Retired state employees have not seen an increase in their monthly pensions since 2001—Rick Perry’s first year as governor—and have come together at the Capitol this month to call for action. more

Every year in late spring, parents of college students all over America travel to university campuses with stylish IKEA storage bags or (in our case) cardboard boxes that once held bulk orders of toilet paper and tortilla chips. When the parents arrive, they joyfully greet their academically-hungover children and start the arduous and sometimes pungent process of “un-dorming.” more

Newton Minow will always be remembered for a 1961 speech in which he described television as a “vast wasteland.” However, late in life he became less concerned about TV’s wastefulness and more troubled by its very vastness. more

It’s that time of year again when dads of daughters all over the country are experiencing severe headaches, watery eyes, shortness of breath and even hives. No, these symptoms are not from seasonal allergies, but from a traumatic phenomenon known as “prom season.” more

As Mother’s Day approaches, it is appropriate that we discuss the physical characteristics, personality traits, coping mechanisms, etiquette rules, life ambitions, etcetera that we inherited from our mothers. more

When Stew Leonard opened what he dubbed a “dairy store” in Norwalk, Conn., in 1969, it was a wonder of marketing, with a petting zoo, animated Disney-style characters and an on-site bottling plant. There were serious retailing strategies as well—a limited product line, attractive house brands, slick promotions and an abundance of free samples. The concepts pioneered in that supermarket are seen today at Trader Joe’s, Costco and Whole Foods. more

“Junior, this year to prepare for ‘Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day’ I want to teach you about all the taxes that you’ll have to pay as a working adult.” more

“An allergy season so bad you don’t need allergies to feel miserable,” blared the headline in the Wall Street Journal. more

On my first trip to India, I visited a remote village outside of Allahabad. There I met a school principal who showed me his “school.” I use the term “school,” because in reality it was nothing more than an abandoned rectangular horse barn with four stalls. Most of the roof was gone and portions of the walls were crumbling down. Despite sitting on dirt floors and sharing books, the students were excited to learn. more

Over the past two years, extremists have been working to ban books in Katy ISD. Many of them don’t even have children who attend Katy ISD schools. Now some of them are running for seats on our school board. more

Folks, “last one in is a rotten egg” applies to more than swimming pools. more

Tax returns were due April 18 and many Americans are surely stressed out as they scramble to get their financial records in order. more

Having two of my semi-grown daughters in college simultaneously has truly been an adventurous journey for our family—the kind where you enjoy amazing new experiences, but your expensive designer luggage gets stolen and you have to request an extra air-sickness bag. more

I will qualify for Medicare coverage in five years and, much to my surprise, I can’t wait to get government health coverage—because my current coverage is pricey. more

The sun is shining today and Spring is upon us. more

Right now, the land echoes with songs such as “Power in the Blood” and “Because He Lives,” but past performance assures me that the ditty waiting in the wings is (apologies to Alice Cooper) “God’s Out for Summer.” more

Katy has experienced significant population growth over the last several years. According to the Katy Economic Development Council, Katy grew from 242,500 to 337,800 households from 2010-12—nearly a 40% increase. more

When my three semi-grown daughters were young (and since I work in the lucrative world of public education), we’d spend our spring break holidays riding bikes to the park, making dad-sized pillow forts in the living room, and raiding the gift shop at the zoo. more

At Texas 2036, we took March 2—Texas Independence Day—to celebrate the 30 million Texans going about their daily lives, contributing in ways large and small to the ongoing miracle known as Texas. more

Everyone should do it at least once in their life. more