MOsanthrope

Updated on July 11, 2006 at 4:38 pm.
I knew him, Blogosphere….
I have accepted a position which will permit me, I hope, to do some important work. It’s been awhile since I’ve walked the walk. I start July 17.
Employees of the office I’m joining may not publicly spout off about things political. I’ll […]

Filed under: Politics, Announcements, Blogs, Employment, Law, Missouri

I see that a federal judge has ordered a moratorium on executions in my state until Missouri can “ensure that inmates do not suffer excruciating pain when they are put to death“:

Missouri Corrections Director Larry Crawford said in a hearing before [U.S. District Judge Fernando] Gaitan two weeks ago that he would clarify the execution […]

Filed under: Politics, Law, Ethics, Missouri

Well, butter my butt an’ call me a biscuit:

Missouri voters say they’re willing to spend more tax dollars to restore Medicaid coverage to 90,000 residents, and strongly support increasing the state’s minimum wage for workers.
They also continue to overwhelmingly embrace a ballot proposal that would protect many forms of embryonic stem cell research, and one […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Missouri, Media

In a previous post, I linked to a Wired News article detailing the NSA’s warrantless domestic wiretap program. The article was accompanied by copies of sealed documents describing the NSA operation, including details of a secret facility housed in an AT&T building located in nearby Bridgeton, Missouri.
Today, FiredUp! Missouri links to a […]

Filed under: Politics, Business, Law, Internet, Missouri

It’s gotten to the point that each time I open the paper to read about Governor Blunt’s latest “cost-cutting initiative”, I instinctively anticipate the paragraph describing how campaign supporters or family business associates are somehow implicated in the deal.
First, we learned of the license bureau fiasco. Next it was the elimination of Department of […]

Filed under: Politics, Missouri, Environment

Yesterday, Governor Blunt’s communications director had Fired Up! Missouri blogger and former Governor Mel Carnahan staffer Roy Temple escorted from a bill-signing ceremony by capitol police.
When asked by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch why he had ordered Temple removed from the ceremony, Blunt’s staffer offered a, well, provocative explanation.

Filed under: Politics, Missouri, Media

Seriously, this stuff has to stop:

A distracted driver swerved in her vehicle Tuesday, hitting and seriously injuring a 3-year-old boy who was playing in his front yard.
St. Charles County Sheriff Tom Neer said the 30-year-old female was driving about 7 p.m. Tuesday in the 200 block of Oakborough Drive in the Field Crest subdivision, in […]

Filed under: Children, U.S., Health, Missouri

We love our kindergartener’s school. This occurred at a magnet school, one of a group of “top tier” facilities in the St. Louis City public school system.
The renaissance occurring in St. Louis City is amazing, but the city will never thrive until it completely revamps its deplorable public school system.

Filed under: St. Louis, Children, Education, Missouri

Black Jack, Missouri, one of roughly 100 municipalities which make up metropolitan St. Louis, has rejected an attempt to repeal an ordinance which effectively prohibits unmarried couples with children from living together:

BLACK JACK, Mo. — The city council has rejected a measure allowing unmarried couples with multiple children to live together, and the mayor said […]

Filed under: St. Louis, Politics, Culture, Missouri

The problem with many persecution complex-afflicted wackos is that they have far too much free time:

As her son made his way through Francis Howell School District in St. Charles County, recognition of the holiday waned. About 12 years ago, the district changed “Christmas Break” to “Winter Break” - a move she said “saddened me greatly.”
With […]

Filed under: Politics, Religion, U.S., Missouri

He’s no Jack Abramoff, but he knows how the game is played:

Charles E. Polk Jr., 45, of the 3400 block of Tiverton Drive in St. Charles, made the pleas in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of interstate transportation of funds obtained by fraud and one count of tax evasion.
In […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Law, Missouri

Updated on April 26, 2006 at 11:06 am.
My wife and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary at a Nostalgic Place, a charming 1880’s-vintage bed and breakfast inn located in Arcadia, Missouri.
We’re having a great time, despite the rainy weather.
My wife is in the shower and unaware of my brazen violation of […]

