Cancel culture has reared its ugly head once again, and this time in a new and unprecedented way. A lecture by a physicist was canceled at one of America's premier institutions of science, MIT, for reasons having nothing to do with the subject of the lecture. The lecture was canceled not because of its scientific content but because of the politically incorrect views on diversity of the scientist scheduled to give the lecture...

Gifted students have to check their privilege and get over themselves. It doesn't matter whether they are minorities. It doesn't matter whether they were brought to the United States as children. It doesn't matter how poor their families may be. It doesn't matter if they have inspiring personal stories. It doesn't matter how hard they work...

In 2020, many on the right had modest hopes for President Biden. The hope hinged on the not implausible theory that he would govern as a centrist because that's how he campaigned. Biden did markedly better than Hillary Clinton's 2016 performance with Republican-friendly constituencies. ...

Divorce usually isn't a good idea, and that's especially true of a nearly 250-year-old continental nation. A cadre of apocalyptic writers on the right, who believe the country is too far gone to save, has become obsessed with a Secession 2.0 that would cleave red America from blue and allow the former to escape the ever-rising tide of woke insanity...

Going back to the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, the party of first-term presidents gained seats in House midterm congressional elections only twice. Karl Rove reminded readers a few months ago in his Wall Street Journal column that, since World War II, the average loss of House seats of the party of each first-term president in congressional midterms is 28...

"The decision to have children has always struck me as an essentially selfish one: You choose, out of a desire for fulfillment or self-betterment or curiosity or boredom or baby-mania or peer pressure, to bring a new human into this world. And it has never seemed more selfish than today."...

This pandemic has placed immense wealth and power in the hands of a few unelected billionaires, including vaccine manufacturers, who have used their influence and power to dictate directives to the world and national health care agencies. Their directives have translated into policy on a local level...

October is National Long-Term Care Residents' Rights Month, a time to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices many long-term care (LTC) residents have made to better our community and to call attention to the rights of residents in long-term care facilities. ...

The other day I was in a big box store in this area. I walked down an aisle where a heated conversation between two individuals, one masked (M) and one unmasked (U), was developing. This piqued my curiosity. Acting as if I was interested in something on the display shelf, I moved closer to listen. But not close enough to seem like I was eavesdropping. The two were talking about wearing masks. This isn't an exact transcription but close enough to get the gist of their conversation.:...

Do you remember the "pay me now or pay me later" FRAM oil filter commercials? The message was simple. Making a modest investment to maintain your vehicle today will likely save you a substantial amount of money in the future on major vehicle repairs. ...

National events have indicated to Congress that social media can have detrimental effects on teenagers. Whistleblower Frances Haugen indicated in her Senate testimony that social media giant Facebook had internal studies showing oftentimes negative effects on young people...

PORCH, Cape Girardeau's south side redevelopment organization, recently announced that after months of searching for new leadership a hire has been made. And the new director is a familiar face. Tameka Randle was named executive director for PORCH, an acronym for People Organized to Revitalize Community Healing. She takes the reigns following the departure of Julian Watkins who left the organization in December...

Democrats are quarreling over the price tag of their Build Back Better bill, but the real problem is what's in it. The bill coerces workers to join unions, imposes racial preferences on every facet of life and redistributes money from workers to takers...

Only a little more than half of the current world's 7 billion people are citizens of fully consensual governments. That lucky 50% alone enjoys constitutionally protected freedoms. Most are also Western. Or at least they reside in nations that have become "Westernized."...

Back in 2005, I wrote that when it comes to spending, "Congressional Republicans Make French Socialists Look Like Ronald Reagan." Looking back now, from the perspective of fiscal prudence, those were the good old days. Yet, as irresponsible as Republicans have been with our finances since then, today's Democrats seem committed to making the spendaholic GOP look like Uncle Scrooge...

The musical production of Guys and Dolls at the University River Campus was wonderful! Those students were amazing! Beautiful singing, great acting, loved it! Why is it always Republicans who want to shut down the government because of the debt ceiling? They raised it without any reservations for Reagan, H.W. Bush, W. Bush and Trump. Why is so important now? Could it be a Democrat is in the White House? Ya think?...

Confession time: I'm open to raising taxes. As a lifelong conservative, making this case comes as easily as arguing for a weak national defense, or more United Nations funding. So please bear with me as I walk through why I'm open to the idea. One of the most important lessons of the last two decades is that black swan events -- game-changing surprises -- aren't nearly so rare as we'd like...

There are two big events on the schedule this weekend that will raise much-needed funds for important organizations. The 11th annual VintageNOW fashion show is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Show Me Center. One of the area's marquee events, the show features an entertaining look at fashion through the years with local women walking the runway. This year's theme is "A Tale of Time: 1920 to 2021."...

Family members and friends poured into Greater Dimension Ministries Saturday to mark the life of "the last man standing," Charles Dale Ayers, one of the nine children of Lee and Odell Ayers. In inspirational remarks the younger generation challenged each other to be worthy of their heritage and true to God.

