Gary Crooks

Recent stories by Gary

• Smart Bombs: Social issues enjoy revival

  February 12, 2012 in Opinion on Page B8 So, what was this year in politics going to be about again? Oh yeah, jobs. Don’t feel bad if this slipped your mind after last week’s fast and furious battles … 19

• Smart Bombs: Politics propelled pink slips

  February 5, 2012 in Opinion on Page B8 Imagine a wife seeking a divorce because somebody who hates her husband accuses him of cheating. She doesn’t pursue the truth. She rebuffs his attempts to meet with her. But … 39

• Smart Bombs: Why handcuff worker tools?

  January 29, 2012 in Opinion on Page B8 It’s become quite evident that public safety unions are different from any other. Among the reforms suggested for the Spokane Police Department are body cameras, which would provide a record … 4

• Smart Bombs: Get rich without a ‘job’

  January 22, 2012 in Opinion on Page B8 The reaction to Mitt Romney’s tax burden of 15.5 percent is predictable. Distressing, but predictable. The rich are not like you and me, according to the tax code. Why is … 23

• Smart Bombs: Not by soot alone

  January 15, 2012 in Opinion on Page B8 (SCENE: FBI headquarters, Washington, D.C. The year is 2112. Frank Columbo III, head of the Cold Case Unit, enters the office of the director carrying a thick manila folder.) FRANK … 10

• Smart Bombs: Marriage isn’t working out

  January 8, 2012 in Opinion on Page B10 It just isn’t working out. The differences are irreconcilable. It’s time to call it quits on this failed social experiment. Despite the efforts of well-meaning people, the institution of marriage … 12

• Smart Bombs: Avoid political Twinkies

  January 1, 2012 in Opinion on Page B8 Skip the political junk food. Exercise the mind. Tighten up that thinking. New Year’s resolutions or a political pledge? Doesn’t matter; just sign on the dotted line. Here are some … 1

• Smart Bombs: Docs, weigh in on obesity

  December 11, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 You’ve probably heard of the obesity epidemic among children, and the likely causes: junk food, video games and a general lack of exercise. But here are a couple more reasons … 2

• Smart Bombs: A hill you can’t take

  December 4, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 The press wants to know the real reason U.S. Rep. Barney Frank is leaving, but I’m more interested in why incumbents want to stay. With Congress’ approval rating at a … 1

• Smart Bombs: At home in our hearts

  November 27, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 In this book report about a girl waiting to hear from her working mother who is away from home, my 11-year-old daughter delivers a Thanksgiving message. Her fifth-grade teacher handed …

• Business bravos reimagined

  November 13, 2011 in Opinion on Page B10 You’ve seen the Business Beat in the Sunday paper, right? It’s a list of people who have been hired, promoted and honored. Good for them. But in this challenging economy, …

• Smart Bombs: Citizens ready to salute

  November 6, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 We keep hearing that it isn’t right to judge an entire police department based on the actions of a few. True, but it would sure help if this alleged good-cop … 9

• Smart Bombs: Shake that groove thing

  October 30, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 Prediction: The next “freedom” issue will be tire studs. November rolls up on Tuesday, meaning it’s the first day motorists can drive around on the little road rippers. In Idaho, … 7

• Bottom line up to voters

  October 23, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 Why can’t we have smart, successful business leaders lift up the hood of government, diagnose the problem and fix it? We’ve certainly had a number of them run for president, …

• Smart Bombs: Peons of prosperity

  October 16, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 So what’s the difference between letting the economy breathe free, and crushing its sternum with the anvils of Marxism? A few percentage points in marginal tax rates, if you listen … 12

• Smart Bombs: CEOs cultivate pay myth

  October 9, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 The Occupy Wall Street protests carry different meanings for different people. Lately, I’ve been mindful of a Clinton-era slogan that was tailored for frustrated people who “work hard and play … 7

• Smart Bombs: Frequently made mistake

  October 2, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 Rather than field questions from the media on the Otto Zehm case, the mayor’s office decided to grill itself. This leads me to my own frequently asked questions on FAQs. … 9

• Smart Bombs: Let’s clear the air on jobs

  September 25, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 Apparently one of the big constraints on the U.S. economy is its inability to produce sufficient levels of soot and mercury. As part of a jobs initiative, House Republicans are … 9

• Government outsources waste

  September 18, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 It was Pogo who told us, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Now POGO has come along to essentially confirm this. The Project on Government Oversight, a … 5

• Smart Bombs: They’re no Ronald Reagan

  September 11, 2011 in Opinion on Page B8 The Wednesday debate among Republican presidential candidates was held at the Reagan Library, which features the airplane the Gipper flew on as president. It’s no surprise that all of the … 5

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