Columns

Why the Blue Cross sale failed

Blue Cross Blue Shield is Louisiana’s largest health insurer, and one of the state’s largest employers. A major effort was undertaken by the Blue Cross Board to sell the whole system to a company called Elevance Health located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Duke and Duchess charmed all

There was a big scandal when King Edward VIII abdicated the British throne in 1936 to marry the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simson. But that was ancient history by the time the couple made an ever-so-brief appearance on Opelousas.

Where do you fall on the sports fan spectrum?

I’m guessing my brother-in-law was underwhelmed by the recent earth-shattering announcement from ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery. I mean, he’s the family member who posted a Facebook meme of Snoopy joyously dancing under the headline “This is me not caring about the Super Bowl.

Memory challenged in the parking lot

Now that my age has surpassed the mid-century mark and I’m more ancient than virtually all professional athletes, everyone in my department at work, and even my pastor at church, I’ve noticed that the old memory is not what it used to . . . . Wait. What was I writing about again?

When Uncle Sam ruled over Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras in 1942 was a pretty bleak affair. Bombs raining on Pearl Harbor had forced a once-reluctant United States into World War II just months before. People had more serious things on their minds than the pranks and pageantry of Carnival. Gov.

Ready for an Apple Vision Pro world?

What an amazing coincidence! Two days after Apple released its much-ballyhooed Vision Pro contraption, Joni Mitchell gave her first Grammy Awards performance.

Thoughts on the Taylor Swift phenomenon

When you poke a hornet’s nest, you expect to get stung. If that hornet’s nest is filled with young girls in spangles and tutus — and their doting parents — you can expect to get skewered. That is exactly what happens if you criticize the social phenomenon known as Taylor Swift.

Here comes the election police

Alright all you Swifties. I have some bad news for you. When you go to the polls to vote for president on election day, no Taylor Swift hats or shirts will be allowed.

Global elite warned about serfdom

Argentine President Javier Milei recently delivered an historic warning to the global elite attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, regarding their efforts to drag the entire global middle class into serfdom.

Using the right Valentine’s Day questions?

While struggling to find a suitable angle for this Valentine’s Day essay, I lucked upon some “Reader’s Digest” clickbait. The article talked about psychologist Arthur Aron’s 1997 study, in which he brainstormed 36 questions (including “What would constitute a ‘perfect’ day for you?