Columns

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.

An apology to a recent college grad

Dear Goddaughter, You nailed it! You graduated from the University of Pittsburgh last week with an excellent academic record. You enjoyed experiences and friendships that you will cherish for the rest of your life. But I must apologize for the world you’re going to inherit.

The dangers of medical marijuana

Is medical marijuana the next Louisiana boondoggle? The current Louisiana legislature seems bent on pushing through extended legislation that enlarges the number of medical conditions marijuana is supposed to treat.

Trump Haters carpet bomb foes

The Trump Haters in Washington are desperate. They can’t find a way to bring down the president, so they’re carpet bombing everyone around him. Their latest victim is Ronny Jackson — the White House doctor the president chose to become the new secretary of Veterans Affairs.

The growing art of American cursing

Get this: the average American can’t get through the day without cursing. So is the finding of a recent 9Round Kickbox Fitness survey, as reported in the New York Post. Why are Americans cursing so much? One reason is stress.

Can you Survive without reading these 21 books?

Not everyone appreciates being told to “chill out” about unmet goals. According to USA TODAY, “GQ” magazine has ignited a firestorm on social media by publishing an article titled “21 Books You Don’t Have To Read.”

Facebook knows what about me?

A chat window opened on my computer screen. A Facebook “friend” I didn’t know began communicating with me. “Happy birthday, Tom!” wrote the woman. “Who told you it was my birthday?” I wrote back. “You did, Tom. You provided that information when you joined Facebook.” “I did?” “Sure, Tom.

Uber and Lyft bill is 'snake" slithering through Legislature

State Capitol denizens have a code name for bills that are truly awful. They call them “snakes.” It’s an apt moniker because such bills tend to slither quietly through the legislative process without the press and public taking notice … until it’s too late.

Tom Purcell

From the moment Mark Zuckerberg began to read his opening statement, you knew he wasn’t going to change Facebook.