The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
42°F
Current Conditions
Broken clouds
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

Gary Crooks

This individual is no longer an employee with The Spokesman-Review.

All Stories

Opinion

Smart bombs

It is entirely sensible to make the safety of children paramount when deciding whether to close schools when the weather turns ugly. Better to stay home than to risk the perilous walk to school or the bus. Better to keep those buses off the roads. Better to clear the roofs of snow rather than risk collapses. But for many kids, schools are the safe houses from the everyday physical and emotional dangers they face. For one thing, more than half the schoolchildren in Spokane rely on cafeterias for free and reduced-price meals. Along with being hungry, these kids witness more violence and alcohol and drug abuse when they stay home. They might be beaten or sexually abused themselves. Or, perhaps, they’re left home alone to ponder the awful things that will happen when the adults return.
Opinion >  Syndicated columns

Smart Bombs: Minimum rage

The annual bump in the minimum wage for Washington state is accompanied by the usual complaints. “The economy can’t handle it. People will lose their jobs. Now is not the time.”
Opinion

Smart bombs

Out with the old and in with the new. Guess that phrase doesn’t take itself seriously, because it’s still around. For stakeholders in the language, clichés and jargon trigger major meltdowns. The onslaught is 24/7 and at the end of the day, well, there is no end. New terms for old things can be fun for awhile. Then it’s like putting lipstick on a pig. “Moderation in all things” was originally fresh. Then everyone said it, and it became ironic.
Opinion

Smart bombs

Back in June, I pumped gas for $4.50 a gallon while in California. Recently, I filled up for $1.60 a gallon around here. Adjusted for inflation, a gallon of gas costs about what it did in the 1950s. The last time prices fell after a steady increase, Americans rushed out and bought SUVs, vans and trucks. Will we be smarter this time? We can wait for the economy to rebound to find out, or we can take action now to permanently loosen the grip of oil dependence.