Columns

Let’s bring back the sounds of summer

Summer sounded better in the ‘70s. I woke every morning to the birds chirping outside my window screen, a dewy chill in the air. I’d smell my father’s pipe, which he smoked while he read the paper downstairs. I’d go down to greet him.

Ready for the 250th birthday of the United States Army?

No, I won’t make it to the Grand Military Parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14, but…… I’ll definitely be poring over my late father’s Army memorabilia, including the mimeographed bulletin from October 7, 1946 when the young draftee was appointed as a temporary Tech Fifth Grade in the 368th station...

Can people be too lazy to grow figs?

The Crowley Signal was part of what it called a “coastal country chorus” urging people to plant fig trees in south Louisiana in the spring of 1909, and the editor could not help but wonder why he had to bring up the subject in the first place.

Rubio to the rescue

The first four months of President Donald Trump’s second term has been a whirlwind of historic progress. From his executive actions to his reciprocal tariffs to his determination to bring peace to the world, President Trump has acted quickly to implement the Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda.

Pope Leo and condemnation of socialism

There has been much speculation as to why the new Pope chose the name Leo.

Numerous reasons to honor our veterans

More than 43 million Americans have served or are currently serving their country — and more than 1.3 million gave the ultimate sacrifice. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 15.8 million U.S. veterans living today — about 6.1 percent of the adult population.

Francophone advocate brought first poppies

The sale of red poppies on Memorial Day began almost immediately after the end of World War I, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields” by Lt. Col. John McCrae, a surgeon in the Canadian army. The poem was a reminder of the valor of the men and women who died in France in the “war to end all wars.”

Ever dream of becoming a cartoonist?

I’m glad most people have abandoned chirping, “See ya in the funny papers.” Because that quaint farewell would reopen old wounds, since folks will definitely NOT be seeing me in the funny papers. You see, 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of my ill-fated attempt to become a professional cartoonist.

More should get expedited processing like the South Africans

I am writing this column on an Amtrak train to Newark. My destination is immigration court, where I will try and obtain asylum for an abused woman from Central America. So you can imagine that I have more than a little interest in the topic of refugees.

How to tame the Ayatollahs

When Ayatollah Khomeini took power in 1979, many believed the Islamic Republic was a short-term glitch in Iran’s history — a theocratic typo soon to be corrected.