Opinion

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? […]

Well, it’s Christmastime again. Jolly jingles are permeating the airwaves, lights and trees have gone up in and on houses, and stores have been cramming the season down our throats for months now. And every year, it gets a little harder for me to stomach. It’s not that I don’t have a lot to be thankful for, because I do. It’s not that I have a history of bad Christmases, either. With only a few exceptions, they’ve been great. I’m not the religious type, but I recognize that Christmas, if nothing else, is a time to be caring and kind to others and to enjoy the many blessings we’re afforded, especially those of family and friends. […]

Every year, Forest Park offers remedial classes for students who need extra help. Some find themselves taking three or four classes before earning the required credits for their majors. But recently, I found a way to get around this. It’s called the Internet. I have been using the Internet, mostly a website called Khan Academy, to get ready for some of the rigorous mathematics classes I will be taking in the spring as an economics major at University of Missouri-St. Louis, and the experience has been great. […]