Columns

You can have August, and February too

August has always been my least favorite month, and I suspect I am not alone. The experts tell us that its hot, humid weather makes this the most physically stressful month of the year in south Louisiana. August temperatures get as warm as the body’s temperature, or warmer.

Striking up some ratings for the Olympics

Maybe croquet could improve the ratings for the 2021 Summer Olympics? Please allow me to explain. The COVID-delayed 2020 Olympics are on track to be the lowest watched games of the 21st century, according to marketing research firm Zeta Global.

Have you visited a presidential home lately?

While in Santa Claus, Indiana, to cool off at Holiday World, the Tyree family took a side trip to tour the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in nearby Lincoln City. “But I thought Abraham Lincoln was from Kentucky!” a co-worker objected.

Roger Goodell and the virtue of vaccine-shaming

After the NFL became a bastion of gridiron “wokeness,” I basically stopped paying attention.

Story on violent crime missed

“It’s interesting when people die,” wrote Don Henley in the anti-media-sensationalism song “Dirty Laundry” back in 1982. Not much has changed since. There are more media outlets and platforms than ever, but tragedy still sells. Mass shootings generate extensive media coverage, and understandably so.

Car buying experience hurt by the dying art of haggling

Car buyers are getting crushed by the rapid increase in the cost of new and used cars, but my dad’s old-school negotiating techniques might offer some relief. Thanks to the rippling effects of the pandemic and the lockdowns, it’s harder to find a new car to buy in the first place.

Do you love or dread family portraits?

My family took the easy way out — again. We had our annual chance at a professional portrait and decided to let (insist) son Gideon pose solo for the umpteenth time.

Constance brought dreams of treasure

As you drive along Highway 82 next to the Gulf in Cameron Parish, the name Constance keeps popping up. Constance Bayou is just west of the Vermilion Parish line, and runs generally north from Big Constance Lake.

We shouldn’t have to beg workers to work

I was down the shore this weekend, enjoying the sea, the sun and the sweeping panorama of people without masks. Honestly, that was beautiful. One of those views was from the patio of a fantastic pizzeria just outside of Atlantic City.

All the presidents’ teeth

Now that Joe Biden doesn’t have to wear a mask in public, I’m back to staring at his teeth. Fact is, the last three presidents have elevated dental awareness to unprecedented levels.