I love your writing, Sherman, but the crappy T-bird next to the sign for Black Cats is the best part of this column.

Stands on the way to White River Amphi., "Safe Insane", "Flaming Arrow", etc... Keep on sellin' so we can keep blowin' off various appendages. USA USA USA!!

Speaking of Indian reservations, here is an issue that's bugging me. Yesterday I saw Oliver Stone's new movie, "Savages," in which his characters (including feds) say that Indian reservations are outside the United States, a law unto themselves, and thus are playgrounds for the Mexican drug cartels. I don't know why he came up with this falsehood as a plot device, since the book from which the movie is taken (Don Winslow's "Savages") does not even contain the words "Indian reservation." The movie is being portrayed in the press as a "new Western," but apparently Hollywood's ideas about Indians have not evolved at all. It seems odd that someone of Oliver Stone's intellect could get this so wrong. I can't be the only person disturbed by this, but I think it will take someone above my pay grade to get Oliver Stone's attention.

Thanks for your column -- I look forward to it every week.

@Bethmi, There is a bit of truth within the falsehood you speak of, Although I am not familiar with either the movie or book. Many if not all Reservations have their own constitutions and set of laws but jurisdiction is kind of funky when it comes to certain circumstances with tribal police and state police. I believe the premise of the movie and book may have been stretched to create suspense, even though many reservations are indeed playgrounds for a long list of illegal activities which do include drugs.