Columns

The real reason Fetterman defeated Dr. Oz

This is addressed to the people who remain in a state of shock after Pennsylvania voters chose John Fetterman to represent them in the U.S. Senate come January. Many have said that the reason Fetterman won is that Pennsylvanians did not like the “inauthenticity” of his opponent, Mehmet Oz.

Loss brings meaning to Thanksgiving

Is the glass half empty or half full? In my experience it’s always been half full — and that’s one of many things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving.

SOS to Apple: Hey, Siri fix this

A sheriff’s deputy roared into our driveway the other morning, rang the bell, and asked my wife if she knew my whereabouts. Alarmed at first, then puzzled, Amy answered honestly: “He’s gone over to the Apple Store to see if they can fix his iPhone.

‘Liberating’ Cuban turned dangerous ‘

It caught the imaginations of dozens of optimistic adventurers from south Louisiana when Narcisco Lopez led an ill-fated invasion to wrest Cuba from the Spanish Empire in 1851. It was the era of Manifest Destiny, the belief that expansion of the United States was inevitable.

Laughs to ease your election pain

This week half the country will be upset by the midterm election results and half will be elated. Regardless, politics is causing every one of us more stress than it ought to, but, believe it or not, there is, hopefully, still some humor that we can all enjoy.

Returning an issue to legislators

At the time it was handed down, the nation’s editorial pages generally condemned the United States Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision.

Afraid of missing out on Veterans Day?

Murphy’s Law being what it is, whether you’re talking about a surprise party, a romantic getaway or visiting an acquaintance in the hospital, good intentions don’t always pan out. The same goes for the intention to carry out a proper observation of Veterans Day.

Loggers prayed as fervently as farmers

In the late 1800s, before narrow-gauge railroads crisscrossed the piney woods of southwest Louisiana, loggers prayed just as fervently as farmers for just the right amount of rain. It wasn’t because they wanted the trees to grow. It was so that they could get their logs to the sawmills.

Thurber’s Tail: Halloween safety tips for pets

I love Halloween and all the fun and the silliness it entails. However, as a new dog dad — my lovable Labrador, Thurber, is in his 22nd month — I’m learning that our beloved pets face no small number of Halloween risks that we must protect them from.

Early voting or squirrely voting?

I’m proud of my son Gideon for doing his civic duty and casting a vote for the first time. (This comes mere months after he did his civic duty and signed up for Selective Service.