Syrian Refugee Saves Stranger's Wedding, Proving Kindness Knows No Borders

During Jo Du’s wedding ceremony in Ontario, Canada last week, a bride’s nightmare scenario played out: The zipper to her beautiful, white lace gown broke an hour before the ceremony.

With little time left, the wedding party ran to the house next door to ask for pliers to fix the dress, as suggested by the wedding photographer Lindsey Coulter.

The neighbor, however, had a better idea.

He was hosting a family of Syrian refugees in his home who had just arrived from Aleppo four days earlier. They didn’t speak any English, but the father, Ibrahim Halil Dudu, was a tailor of 30 years.

Minutes later, Dudu and his young son arrived at the bride’s rented house with a sewing kit. With the help of an internet translator and gestures, Dudu sprung into action, masterfully putting the bride’s dress back together.

Coulter told HuffPost that Dudu was a true professional: “He just got the job done very quickly.”

Coulter watched in amazement as Dudu communicated with Du’s family, most of whom speak only Mandarin, by using gestures to make sure the bride was ready for her walk down the aisle.

“Since no one could say ‘thank you’ [to Dudu] in Kurdish, everybody was just bowing to say ‘thank you,” Coulter told HuffPost. “They were showing their gratitude through smiling and bowing towards each other.”

The tailor and his son left shortly after the dress had been fixed. And thanks to his expert craft, Du and her groom were able to celebrate their nuptials with her wedding gown intact.

Dudu told the Canadian Television Network through a translator that the bride seemed so excited and happy. “I was more than happy to get to work,” Dudu said. “I like to help Canadian people from my heart.”

When Coulter posted the Syrian tailor’s story to her Facebook page on Monday, it quickly went viral, with more than 10,000 shares and 20,000 likes. The internet responded with so much love and support, Coulter decided to start a GoFundMe page to raise money for Dudu’s family.

Coulter captured the special moment with her camera because, she says, it shows how important it is to help and support refugees. 

“We kind of won the birth lottery when we were born in Canada, but we could’ve all just as easily been born in Syria or another country that is in a state of conflict,” she told HuffPost.

She says refugees have a lot more to offer than many people give them credit for.

“We’re all just human and helping each other out is a very human thing to do,” she said of Dudu’s willingness to help a stranger. “This positive stuff happens a lot more than everyone realizes.”

Below, see the rest of the Du’s wedding, which was saved thanks to this Syrian refugee who was not only at the right place at the right time, but more than willing to lend a helping hand.

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Aisle View: Ace in the Hole

Helder Guimarães in Verso
Photo: Joan Marcus

It is a given that any magician who puts together a full-length theatrical show mounted as an 8-times-a-week legit attraction in New York is likely to have come up with a barrage of tricks that he is good at, and which most always work. Otherwise, he's unlikely to make it out of the Catskills, or rather today's equivalent of the Catskills.

So while we in our first breath say that Helder Guimarães puts on an amazing display of playing-card wizardry in Verso, at New World Stages, we realize in second breath that of course he gives us an evening full of satisfying and sometimes astounding set pieces. Foolish is the illusionist who offers up illusions that only work some of the time.

What makes for success in endeavors of this sort, then, is not just the magic; it's the delivery, the entertainment, and the personality of the magician at hand. In these areas, Mr. Guimarães receives the highest grades. A native of Portugal, he has long been based in Los Angeles, playing such venues as Hollywood's Magic Castle. He achieved notice and acclaim in an earlier show, Nothing to Hide, which costarred Derek DelGaudio and was directed by Neil Patrick Harris. That one enjoyed great success at the Geffen Playhouse in 2012, and transferred here for a successful 2013 engagement at the Signature Center.

This time, Guimarães is on his own and handily carries the show with ingratiating personality and self-deprecating charm. It is all an act, of course; he clearly knows that every trick will work, even when he professes surprise or insecurity. He even goes so far as to include supposedly faulty guesses, the better to allow last-moment switches that demonstrate that he had full control all along.

The illusions are mostly in the card-shuffling realm, with a few mind-reading feats thrown in along the way. Guimarães makes strong use of his audience, with twenty or so patrons drafted into stoogedom. All in good fun, though, with nothing that those allergic to audience participation need fear. (At the performance attended, he played "rough" with only one of his victims, who seemed more than happy for the attention.)


