Columns

Talk of U.S. taking Greenland leaves me cold

Right after graduating from high school, my father enlisted in the Army. He had no idea they would be sending him to the other end of the world, a place where there were six months of darkness and six months of midnight sun.

Multiple reasons for a bad week for America

A number of current and former public officials took it on the chin this past week. Much of the criticism was justified, but there was overkill in several of the high profile cases.

Sulphur made a fortune, kept roaches at bay

It was big news across south Louisiana when the Union Sulphur Company announced in January 1925 that its fabulous mines in Calcasieu Parish had been shut down.

Snow brings out the best in us

I love the snow. I love how it forces us to slow down and take pause. I especially love how a good snowfall puts Washington, D.C., into panic mode, as it has again this week, causing federal office buildings to shut down.

Remember that deluxe apartment in the sky-y-y?

In 2007 the farmers cooperative for which I work relocated its maintenance shop from the back lot to a building with actual road frontage. As editor of the company newsletter, I couldn’t resist reporting the change with the headline “We’re movin’ on up.”

In era of expect the unexpected, one decision did shock

To say that it was an interesting year is to say that the Earth rotates around the sun, something that isn’t as slam dunk as it would appear. Ask Galileo.

Pay attention if you hear a rooster crow

In the days before Powerball and other Win Big schemes began to inspire visions of instant wealth, the best way to get rich quick in Louisiana was to find buried treasure. In my experience it has probably been the only way — aside from finding oil on the old family farm.

Will Rogers knew Congress too well

As we head into the New Year, the approval ratings of the U.S. Congress are still at historic lows. After bottoming out at 12% last February, Congressional approval is now hovering at a sorry 17%.

Trump tweets the merry out of Christmas

Will somebody please tell Donald Trump he won? I’m sure he’s seen the official results by now. I’m sure he knows he’ll be moving back into the White House on January 20. But he’s still acting like he’s on the campaign trail.

It is not a dumb idea to buy Greenland

President Trump stirred up a hornet’s nest recently as he proposed that the U.S. try to buy Greenland. Many political observers rolled their eyes. Buy another country? Has the Prez thrown out another wacky suggestion and is this really a good idea? Actually, yes.