We warned China to stop its incursions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone -- and the Chinese responded by flying even more aircraft into the zone. The 56 Chinese flights Monday brought the total for October to 149, already the year's highest monthly total...

New Orleans -- Carson Coyle runs around like any healthy young boy. Coyle suffered brain damage at his birth two years ago, with hospital staff at one point predicting he had just hours to live. But then a judge prayed over Carson's cradle with a cross from the Francis Xavier Seelos shrine in New Orleans, and a miracle is believed to have happened -- Coyle healed essentially overnight and is thriving today...

A very special flight will depart Cape Girardeau Regional Airport for Washington, D.C., on Friday morning. The group of 30 veterans and 20 caretakers will participate in the Veterans Honor Tour, organized by the Wake Foundation. The three-day trip will allow participants to visit the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam Veterans memorials, along with visits to the Pentagon, White House and Arlington National Cemetery...

Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals should be the Cy Young Award winner in the National League and maybe even the league MVP. Where would the Cardinals have finished without him? Cy Young and MVP, yes, just like another Cardinal great, Bob Gibson in 1968...

If Democrats get their reconciliation bill, it won't be because they convinced the American public its true cost is zero. As the political prospects of the bill have sagged, Democrats are trying to recalibrate by arguing a generational spending binge really won't cost anything at all...

On Monday morning, I left home and drove down Hwy 177 where I thought I'd encountered an antifa protest (though nothing was on fire and some of the trash got picked up). I recognized over half the protesters as the same who've been yelling at our county health board for the last year, contradicting health care professionals, and spreading disinformation...

On Sept. 7, the St. Louis Cardinals had a 2.8% chance of making the playoffs, according to the website FanGraphs.com. The season was dominated by injuries and prolonged, mediocrity on the field. But as Yogi Berra is quoted as saying, "It ain't over till it's over."...

"Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."...

The USA has a serious problem. Congress is a reflection of the USA, which everyone understands. The problem is Congress has the USA paying double for spending programs. For example, the current $3.5 trillion economic and social programs proposed by President Biden has huge tax increases proposed. ...

The Census Bureau has just issued its latest annual report, "Income and Poverty in the United States: 2020," and American Enterprise Institute economist and blogger Mark Perry has extracted and summarized its highlights, as he does every year. Perry's work is always illuminating because the data shows how much healthier the country is socially and economically than anyone would believe who listens to the naysayers on the left, who want to transform America into a giant, socialist welfare state...

How does a stupid and ridiculous lie come to be embraced and promulgated by top officials of the United States government? Well, as it turns out, it's easy. You start with an easily misinterpreted news photo that seemingly confirms the assumptions of progressive opponents of immigration enforcement that the agents policing our Southern border are cruel racists...

On Nov. 2, voters are being asked to approve a use tax (internet sales tax) for the City of Cape Girardeau. Like most voters, before supporting the use tax I want to find out the following: n Is there a need for additional revenue to help maintain programs and services provided by the city?...

How to best ensure substantial long-run economic growth should be a question on everyone's mind. Its benefits can't be overstated, and it's undeniable that the lack of growth is a root contributor to many seemingly disconnected economic and social problems. That's the central theme of a recent podcast discussion between The New York Times' Ezra Klein and George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen...

Dems are pushing to pass a multitrillion-dollar spending bill called the Build Back Better Act. It ought to be called the Political Scam Bill. Buried in the 2,465 pages are numerous billion-dollar grants to unnamed community organizations for vague purposes such as promoting "community engagement" and "creating equitable civic infrastructure."...

A popular event returns to Cape Girardeau this weekend with thousands expected to be on hand for three days of action packed, super hero-inspired fun. Cape Comic Con has been a passion project for Cape Girardeau resident Ken Murphy and his family. And it's grown significantly over the years, with the 2021 edition set to take place today through Sunday at Drury Conference Center...

If you've spent any time in Washington, you've heard stories about Joe Biden's loquaciousness. Asked to give brief remarks, he'd famously meander for 30, 40 or more minutes about whatever came into his mind. But his verbosity is a symptom of his larger problem: a lack of situational awareness. After all, this is the guy who once asked a man in a wheelchair to stand up and take a bow...

This past week Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat-led House of Representatives once again reminded us just how removed they are from the values and beliefs of mainstream America. On a near party line vote, Democrats in Congress passed possibly the most extreme abortion bill in the history of our nation. How extreme? Simply put, this bill will allow health care providers to perform an abortion on anyone for any reason at any time, up until birth...

An autumn staple returns this weekend with Oktoberfest on Main and High Streets in Uptown Jackson. The annual event, organized by the Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization, will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. Festivities include a biergarten, German-style food, local vendors, games and even a Pet Parade. There will also be live music, including what's been billed as authentic Oktoberfest music by the 15-member band Die Fluss Katzen...

Joe Biden's domestic agenda at the moment is, like his presidency, in peril. It is caught between the Scylla of progressives insisting the bipartisan infrastructure bill can't pass the House before the reconciliation bill passes the Senate and the Charybdis of moderates insisting the bipartisan infrastructure bill must pass the House before anything else happens...