Opinion

The Scene newspaper office was buzzing with reporters and photographers on the morning of Feb. 19, when we received word of breaking news on campus. Police had taken several students into custody because of a possible gun threat. Members of our staff rushed to the cafeteria to find out what was going on. We hadn’t even finished reporting when we heard two more students were being handcuffed outside the theater building and led away. After all the dust settled, I finally learned what had triggered both of these incidents, and my stomach churned. Two fights had broken out on this campus within hours of each other, and both were cases of domestic violence. […]

I consider myself a pretty good student, always keeping my head down and my eyes on the prize. But I’ve got to admit that every year about this time, the A’s start turning into C’s … as in “C-ya later turkeys!” I mean, how am I supposed to concentrate when spring is in the air, flowers are blooming and all the little birds are frolicking just outside my window? I can’t help but daydream about a life without teachers or bosses or homework, a life where I could go outside whenever I wanted — the life of a farmer, the life for me. […]

It was a cold winter’s morning. I was doing my normal routine; rushing the kids out of the car into the school building. As I quickly made my way back to the car to avoid the harsh wind, something caught my eye. I noticed a little boy, maybe about 10 years old, playfully making his way to school. But on the other side of the street, something caught my eye and caused a silent alarm to siren inside of my body. There was a man dressed in dark attire who seemed to be keeping a safe distance behind the boy. He had the collar of his coat popped up, and he seemed to be keeping up with the child’s every move. […]

The alarm clock sounds, beginning a new day. After my morning ritual, I put on headphones and leave the house in a jolly mood. I arrive at the Metro bus stop as if I haven’t a care in the world, letting my music set the tone. A guy standing nearby starts moving his lips, hoping to lure me into a mind-twisting conversation. Not yet buddy, I’m still waking up. My chariot arrives, and I’m suddenly reminded of what I’m about to encounter: A commute to college on public transportation. I jump back a little to avoid being struck by the anxious bus driver. Giant tires splash a wave of slush onto the sidewalk, falling just short of my feet. […]

There’s no question that I’m addicted to technology. I love new gadgets and devices, and all those things that make our lives easier, while at the same time making life more complex and adding junk to keep on my person. In the past decade, we’ve seen the evolution of the smartphone, of motion-controlled video games, of 3D televisions, iPads and e-readers. Google has introduced its Glass device, a wearable computer that, while looking really, really nerdy, does a lot of cool stuff. […]

Many years ago, North St. Louis flourished with booming businesses and big Victorian and New England-style homes. Business owners, teachers and journeymen lived in the affluent neighborhood, and many walked to work. The area suffered a considerable loss with the deterioration of streetcar service after World War II. It became less enjoyable and convenient for residents, who no longer had easy access to amenities in the city. […]

2014 has begun, and it promises to be a year of changes. Among them are changes for me, personally. I’m managing editor of The Scene this semester, and I’m looking forward to working with new and veteran staff members at the paper. If all goes to plan, I’ll graduate from Forest Park this summer with my associate’s degree, and I’ll start at a four-year school this fall. I’ll enter my second year of marriage, and if it’s anything like the first, it will be great. But those changes are pretty insignificant when compared with what’s happening in the social climate of our country. […]

Question: Who constantly naps throughout the day, eats food he never pays for and occasionally poops in my shower? Answer: My roommate. No, I don’t share an apartment with the ghost of Chris Farley. I’m talking about my 18-pound cat, Chauncey, and I have a confession to make — I love the big goof. Honestly, I never pictured myself as much of a cat guy. Sure, we had a few felines growing up around the house, but on a personality scale, they were about a notch above my mom’s Precious Moments collection. […]

Maybe you have heard about the threat to net neutrality in the last few weeks, but what is net neutrality and why does it matter? Net neutrality is the principle that an Internet service provider, like Charter or Verizon, can’t give preferential treatment to any website. Whether it’s Twitter or a small, niche website, the consumer gets the same connection speed. […]

Christmastime is here again! But amid all the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to forget the reason for the season: Presents! It’s like the end of the year rolls around and someone says, “Here Justin, take a bunch of crap you don’t need.” Yes, please! Christmas is my favorite time of year. It’s not that I’m superficial; I just love stuff. Call me a nut, but it seems like every time they come out with a latest this or greatest that, I’m log jamming my Amazon wish list faster than you can utter “obsolete technology.” Come on people, it slices and dices? […]