U.S. Armed Forces

Writing From the Front

The Joyce of Reason: Circuit Attorney Tweets Complaint About National Priorities

US military drone strikes killing civilians? PACs masquerading as non-profits to get tax breaks and influence elections? B-b-b-b-BORING. Let's talk more about NFL referees. Thanks to Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce for saying this morning what needs to be said: I get that people care about football ... More >>

Anti-Gay Chick-fil-A Ditched By Muppets, Humans, You? Vote Here!

It's never been a secret that Chick-fil-A, a fast food chain that is closed on Sundays and has previously spouted an anti-gay agenda, lacks a certain separation of church and chicken. We've shared our views on the company's politics before, as have many, and now it seems the rest of the world is tak ... More >>

Five Scenarios When Minors Should Be Allowed to Drink Alcohol

Last week, the Illinois Senate approved the proposed "sip and spit" legislation that now moves to the House. If passed, the bill would make it legal for culinary students 20-years-old and younger to taste and spit alcohol (much like what you're suppose to do at wineries, but that rarely occurs). The ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Who's the most pro-Mexican GOP candidate?

Captain America ignores its roots for easy money

Wounded Marines to Gather on Field Before Tonight's First Pitch

​Last night's Cards game was a lesson in humility. Perhaps the bullpen can take notes on how to make a comeback during tonight's pregame ceremony, which honors a few local Marines who've battled back from war injuries that led to amputation and paralysis. The ceremony is part of the Marine Wee ... More >>

Helicopter Drones: U.S. Military's Newest Toy

​You know about the drone airplanes used in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but did you know that the U.S. military also has drone helicopters? The Navy currently has several Fire Scout helicopters aboard its warships overseas and plans to soon add a total of 168 of the remote-controlled aircraf ... More >>

Ashcroft Now In Charge of Ethics for Blackwater

Of all his acts as AG, Ashcroft may be best remembered for his crusade against nude statues.​We'd say that this arrangement seems to be like the fox watching the hen house. But that's not quite accurate. It's more like the reverse. The hen is watching the fox den. (If such an expression exists.) F ... More >>

Obama Kills Osama! President OK's Raid That Kills al-Qaida Leader

Osama bin Laden died yesterday following a U.S. raid in Pakistan.​Well, that only took 3,519 days. What began on September 11, 2001, and grew to become the biggest manhunt ever known to mankind ended yesterday in a suburban compound deep inside Pakistan. That's where an elite team of U.S. military ... More >>

About Those Virgins Promised to Osama bin Laden

Today's comment of the day comes in response to our coverage of Osama bin Laden's death yesterday at the hands of an elite U.S. military force. Unlike Rush Limbaugh, reader "Kitty" wasn't about to give President Barack Obama one iota of credit for bin Laden's death. But, wow, can Kitty come up with ... More >>

Rugby Burn: Gravely injured in a fluke house fire, Iraq War vet Stephen Ellis is dead set on returning to the sport he loves

Why Not Sell the Naming Rights to the New Mississippi River Bridge?

newriverbridge.orgHere are some ideas: Bud Light Bridge; Monsanto Round-Up Ready Bridge; Go See Ray Bridge ​Yesterday the Missouri Senate killed a bill that would have named the bridge under construction in north St. Louis after two local politicians and -- almost as an afterthought -- everyone wh ... More >>

Westboro Baptist Church Sues St. Charles City; Wins Injunction vs. St. Charles County

Plaintiff Megan Phelps-Roper protesting in St. Louis last summer.​It took the Westboro Baptist Church just one day to sue St. Charles after the city last week enacted an ordinance restricting when and where protesters can picket during funerals. Westboro Baptist Church has made a name for itself i ... More >>

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Is Dead. How Did Our Congresspeople Vote?

​Unless you've been hiding out under a rock, you probably heard that Saturday, the Senate followed the House in voting to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." DADT, signed into law in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, was meant to be a compromise on allowing lesbian, gay and bisexual soldiers to serve in ... More >>

Earthworms premieres Capricorn Dreams about its military-base tour

Westboro Baptist Church to Picket Cardinals Game This Weekend. Let's Put Their Press Release to Good Use.

Image viaSeriously, this is just wrong.​Fred Phelps and his hate-spewing minions at the Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church have made more than a few appearances in St. Louis this year. They picketed Lady Gaga at the Scottrade Center and a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium back in July. And now, it ... More >>

The Tillman Story sets the record straight

American soldiers, verite-style, in Restrepo

The Runway March

Morning Brew: 4.7

The annual southern food issue of Oxford American magazine is out, and it features a piece on a Charleston, South Carolina chef's quest for heirloom sesame seeds. Sean Brock pursued the seed breed, last used a century ago, in his quest to re-create antebellum-era dishes. "It goes in layers," he sa ... More >>

