Columns

Modern communications: Hung up on rudeness

Changing communications technology is one of life’s never-ending annoyances, and now we have a new agitation: voice messaging. Voice messaging allows smartphone owners to record their voice and send the recording to others as they would a text or a chat.

America shouldn’t hand economic leadership to China

Globalization has its benefits but, after COVID, it might be time to consider just how much of America’s economic activity we want to continue to share with other countries.

Are you cool with surveillance cameras?

At my day job, we recently underwent a major upgrade of our security cameras. Yes, shoplifting has gotten bad enough and technology has gotten good enough that we have made this major investment.

Cajun Indians are part of Mowata story

Several weeks ago, I reported the oft-told story that the Mowata community in Acadia Parish got its name because nobody could find a board long enough to print the original name of Morewater. I have long suspected that the story was suspect, but had never heard anything to contradict it.

Things are not cool in California

In California, a historic heat wave has exposed yet again what big idiots the politicians in Sacramento are. To prevent daily rolling blackouts in Beverly Hills like the ones they have in places like Ghana, Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked us to not use electricity between 4 and 9 p.m.

La. Democrats betray Jefferson and Jackson

I don’t know about you, but I have always loved to read and study Louisiana history. When it comes to examining the giant political figures that had a direct bearing on the stature and even the survival of Louisiana as an American state, two individuals stand head and shoulders above all others.

M*A*S*H, Maude and Kung Fu all turn 50

I didn’t watch all of them from the very beginning, but several significant TV shows debuted in the fall of 1972. “The Bob Newhart Show” starred Bob Newhart (who turned 93 on September 5) as psychologist Bob Hartley. Bob’s trademark stammer didn’t seem all that noticeable to me.

Trouble on the road to anywhere

Back in the days when there were no NFL games to keep us glued to the screen of our choice, we regularly piled into my Dad’s old Pontiac on a pleasant Sunday afternoon to take a ride in the country.

The danger of silencing words

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, some of them endearing, most of them not. When Barack Obama referred to conservatives like me as people who cling to our guns and religion, I was offended.

Health care insurance confusion

I’m confused. I got the flu a few months ago, the worst flu I’d ever had. It wasn’t COVID — I have never tested positive for COVID — but it was a humdinger. For more than a week, I was a lump on a bed, completely unable to move or do anything.