Helder Guimarães in Verso
Photo: Joan Marcus

All told, Verso--we never do get an explanation of the title, which technically refers to the reverse (back) side of a page--offers a grand evening of theatrical magic. That is, magic in a theatrical setting.

.
Verso, created and performed by Helder Guimarães, opened September 28, 2016 and continues through January 15, 2017 at New World Stages

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Teens test skills as chefs

Teens raced against the clock and one another as they created culinary delights in the fourth annual Teen Master Chef challenge at Central Library on Thursday.

Four teams participated in three 10-minute rounds, creating appetizers, entrees and desserts. Most of the ingredients were premade and included different kinds of crackers, along with raisins, Nutella, fruit and candies.

The winners of the appetizer round made a campfire scene out of pretzel sticks, with candy corn flames and a graham cracker tent.

The entree round winners made pretzel stick butterflies, with cheese and chips for wings. The winner of the dessert round made witches with muffin eyes.

Erica Koop, children’s programmer, said there are a lot of new parents in the area because of all of the job opportunities that are coming up.

“They’re here at the library to meet other families so they can integrate into the community,” she said.

Megan Yarbrough, programming supervisor, said teens are a base foundation for the community in Lake Charles.

“Without the teens being able to come together and meet in a safe place and form those bonds that make a community, we really have nothing to build off of,” Yarbrough said. “They’re our future leaders.”

For more information on library programs, call 721-7116.

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Bidding to begin, but start date uncertain for I-210 bridge repair

Bids for the Interstate 210 bridge repair project will be submitted Nov. 16, but it remains unclear when the work will begin, an official with the state Department of Transportation and Development said Thursday.

The estimated $35 million project calls for removing and redecking the bridge’s 930-foot main span and changing barrier rails. Todd Landry, DOTD administrator for District 7, told Calcasieu Parish police jurors that the project is needed because of “the age and condition of the bridge.”

“We’re going to replace all of the barrier rails, which are not crash-worthy by today’s standards,” Landry said. “The decks are beginning to deteriorate to the point that we have to take pre-emptive action. Of course we want the (bridge) in excellent shape.”

Landry said a mandatory pre-bid meeting is set for Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the DOTD office in Baton Rouge.

“Because of the complexity of the project, we want to make sure (contractors) are aware and have the opportunity to ask questions,” he said.

Once a contractor is chosen, a notice to proceed with the work could be issued by January or February, after which Landry said there will be a 100-day assembly period.

In the meantime, crews will begin work on the project’s first phase, replacing bridge joints on the Interstate 10 bridge. Landry said there are 60 calendar days to finish that work.

As crews work on the I-210 bridge, Landry said the bridge will be reduced to one lane in both directions for “at least two years.”

“The project in its entirety, including the I-10 work, could take 36 months possibly,” he said.

Landry said all 18-wheeler traffic will be diverted to the I-10 bridge or other highways as long as the I-210 bridge is down to one lane in both directions.

Landry said new safety walkways will be installed on the I-210 bridge. He said this will prevent lane closures on the bridge during inspections, which are done biennially.

“Just to do an inspection every other year is a $200,000 issue,” Landry said.

Landry said he would give police jurors updates every quarter once the project gets underway.

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Osteoporosis: Unique Risk Factors In African American Women

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) which makes bones fragile and susceptible to fracture. Many African American women believe that osteoporosis is only a concern for white women. This misperception can be a barrier to prevention and treatment. It's true that African American women tend to have higher BMD than white women throughout life, however, there are specific issues that African American women face when it comes to developing osteoporosis that are less well known [1]. These issues include the following:

• Under recognized and undertreated. The NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center acknowledges that "Although African American women tend to have higher bone mineral density (BMD) than white women throughout life, they are still at significant risk of developing osteoporosis. The misperception that osteoporosis is only a concern for white women can delay prevention and treatment in African American women who do not believe they are at risk for the disease." [2]
• 
  
• At risk. As African American women age, their risk for hip fracture doubles approximately every 7 years [1].
• 
  
• Sickle cell anemia and lupus. Diseases more prevalent in the African American population, such as sickle cell anemia and lupus, are linked to an increase risk of developing osteoporosis [1,3].
• 
  
