My General Interest Newspaper Columns
_Wanted: More Women in Government - America and Mississippi Need More Women Leaders
Tighten Up Every Chance You Get - We Southerners have a unique way of expressing ourselves.
High School Friendships - We have shared experience in common, which trumps all other differences.
Record Number of Women in Congress - 2012 has been a record-setting year for women in politics.
Compromise is Essential for Democracy - The next president and the Congress will need to stop campaigning and find common ground.
A Woman's Place is in the House - This year, a record 297 women filed to run for congressional seats, shattering the previous record of 262 women set in 2010.
Do You Have Olympic Fever? - London is to be congratulated for staging an outstanding 30th Olympiad.
Don't Believe Everything You Read - In today's partisan political environment, many otherwise sane people seem willing to believe the most ridiculous statements if those statements reinforce their preexisting views.
Couch to 5K in Just One Day - As the infomercials say, here’s how it works. First, don’t do any exercise for weeks in advance (or you’ll foil the experiment).
Brotherly Love - My brother Frank was the central character in my childhood.
Remembering Joe Paterno - Should a lifetime of good deeds and moral rectitude be undone by an egregious error in judgment in the twilight of life?
Watching the Political Signs of the Times - If politics makes a good spectator sport, then fasten your seat belt. The next 18 months will be a bumpy ride.
Family Fun Visiting All 50 States - Visiting all these places has certainly been fun and educational. But the real joy of travel is the togetherness. There is no Wii or Nintendo on a trip. And there is no going to a room and shutting the door for privacy. A trip is all about being together, planning together, eating together, doing together.
Big Words - Whether you are perspicacious or pusillanimous, obsequious or obstreperous, laconic or loquacious, enjoy discovering big words as one of life’s little pleasures.
It's Time to Hear from the Better Angels of Our Nature - My greatest fear is not any kooky conspiracy du jour being trumpeted by extremists on the left or the right. It is the loss of Christian charity, civility, decency, decorum, and respect for those who have different views.
A Rare Moment of Unity - When President Obama announced the news of bin Laden’s death, spontaneous patriotic eruptions occurred across America.
State Capitals: Window to America - America’s 50 state capitals provide a window into our nation’s past and a reflection of the cultural mosaic of our country. One of the best ways to discover the rich history, diverse cultures, and varied political traditions of our country is to visit the capitol buildings in our states.
Football is Back! - I have shaken hands with the president, landed on an aircraft carrier and appeared on national television, but all these experiences pale in comparison to winning it all in college football.
Can Government Really Be Good? - Government, despite its flaws, plays an indispensable role in promoting the public good. Government programs (hold onto your hat) are actually improving the lives of all Americans in many ways.
Long Live the Spirit of '76 - Anyone who has watched a segment of Jay Leno’s Jaywalking, where he asks simple history questions that befuddle bystanders on a street, knows that many Americans do not know why we celebrate July the 4th. It is important that we know and understand our country’s history.
Help America's Image Abroad - How we are perceived abroad matters because we need the support of other nations for actions that advance American interests. Otherwise, our efforts to promote international peace and stability could have the opposite, unintended effect.
Understanding China - Building stronger relationships with the Chinese is definitely in America's best interest because China is awakening as a world power economically, politically, and militarily. Moreover, everyday people in China are just plain nice.
I Am Not a Cat Person - As neophyte cat owners, we are mesmerized by their every move. At our house now, there is no need for a radio, a television, a computer or a video game. When we come home, we just sit and watch the kittens. They do not disappoint.
Tighten Up Every Chance You Get - We Southerners have a unique way of expressing ourselves.
High School Friendships - We have shared experience in common, which trumps all other differences.
Record Number of Women in Congress - 2012 has been a record-setting year for women in politics.
Compromise is Essential for Democracy - The next president and the Congress will need to stop campaigning and find common ground.
A Woman's Place is in the House - This year, a record 297 women filed to run for congressional seats, shattering the previous record of 262 women set in 2010.
Do You Have Olympic Fever? - London is to be congratulated for staging an outstanding 30th Olympiad.
Don't Believe Everything You Read - In today's partisan political environment, many otherwise sane people seem willing to believe the most ridiculous statements if those statements reinforce their preexisting views.
Couch to 5K in Just One Day - As the infomercials say, here’s how it works. First, don’t do any exercise for weeks in advance (or you’ll foil the experiment).
Brotherly Love - My brother Frank was the central character in my childhood.
Remembering Joe Paterno - Should a lifetime of good deeds and moral rectitude be undone by an egregious error in judgment in the twilight of life?
Watching the Political Signs of the Times - If politics makes a good spectator sport, then fasten your seat belt. The next 18 months will be a bumpy ride.
Family Fun Visiting All 50 States - Visiting all these places has certainly been fun and educational. But the real joy of travel is the togetherness. There is no Wii or Nintendo on a trip. And there is no going to a room and shutting the door for privacy. A trip is all about being together, planning together, eating together, doing together.
Big Words - Whether you are perspicacious or pusillanimous, obsequious or obstreperous, laconic or loquacious, enjoy discovering big words as one of life’s little pleasures.
It's Time to Hear from the Better Angels of Our Nature - My greatest fear is not any kooky conspiracy du jour being trumpeted by extremists on the left or the right. It is the loss of Christian charity, civility, decency, decorum, and respect for those who have different views.
A Rare Moment of Unity - When President Obama announced the news of bin Laden’s death, spontaneous patriotic eruptions occurred across America.
State Capitals: Window to America - America’s 50 state capitals provide a window into our nation’s past and a reflection of the cultural mosaic of our country. One of the best ways to discover the rich history, diverse cultures, and varied political traditions of our country is to visit the capitol buildings in our states.
Football is Back! - I have shaken hands with the president, landed on an aircraft carrier and appeared on national television, but all these experiences pale in comparison to winning it all in college football.
Can Government Really Be Good? - Government, despite its flaws, plays an indispensable role in promoting the public good. Government programs (hold onto your hat) are actually improving the lives of all Americans in many ways.
Long Live the Spirit of '76 - Anyone who has watched a segment of Jay Leno’s Jaywalking, where he asks simple history questions that befuddle bystanders on a street, knows that many Americans do not know why we celebrate July the 4th. It is important that we know and understand our country’s history.
Help America's Image Abroad - How we are perceived abroad matters because we need the support of other nations for actions that advance American interests. Otherwise, our efforts to promote international peace and stability could have the opposite, unintended effect.
Understanding China - Building stronger relationships with the Chinese is definitely in America's best interest because China is awakening as a world power economically, politically, and militarily. Moreover, everyday people in China are just plain nice.
I Am Not a Cat Person - As neophyte cat owners, we are mesmerized by their every move. At our house now, there is no need for a radio, a television, a computer or a video game. When we come home, we just sit and watch the kittens. They do not disappoint.