Filed under: Sports, Food & Drink, Travel, Missouri

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) is not afraid to tell her constituents how she really feels:

WASHINGTON - Nobody expects to get a letter from a member of Congress that ends with an expletive.
But thats what happened when Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., recently corresponded with a resident of her southeast Missouri district.
The letter ended with […]

Filed under: Politics, Humor, Missouri

Required reading for the locals and anyone else fascinated by the ongoing sleazefest known as Missouri gubernatorial politics:

But now Missouri’s fee office system is at the center of a far more serious set of allegations, a nexus of lobbying, public money, private interests and political maneuvering that appears to be a Missouri version […]

Filed under: Politics, Missouri

Another glimpse at the sleazy underbelly of Missouri GOP politics:

The Missouri Insurance Department sent out press releases this week announcing it had found a way to save $67,584 and follow Gov. Matt Blunt’s orders to improve efficiency.
Here’s what the press release doesn’t make clear: The state is getting rid of the employee in the […]

Filed under: Politics, Missouri

While our elected officials busy themselves representing the interests of corporate America and legislating the morality of fringe groups, real issues affecting the lives of their constituents are ignored.
How much longer must we open the newspaper to read this:

JAMESON, Mo. (AP) — A 3-year-old northwest Missouri boy is dead after being attacked by […]

Filed under: Politics, Missouri

Now that the Republican-dominated Missouri legislature has wrapped up sweeping tort reform legislation and social program cuts, its members have plenty of free time to legislate morality:

Some conservative lawmakers now find time to work on bills that present the dual thrill of meddling in peoples private lives and waving a red flag at renegade judges.
A […]

Filed under: Politics, Missouri

The latest acquisition of a major St. Louis company by an out-of-state corporation, the purchase of The May Department Stores Company by Federated Department Stores, Inc., is nearing completion.
At this hour, KMOX radio is reporting that employees of May’s historic downtown Famous-Barr department store are currently filling three construction site size dumpsters with racks of […]

Filed under: St. Louis, Business, Missouri

Created unskillfully and in little time using The GIMP.
Don’t get it? Click on the poster.

Filed under: Culture, Humor, Film, Missouri

Run along and cast your ballot in The Nose Knows’ “My State Is Crazier than Yours” contest. My fellow Missourians, we’ve got this one licked, and not just because of this guy.
My nomination speech:

Oh it’s Missouri (pronounced “mi-zuhr-RA” outside metro St. Louis), allright. In an odd way, my adopted home state is a microcosm […]

Filed under: St. Louis, Culture, U.S., Humor, Missouri

Governor Matt Blunt supports legislation authorizing pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception. Supporters of the measure equate emergency contraception with abortion. That’s nonsense, of course; emergency contraception works just like any other birth control pill:

Plan B works like other birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. Plan B acts primarily by […]

Filed under: Politics, Missouri

Please stop spamming me.

Subject: Republican? Take your Valentine
to THE BIG PARTY WEEKEND!
From: “Missouri Young Republicans”
Date: Tue, February 14, 2006 […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Missouri, Economy

(KSDK-TV, ksdk.com)

A billboard promising to change homosexuals has caught the attention of several drivers on local highways. The billboards are associated with Focus on the Family-an organization calling itself a Christian group promoting family values.
The billboards are positioned along major interstates in the St. Louis area. They are sponsored by a group tied to the […]

Filed under: St. Louis, Religion, Culture, U.S., Missouri

Prior to my current career as executive in charge of diapers and spilled juice, I practiced law. (My oldest son is now enrolled in kindergarten and my wife is ready to take a stab at domestic engineering; if you know of a law firm in Metro St. Louis in need of an experienced litigator, […]

Filed under: St. Louis, Culture, Law, Missouri

Missouri Republican Governor Matt Blunt’s disapproval rating has reached an astounding 62%. Fired Up! Missouri has the details.
The Governor has his own problems, of course, but it probably does not help that his dad served as first mate aboard the S.S. Abramoff and spent shore leave with the crew of the S.S. […]

Filed under: Politics, Missouri