http://www.meridianstar.com en-us Copyright CNHI All Rights Reserved. 5 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:15:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_202001624.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_202001624.html Picture this childhood playground scene: Little Billy sits in the sandbox with his friends. With his legs crossed, scowl on his face, he says: "I'm not playing with them until they play fair. And until then, we're not only not playing, but we're also gonna tell everyone how ugly their momma is." Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:13:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_202001344.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_202001344.html The issue facing the Mississippi Legislature is really very simple. Do we want to continue to collect about $200 million a year from hospitals to help fund the Medicaid program - just as we have done for years - or do we want to reduce those payments by $90 million a year, diverting that money from other priorities such as education, public safety and, indeed, other health care programs? Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:07:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_202001248.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_202001248.html Bonita Lakes Mall plans to start enforcement of its new Youth Escort Policy on Friday. I think it's sweet that the mall wants family members to shop together on the weekends, rather than separate, but this policy seems a little draconian to me. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:34:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_195003432.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_195003432.html A trip to the gas pump has never been fun, but now it is downright painful. When gas prices hit the one dollar mark in the 1980’s it was an outrage. When the price hit two dollars, the outcry would make one think the world was coming to an end. Even though we griped loud and hard, we didn’t do anything to change our enormous appetite for gasoline. Then the price hit three dollars – and we hardly said a word. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:32:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_195003233.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_195003233.html I've obviously been out of high school longer than I care to admit – that, or radical changes have occurred in a very short amount of time. The high school pressures I recall revolved around staying out of trouble, being well-liked, and having a date to prom. Being smart and doing well were considered cool at my high school, but I never remember losing sleep over it. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:30:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_195003146.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_195003146.html Trial lawyers caught bribing judges and public officials?! Say it ain’t so. Unfortunately, other than a headline or two, the story of Dickie Scruggs’ trial and prosecution hasn’t incited near the outrage it should. Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:06:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_181000720.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_181000720.html Multi Grammy-award winning artist Usher knows a thing or two about entertaining. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:48:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_173234927.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_173234927.html Father’s Day 2008 is one I will long remember. For me, it started some weeks ago when my son, Scotty, called and said, “Hey, Dad, I’ve got a great idea for Father’s Day. Let’s go to a game in Fenway Park.” Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:43:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_173234342.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_173234342.html Citing the often misused phrase “separation of church and state”, the ACLU has threatened to sue the state of South Carolina for authorizing a license plate with the words I Believe above the image of the Cross. Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:05:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_167010614.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_167010614.html On June 4th many newspapers around the world led with the story that Barack Obama had gathered enough delegates to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination. Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:04:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_167010451.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_167010451.html Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:01:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_167010215.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_167010215.html Throughout my childhood, my father told stories— wonderful, marvelous, elaborate stories, and although they were bedtime stories they never put me to sleep. Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:00:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_167010115.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_167010115.html There’s an old saying that goes something like this: All good things must come to an end. Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:35:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_159233716.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_159233716.html A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about taking up the game of golf and the frustration I felt because I wasn’t able to quickly grasp the game. As a kid, I played volleyball, basketball and softball. Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:32:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_159233345.html http://www.meridianstar.com/columns/local_story_159233345.html Remarkable. Inspirational. Courageous. Such descriptors have become almost clicheish these days, meaning they are very often applied to good, solid people, rather than being reserved for the truly extraordinary.