Columns

The latest on money and happiness

Get this: money does make us happy, but within limits. A few decades ago, Richard A. Easterlin, a University of Southern California researcher, determined that increased wealth does not necessarily lead to greater happiness.

Train riders saw south Louisiana’s variety

The town of Scott has long claimed to be “where the West begins” because timetables listed it as the “origin of western travel” on the railroad that eventually became the Southern Pacific. But in 1933, when the U.S.

Plain truth about Mother’s Day?

For the sake of full disclosure, I helped pay for my college education by working summers at a local cosmetics factory. My wife later served as microbiologist at that same factory.

Controversial books are reinstated

In the dystopian Ray Bradbury novel “Fahrenheit 451,” a totalitarian government mandates the burning of books. At the time of its writing, 1953, the author suggested that the impetus for the book was the Red Scare that was taking place in the country.

Flood control hindered by levee boards

Louisiana’s governor has proposed that he institute a new policy that would strip levee districts in Louisiana of their autonomy. Board members of several levee boards are crying foul, and charge that flood protection will suffer and emergency responses will slow down.

Federal fiddling with our gas containers

American entrepreneurs have saved my grass-mowing season. You see, my grass is finally lush and green and growing like wildflowers, which means I spend my weekends mowing it. Since 2009, however, that hasn’t been so easy to do.

Shall we talk about Medicare?

When President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare into law on July 30, 1965, did my 5-year-old self truly comprehend the personal milestone that I would someday reach? Nah.

Even little storms sent shrimpers scooting

If you carefully read your tattered copy of the Army Engineers 1958 report on proposed improvements to Bayou Carlin you will begin to get a glimpse of why folks in Delcambre began to worry this time of year about big storms in the Gulf but kind of liked little ones.

Trump administration is lying, and it’s OK to say that

Over the past several weeks, I have been called schizophrenic, whether it be on social media, in emails from readers or jokingly from friends who seem to think I’m all over the map on the Trump administration. I thought a little clarification was due, before I take a flight over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Immigration fight is taking place in Tennessee

In Tennessee, controversial bills allowing Tennessee school districts to deny enrollment to illegal alien students have taken another step toward becoming law.