At one time, former state Sen. Jeff Smith's grass-roots efforts inspired the documentary Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? Now the past politician can't even get to Washington University— he voluntarily withdrew from teaching there this fall after pleading guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice. The verdict in that case should be handed down this month.
Real Men of Genius
Sports and beer go hand in hand, right? Not so fast. When A-B rolled out its "fan cans"— sporting college teams' colors— some university administrators reacted with the equivalent of bitter-beer face, claiming it might promote irresponsible drinking and possibly infringe on copyrights. The result: A-B canned the campaign for some teams like Mizzou.
Kids Text the Darnedest Things
It's official: Teens and texts don't mix— and not just because of promiscuous "sexting." In late August, the Show-Me State made it illegal to drive and text ... for a singular crowd: minors. Missouri now slaps a $200 fine on anyone under 21 caught in the forbidden act. As for those older drivers who didn't grow up with cellphones? Text away!
Fishing for Felons
The St. Louis County Police Department is hoping to take Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to the next level with a new tactic: "bait houses." That's right, following the model of "bait cars," decked-out decoys to lure auto thieves, the PD is pimping out vacant homes with props and loads of security equipment. To borrow from the aforementioned ABC show, here's a suggestion that could make those security cameras pay for themselves: reality TV.