Ass Clown of the Week: Political Edition

This week's clowns show their stripes.​With a few exceptions, ordinary folks in and around St. Louis refrained from outrageous acts of jackassery this week. Congratulations.Wish we could say the same of our elected officials. When it comes to questionable behavior, Missouri and Illinois politicos ... More >>

Mo. State Senator Gary Nodler Doesn't Want Gay Troops to Offend Islamic Nations

Gary Nodler: Leader of a queer debate in Jeff City.​Updated 11:50 a.m.Gary Nodler just called Daily RFT to inform us that Post-Dispatch columnist Tony Messenger got the context of his argument wrong during yesterday's committee meeting debating whether or not gays should be allowed to openly serve ... More >>

St. Louis Police Mentor Iraqi Cop Delegation

The first image that appears when one googles the term "iraq police".​There's a punch line (or two) in the following press release sent out today from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. If you find it, feel free leave it in the comment section below. Now, without further ado:

Onward Christian Soilder, Says Arms Manufacturer In Coded Bible Verses

Barack Obama took a lot of flack on the campaign trail in '08 for suggesting that Midwesterners "cling to guns or religion." Now, thanks to one Michigan arms manufacturer, it's now possible to actually embrace both at the same time. Trijicon, a company based in Wixom, Michigan, produces combat rif ... More >>

FoodWire: "Operation Give Thanks" at Monarch Saturday, 11.7

Monarch (7401 Manchester Road; website) is hosting "Operation Give Thanks" to benefit U.S. military families this Saturday, November 7, from 7-11 p.m.The restaurant will donate a portion of the proceeds from a select bar menu to the non-profit Operation Shower, which the organization's own website d ... More >>

Show Review Setlist: Willie Nelson at Farm Aid, Sunday, October 4

As he took the stage for the festival-closing set, Willie Nelson was introduced over the loudspeaker as the "President of Farm Aid." Sure enough, he is the president of the board of directors. But if Farm Aid (either the concert or the non-profit) were run like a Willie Nelson concert, we wouldn't b ... More >>

Holy^&*# ! Charlie Brennan Wants to Water-board; Jane Mayer Says She'll Hook Him Up!

Wikimedia CommonsWill Charlie Brennan go to Vietnam to use one of these old-school water-boards for his torture session? Or will he find a local sponsor?KMOX's morning talker Charlie Brennan hosted a segment yesterday on water-boarding, and apparently several callers said they would gladly volunteer ... More >>

Branson Entertainers Visit U.S. Troops Overseas (As If They Haven't Suffered Enough)

This just in from the media arm of Mansion Theatre, home of "Branson's biggest shows."A junket of Branson-based singers and a few Branson favorites (i.e. Tony Orlando) just returned from a trip to Iraq and Germany to visit and entertain U.S. troops. The group also handed out Crocs sandals to the Ira ... More >>

60 Minutes Makes a Believer out of Mizzou Scientist

research.missouri.eduRob DuncanIf you squandered a perfectly good evening last night watching the Blues lose (again), chances are you missed an interesting report on 60 Minutes concerning so-called "cold fusion" technology.First unveiled in 1989, cold fusion suggests that nuclear energy can be prod ... More >>

It Is What It Is: A Bombed-Out Car from Baghdad Arrives in the Loop

Photo: Jessica BaranThe work of art in question.British artist Jeremy Deller's cross-country traveling art show It is What it is: Conversations About Iraq, spent Tuesday afternoon parked in front of Vintage Vinyl in the Delmar Loop.

Ten Out of Tenn Tour

9 p.m. Sunday, April 5. Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar Boulevard, University City.

Harsh Memories Haunt a Missouri War Resister

Earthworms and Fresh Heir To Tour European Military Bases

Speaking of bands traveling overseas: Starting April 9, Earthworms and Fresh Heir will be embarking on a tour of U.S. military bases in Europe. The trek will take them to bases in Germany, the Netherlands, Kosovo and the U.K. (Full dates here.) "We hope to bolster our resume with this tour, and affo ... More >>

Sen. John McCain Gives Lambert a Wave

An official state beer? Unreal's all over that one! Plus: We ring them bells and play CDs to our dog.

Holy Cow!

Leave bovines and lawn artists alone.

Surge This

Breaking out of the pack of Iraq war docs, No End in Sight devestates.

Auto-Chaotic

As giant robots transform all around us (!), it’s good to know Michael Bay won’t ever change

Lewis John Lynch: The Legacy of an Airman

Geisha Girl

Virtual Quagmire

Letters

Week of October 20, 2004

Injustice for All

Miller's crossings

A Second Opinion

The flicks that the best-of list overlooked

Letters

Week of September 19, 2001

Letters to the Editor

Published the week of July 5-11, 2000

The Patriot

Directed by Roland Emmerich

The Tragic Christian

Father James Carney left St. Louis to work with the poor in Honduras, putting him at odds with both church and state. Fifteen years after his mysterious death, a new CIA report raises more questions than answers.

Impeach Pit