• Insufficient calcium and vitamin D intake. African American women consume 50 percent less calcium than the Recommended Dietary Allowance [1]. Adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D throughout life, as part of a healthy dietary pattern, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis, by helping build and maintain good bone health. Vitamin D can be made in the skin when exposed to sunlight. However, skin pigmentation is one of several factors that can determine how much sun exposure you need. African Americans have dark pigment, which lessens the body's ability to produce vitamin D in the skin. Obesity--which is high among African American women in the United States, may also play a role in keeping vitamin D levels low. That's because obesity reduces the body's ability to use vitamin D [4].
• 
  
• Exercise Regularly. Exercising regularly throughout life, with an emphasis on weightbearing activities such as walking, jogging, dancing, and weight training can help lower risk of osteoporosis [1].
• 
  
• Lactose Intolerance. As many as 75 percent of African Americans may experience lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance can hinder optimal calcium intake. People with lactose intolerance may avoid milk and other dairy products even though most are excellent sources of calcium because they have trouble digesting lactose, the primary sugar in milk [1].
• 
  
  Eating a well-balanced diet adequate in calcium and vitamin D throughout life is key to building bones and lowering risk for osteoporosis. Calcium and vitamin D can be found in the foods you eat. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese, are the primary sources of calcium in American diets. Dietary patterns that provide 3 servings of dairy products per day can improve bone mass [4]. Vitamin D functions in the body to maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphorous, thereby helping to build and maintain bones. Milk and yogurts that are fortified with vitamin D can be good sources of this nutrient. Other sources of vitamin D include fish such as salmon or tuna, and vitamin D-fortified ready-to-eat breakfast cereals [4].
  
  According to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, older children, teens, and adults have a recommended dairy intake of 3 servings a day, while children 4 to 8 years old are recommended to consume 2.5 servings, and 2 servings per day are recommended for children 2 to 3 years old. In general, a serving of dairy is 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of yogurt, 1.5 ounces of natural cheese, or 2 ounces of processed cheese.
  
  For those who are lactose intolerant, smaller portions (such as 4 fluid ounces of milk) may be well tolerated. Lactose-free and lower-lactose products are available. These include lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk, yogurt, and cheese. Yogurt can be a more easily digestible alternative to milk because it contains live and active cultures that help with lactose digestion. In addition, yogurt on average contains less lactose per serving than milk so you may be able to enjoy yogurt products with fewer associated symptoms [5]. Also, enzyme preparations can be added to milk to lower the lactose content.
  
  The tips listed below will help you make wise dairy choices everyday:
  

• Try nonfat or lowfat yogurt as a snack.
• 
  
• If you drink cappuccinos or lattes -- ask for them with non fat (skim) or low fat milk.
• 
  
• Make fruit-yogurt smoothies in the blender.
• 
  
• Add non fat or low fat milk instead of water to oatmeal and hot cereals.
• 
  
• Make a yogurt parfait with whole grain cereals, fruits and nonfat or lowfat yogurt for breakfast.
• 
  
• Use non fat or low fat milk when making condensed cream soups (such as cream of tomato).
• 
  
• Make a dip for fruits or vegetables from nonfat or lowfat yogurt.
• 
  
• Top sliced fruit with flavored nonfat or lowfat yogurt for an easy-to-make dessert.
• 
  
• For dessert, make chocolate or butterscotch pudding with non fat or low fat milk.
• 
  
• Top casseroles, soups, stews, or vegetables with shredded reduced fat or low fat cheese.
• 
  
• Include milk as a beverage at meals. Choose non fat or low fat milk.
• 
  
• Top a baked potato with nonfat or lowfat yogurt.

Take care of yourself and your family. Adults who drink milk or eat dairy foods can demonstrate to children that dairy is important and should be a staple in their diet. Dairy foods are especially important for building the growing bones of kids and teens. Make non fat or low fat dairy foods part of everyday meals and snacks--not only as part of a strategy for preventing osteoporosis, but for everyone's nutritional benefit. After all, healthy families build healthy communities!

References

1. Osteoporosis and African American Women. NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases. National Resource Center. June 2015. http://ift.tt/2dKgc7J
   
2. Sadat-Ali M, et al. Low bone mass due to sickle cell anemia, is it becoming a real issue? West Afr J Med, 2008 Oct;27(4):218-23. http://ift.tt/2dgLoc9
   
3. NIH ODS Strengthening Knowledge and Understanding of Dietary Supplements http://ift.tt/1MdGxWc
   
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. ChooseMyPlate.Gov. Dairy. Available online: http://ift.tt/2dgLIrq. Accessed June 15, 2016.
   
