11:09 am on Wed, 05.15.13

Speaking to reporters at Monsanto, Howard Buffett warned that future generations would foot the bill for irresponsible soil use. He urged leaders to address thorny issues such as malnutrition and environmental destruction.

Arch Grants winners set for debut

In InnovationSTL

11:32 am on Tue, 05.14.13

Twenty winners will split a million dollars and a wide array of professional services after this year's Arch Grants competition. Victors will also see one-on-one business mentoring in their prize package. The diverse group includes everything from biotech concerns to fashion enterprises.

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Innovation and entrepreneurial activity are on the rise in St. Louis, especially in bioscience, technology and alternative energy. The Beacon's InnovationSTL section focuses on the people who are part of this wave, what they're doing and how this is shaping our future. To many St. Louisans, this wave is not yet visible. InnovationSTL aims to change that. We welcome you to share your knowledge, learn more about this vibrant trend and discuss its impact.

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Save that dirt, Howard Buffett says

In Science

11:09 am on Wed, 05.15.13

Speaking to reporters at Monsanto, Howard Buffett warned that future generations would foot the bill for irresponsible soil use. He urged leaders to address thorny issues such as malnutrition and environmental destruction.

Supreme Court rules unanimously for Monsanto in Roundup case

In Law Scoop

10:42 pm on Mon, 05.13.13

Vernon Bowman's challenge to Monsanto Co.'s patent on its Roundup Ready soybean seeds was billed as a David vs. Goliath contest. Goliath won and won big. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that an Indiana soybean farmer had violated Monsanto's patent on its genetically engineered soybean seeds.

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U.S. Grant and the Battle of Vicksburg

In Commentary

12:22 am on Mon, 05.20.13

When the Civil War broke out, Grant rejoined the military. He may not have liked it, but it was what he was good at: fighting. The battle that cemented his reputation began 150 years ago yesterday.

Is political ethics an oxymoron?

In Commentary

12:22 am on Mon, 05.20.13

Democracy is our answer to perhaps our most difficult ethical problem: How do we ethically protect the social cooperation that makes our society strong, while respecting the rights of individuals to pursue vastly divergent visions of the good life and deeply conflicting moral and political beliefs?

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