Columns

When Mardi Gras collided with a blizzard

Big preparations had been afoot for weeks for Mardi Gras celebrations across south Louisiana in 1899. It was to be especially festive because Mardi Gras fell on Valentine’s Day that year. Nobody anticipated that what may have been the worst blizzard ever to hit the state would undo it all.

Yes, we Eagles fans are fanatics

Twenty-six years ago, members of a California-based cult named Heaven’s Gate committed suicide because they thought the comet Hale Bopp, which was passing close to earth in its 4,000 year orbit across the universe, was actually a space ship that would take them home to paradise.

Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease

I returned a message from my friend I’ve known for many years. He was calling to tell me goodbye. He told me he was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and didn’t know how his memory would hold up in the weeks to come. What do you say to a colleague in such a condition?

Hard landings v. soft landings

It is important to know the history of government spending, supply and demand, economic growth, and debt as they are all connected in controlling “Price Stability”—which avoids inflation and/or deflation.

Just how clean is your vehicle?

Who needs forensics and gunfire? My wife and I have been catching up on episodes of “The Mysteries of Laura,” the 2014-2016 NBC series starring Debra Messing. Forget murders and chases.

A distinctive sound of history

If I had to nominate one sound that epitomized the history of south Louisiana, I would be mightily tempted to suggest the chuff-chuff, chuff-chuff, chuff-chuff-chuff of a steam locomotive leaning into its load as it pulled out of a depot or freight yard.

Abortion never ceases to be an issue

I’m sure that regular readers of this column think all I ever talk about, write about, ruminate on and care about is abortion.

We all need heroes in our lives!

I’m a Tina Turner fan, but she got it wrong in her hit a few years back called “We don’t need another hero.” The song goes on to say: We don’t need to know the way home, ooh All we want is life beyond Thunderdome.

Grateful for National Freedom Day

It’s one of the best days of the year and we owe our gratitude to the remarkable man who made it possible. Feb. 1 is National Freedom Day and its origin is as wonderful as is freedom itself.

Ready for history’s Valentine hall of shame?

Not everyone does Valentine’s Day well. A significant number of people are too unromantic, lazy, cheap or unimaginative to make the best of the occasion. Don’t despair if you fall into one of those categories. Some of the most prominent people in history have been romantic duds.