5. Lomer MCE, Parkes GC, Sanderson JD. Review article: lactose intolerance in clinical practice--myths and realities. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2008;27:93-103.

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The 'Capsul-ization' of the World

The global market for coffee pods and capsules expanded 16 percent in 2015, the significance of which is dwarfed by the 30 percent sector increase for the category in the U.K. alone, where projections estimate £137.5 million in supermarket sales. Soon to overtake standard roast, ground and instant coffee, according a study from Kantar Worldpanel, coffee pods and capsules continue their rise to the standard in hot beverage consumption, "The Clooney Effect" playing no small part in this continuing market trend.

And it doesn't stop at coffee and tea. The capsule and pod technologies that so successfully disrupted the hot beverage industry for the greater part of a decade have been since applied to a burgeoning number of food and drink categories, turning food and drink into the most profitable business since software.

Beer-drinkers who want something beyond a home brewing kit can turn to a modulated beer machine that uses prepackaged pods to brew a cold batch. Pod technology for Jell-O shots have been marketed for the B2B (bars and catering) and B2C markets, cutting down on the time it takes to make the novelty items, and the space taken up in your fridge.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, a baby formula manufacturer has developed a system featuring capsules containing differentiated and optimized nutrition for every stage of an infant's development. "Organic, fresh tortillas" individually pressed and cooked from pods containing a ball of dough (inserted into a machine are now available for your home, because the manufacturer says "best way to enjoy a tortilla is right after it has been freshly baked and is still warm." The list goes on of new start-ups and inventions that aim to do for their respective markets that the pod system did for coffee.

Though the proliferation of this kind of trending technology is easily dismissed as being "trendy," these kinds of innovations address a need in the market that is only confirmed by consumer behavior. Pods and capsules do not exist in a vacuum; where there are problems in need of solutions, pods and capsules are in a position to provide. And consumers are buying them.

Convenience is currency, as is time and ease of use, but what of innovation? Consumers are becoming more interested in health food trends, food science, and access to quality food experiences in the home, and the disruptive nature of pods and capsules create a new space in the food and drink market.

But even more so now that it has been clearly demonstrated that people will not abstain from capsule and pod technologies, despite their environmental implications, what the compact contraptions mean for sustainability is a considerable issue. The pods are not recyclable in the current infrastructure due to their component parts. Comprised of plastics, aluminum and sometimes paper, a person would need to separate and take the pods apart in order to effectively recycle the elements in their respective bins; in this fast-paced culture of convenience, it is safe to say that few pod-users would not consider this step. Further, contact with food and beverage would mean that most municipal recycling facilities would require this waste to undergo additional processing so as to not contaminate recycled batches.

However, consumers do have recycling options for their beverage capsule and pod waste. My company TerraCycle solves for nearly every type of waste through our premium Zero Waste Box solution, including coffee capsules. Simply fill with coffee and beverage pods and send back to TerraCycle using the pre-paid shipping label. Consumers can enjoy the convenience and innovation of this turn-key recycling solution as they do pod and capsule technology.

While these disruptive innovators in the food and additional beverage markets remain start-ups in the beginning stages of growth, end-of-life solutions can be developed early to prevent unnecessary waste from negatively impacting the planet. Innovative, sustainable solutions for waste can be worked into the product function from the start, inventing the most efficient, environmentally sound ways to accommodate the world's changing lifestyles.

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Angelina Jolie Reportedly Hires Real-Life Olivia Pope To Handle Brad Pitt Divorce

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s relationship is essentially the closest thing we have to a real-life soap opera, so it’s fitting that the newest guest star in this trainwreck of a divorce is none other than Olivia Pope IRL. 

Someone’s going to need a bigger wine glass. 

According to People magazine, Jolie has reportedly hired crisis manager Judy Smith, who inspired actress Kerry Washington’s character Olivia on ABC’s “Scandal,” to put her spinning skills to the test and help Jolie exit her marriage unscathed. 

“Judy has been asked to consult with those working with Angelina on divorce negotiations,” a source told People. “Judy and her firm have a long history of handling issues that have unfortunately garnered too much attention in the public eye, and she knows how to push towards resolutions that are swift and discreet.”

