Columns

Downsizing: 20 mirthful years

My son thought I was kidding him, but I really am writing about the lighter side of the 20th anniversary of being downsized out of my previous “day job.” Was my termination a surprise?

The highs and lows of Billy Cannon

Billy Cannon died last week. He was a Louisiana sports legend. There are some things you just don’t forget. Where were you on 9/11, or when President John Kennedy was shot.

The Democrats’ unimpeachable stupidity

Don’t sweat North Korea. Don’t sweat the postponement of the Singapore Summit. My bet is that it’s just one of many bumps, blips and stumbles that will happen before the Trump administration and that evil dictatorship agree to a historic deal.

No rope burns, just lots of rhythm

When the St. Landry Parish community of Sunset unveiled a giant rubboard May 22, it celebrated a distinctive form of music that was born in south Louisiana and an instrument described as “one of only four true musical instruments that are original to the United States.

For Memorial Day: Serving those who serve us

Every Memorial Day, we remember those who died during active military service. But the day gives us a special opportunity to serve those who serve us. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly 42 million American men and women have served during wartime. Nearly 1.

State budgets imploding across America

State budgets imploding across America There is smoke billowing out of many state capitals all across America today, as their budgets are facing historic squeezes that have resulted in their K-12 teachers striking for more pay — their university presidents pleading for no more budget cuts — their...

The evolving American prom

The more the American prom changes, the more it stays the same. The modern prom, reports Slate, “may be traced to the Ivy League and the annual tradition of a ‘presentation week,’ during which formal dress and dancing accompanied a promenade concert.

Longing for the old, wooden stereo console

Editor Note: A prior version of this column was distributed by Cagle Cartoons in 2014. If you run this column, please mention that it is an excerpt from Tom Purcell’s humorous book, “Misadventures of a 1970s Childhood,” available at Amazon.com.

Mother’s Day reminder of humor’s value

“You’ve lost your sense of humor, and you need to get it back!” Such was the admonishment my mother gave me many times over the years when one of life’s temporary failures gave me license to indulge in self-loathing.

Priority one: Protecting our communities

As our Constitution provides, it is my duty as the newly appointed United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” We are a nation of laws, designed to promote and foster an environment where citizens can live in safety and security.