http://www.meridianstar.com en-us Copyright CNHI All Rights Reserved. 5 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:01:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_182010102.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_182010102.html For over 25 years, the primary focus of my professional career has been food. In my personal life, food has played a major role, falling just behind faith, family, and friends. I create, prepare, and sell food for a living. When I’m not working, I’m traveling, eating, and writing about traveling and eating. I eat a lot. When recognized while out of town, I’m often asked, “Aren’t you that guy who eats a lot?” Again, food. I grew up in a modest middle class home, raised by a single working mom, though I never wanted for food. I could probably count on the fingers of one hand the times I’ve been truly hungry— possibly never. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:01:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_182010157.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_182010157.html When the proverbial white smoke appeared above the state Capitol Building on Tuesday and it appeared that lawmakers and Gov. Haley Barbour had reached a compromise on Medicaid to complete the state's budget process, it was evident that while Barbour and the Mississippi Hospital Association had buried the political hatchet - the handle was still sticking up. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:24:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002509.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002509.html Well, here we are. It's not a good position. In fact, some longtime lawmakers have said the state has never pushed it this close to the wire. With less than three days to go, the state lacks a spending plan for the fiscal year that begins Wednesday. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:24:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002426.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002426.html Just when my cynicism sets in, something comes along to shatter it. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:22:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002253.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002253.html I’m a list maker. I even make lists of lists. It’s likely some sort of obsessive compulsive sickness of mine, but it may benefit you today. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:21:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002200.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002200.html Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:21:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002132.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002132.html Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:20:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002049.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_179002049.html Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:53:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171235327.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171235327.html As a veteran educator, I'm often asked, "What do you think about what is going on in our schools?" Such a broad, generic question always gives me pause. As a rule my response is, "To what are you referring?" Why? Because, I know how hard it is to be a teacher or an administrator in our schools today. Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:52:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171235252.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171235252.html Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:50:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171235049.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171235049.html He was my private algebra tutor in school, he taught me when peas were ready to be picked in the summer and he has loved me since I was born... he is my dad. Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:49:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171234948.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171234948.html I heard something kind of shocking on the national news the other day - that only 20 percent of today's college graduates nationwide have a job lined up at the time of their commencement. Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:48:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171234910.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171234910.html It's iPhone season again and I'm contributing to the iPhone hype/noise pollution. Forgive me. At some point in the near future, you may be tempted to pay a small fee to keep from hearing the relentless drone of iPhone-this and iPhone-that. Hopefully you haven't reached that point yet and hopefully I can help you tune out the noise with the facts. Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:48:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171234829.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_171234829.html President Obama’s Presidential Proclamation of June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride month should be read and discussed by all thoughtful Americans. Before this nation ditches heterosexuality as the healthy norm, however, perhaps we should consider where Obama’s attempts to include marriage, adoption rights, and military service to the LGBT community will lead. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:32:00 +0000 http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_170003215.html http://www.meridianstar.com/opinion/local_story_170003215.html