Smith, who began her career as deputy press secretary under president former George W. Bush, has “handled” a fair share of major scandals over the years at her firm Smith & Company, including rehabilitating Monica Lewinsky’s image, smoothing over Paula Deen’s racist slurs and advising Michael Vick post–dog fighting. 

She also acts as the co-executive producer on “Scandal” and lends her technical expertise when needed.

But Brangelina could be her toughest case to date, considering the high-profile nature of the split and how things for the couple continue to go from bad to worse.

After news broke earlier this month, Jolie requested sole physical custody of the couple’s six children. We later learned as Pitt was reportedly being investigated for child abuse after an incident on their private plane, but is now fully cooperating with the Department of Child and Family Services to put the issue to rest. 

Smith will be the latest addition to Team Jolie, which boasts the talented celebrity divorce lawyer Laura Wasser, while Pitt has retained the services of family law attorney Lance Spiegel. Negotiations between the two are reportedly underway, and if our guesstimates are correct, this could be over within the week.

It’s been handled.

The Huffington Post has reached out to Smith & Company, as well as Jolie’s representatives for comment and will update the post accordingly. 

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Amanda Knox’s Story Shows How Eager We Are To Demonize Women Who Have Sex

In October of 2011, I sat at work with my colleagues in our basement office in London’s Bloomsbury neighborhood, listening intently as BBC 1 anchors announced the acquittal of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito for the murder of Meredith Kercher. The mood in the room full of my British colleagues was one of disappointment: Kercher was a British university student whose violent murder was almost completely overshadowed by her “foxy” roommate’s alleged involvement in her death. The release of Knox felt like an incredible blow. 

Five years after that acquittal ― following another appeal and Knox’s ultimate exoneration ― a Netflix documentary examines the whole story: the murder itself, the characters involved in the investigation and prosecution of the case, and the hurricane of press that accompanied the trial.

(Watch the trailer below.)

Featuring footage of the crime scene and original interviews with Knox, Sollecito, lawyers, detectives, prosecutors and one journalist who capitalized on Kercher’s murder and the mystery surrounding it, “Amanda Knox” offers a fascinating look at the way we demonize women perceived as “slutty.”

“I was quirky and I was OK with that,” Knox says in the documentary, about the young woman she was before studying abroad in the medieval Italian town of Perugia. “I thought of myself as a warrior princess...I remember thinking ‘OK, I’m different. I’m my own person, but I’m gonna find my place.’”

Shortly after moving to Perugia and moving into an apartment with Kercher, she met the handsome and romantic Sollecito, with whom she began an intense and passionate relationship. Five days after they first got together, on Nov. 2, 2009, Kercher was found dead.

Sadly, even years later, there is still no clear public consensus on who murdered Kercher. Despite Knox being exonerated (twice) by the Italian criminal system, as well as overwhelming evidence of Rudy Guede’s involvement and his eventual conviction for Kercher’s murder, many are still convinced of Knox’s guilt ― including Kercher’s family. 

But one thing, regardless of who committed the murder, is absolutely certain: The case, and the subsequent public interest, was influenced by media coverage that focused more on Knox’s supposedly scandalous sexual history than the facts of Kercher’s murder. 

The documentary shows that much of the speculation surrounding Knox’s involvement with Kercher’s death began with Italian Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini. From the onset of his investigation, Mignini appeared to revile Knox. He decided almost immediately that she was, at the very least, in part to blame for Kercher’s murder. No amount of evidence ― or lack thereof ― ever has convinced him otherwise. 

Knox’s behavior in the immediate aftermath of Kercher’s murder was admittedly abnormal and arguably inappropriate ― what Knox might call “quirky”: as police investigated her home, she and Sollecito stood outside kissing and comforting one another. From this point on, Mignini ― a middle-aged Roman Catholic man ― never wavers in his unfavorable opinion of Knox. In fact, much of the evidence against Knox seems to stem from Mignini’s personal opinion. He believes that Kercher’s killer must be a woman, because “no man” would ever cover up the body of the woman he murdered. It was also Mignini’s conclusion that Knox, Sollecito and Rudy Guede (the man ultimately convicted of murdering Kercher) had killed Kercher because she was a prude and they were violent, enraged sexual deviants.

“Amanda was a girl that was very uninhibited,” Mingini says in the documentary. “She would bring boys home...If you could imagine a girl different from Amanda in every imaginable way, it would be Meredith.”

For Mignini, the fact that Knox enjoyed dating and having sex was enough to make her the bad guy. This would, of course, be the image that was painted of Knox in the press for years to come. 

London-based reporter Nick Pisa covered the murder and trial for a number of British tabloids and fed into this narrative. A brief sampling of his headlines on the case included “Weeping Foxy is freed to make a fortune,” “Foxy Knoxy protests innocence and details her many lovers - and her fan-mail - in prison diary,” and “Sex crime? Foxy Knoxy and her boyfriend ‘just young lovebirds.’”

“A murder always gets people going,” he says in the documentary. “It was a particularly gruesome murder...what more do you want in a story?” The answer, apparently, was Knox: an attractive, young, blonde, white woman who put Pisa on the map for his coverage of her.

Pisa took the prosecutor’s theory of a “sex game gone wrong,” and ran with it. “To see your name on the front page with a great story that everyone’s talking about...it’s just a fantastic buzz. I’d like to say it’s like having sex or something like that, you know?” he said of the rush of reporting on Kercher’s death. 

Murder cases involving female perpetrators (alleged or otherwise), are heavily sensationalized ― see Aileen Wuornos, Casey Anthony and Jody Arias. But considering how many men murder women ― each day in the United States, three women are killed by their intimate partners ―  the disparity in how we talk about “bad men” vs. “bad women” says a lot about how much society enjoys the thought of a woman gone bad. In Knox’s case specifically, an alleged female murderer was significantly more interesting to the public than the young woman who was murdered. What does that say about us? 

“I think people love monsters, and so when they get the chance they want to see them,” Knox says in the documentary. 

In some ways, she’s right. People do love monsters. And they especially love when those monsters are (white, conventionally attractive) women.

On Thursday morning, Knox sat down with Robin Roberts on “Good Morning America” to discuss the upcoming Netflix documentary. “When you think about Meredith’s family,” Roberts asked, “do you think about how this is for them?” 

“That’s the really sad part about this tragedy,” Knox responded. “As soon as the prosecutor made it about [me], they took away the fact that this case is about her and what the truth was about what happened to her. She’s been lost in all of that.” 

“Amanda Knox” will stream on Netflix starting Friday, September 30.

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The Best Fall 2016 Ice Cream Flavors You Should Be Looking For

Morning Digest: Even Republican Eric Greitens' own poll shows him down in Missouri

Leading Off:

● MO-Gov: On behalf of the Missouri Times, the GOP pollster Remington Research takes another look at the gubernatorial race, and they give Democrat Chris Koster some very good news. Remington has Koster beating Republican Eric Greitens by a massive 51-36 margin, even as Donald Trump leads 49-39. (The Senate race was not tested this time.)

A week before, Remington also polled the Show Me State for the Missouri Times and they gave Koster a 47-38 lead. It's unclear what, if anything, caused such a large swing in such a short amount of time. (Half of this most recent Remington poll was conducted before the presidential debate and half was done the day after, so that probably wasn't it.) At the beginning of September, Remington surveyed Missouri for a different publication, the political newsletter Missouri Scout, and they had Koster up just 46-42.

Aside from some earlier Gravis Marketing surveys the Missouri Times commissioned (here and here) that also gave Koster the lead, we haven't seen any other public polls in September. However, Greitens himself released a poll on Wednesday that also shows him trailing. The Tarrance Group's survey gives Koster a 45-42 lead, while Trump takes Missouri 46-38. Greitens is certainly not in a good position when he has to drop polls that show him down "just" 3 points to reassure donors that he's a worthy investment. Maybe Greitens should have instead held that survey and just insisted that if an awful pollster like Gravis shows him losing, he's probably actually winning big.

Missouri is a red state, but some powerful conservative groups have sided with Koster over Greitens. In early August, Koster became the first Democratic statewide candidate to ever earn the Missouri Farm Bureau's endorsement. The NRA even chose the attorney general over Greitens, a retired Navy seal who ran several primary commercials that featured him firing guns. Koster has not at all been shy about running ads in rural Missouri informing voters that he has these two organizations on his side.

P.S.: One of the most frustrating things about Missouri politics is that the state has no campaign finance donation limits, but that may be about to change. The new Remington poll gives Amendment 2, which would limit contributions to state candidates to $2,600, a 64-24 lead.

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