Every year, polls show that a large number of Americans don’t know why we celebrate Memorial Day. more

In a much-anticipated chess match in February, 1996, the world champion Garry Kasparov faced IBM’s Deep Blue, the most advanced chess-playing machine. Kasparov lost the first game but went on to win the match in Philadelphia, 4-2. It was humanity’s proudest moment in competition pitting man vs. machine. more

May is National Foster Care Month, which is a time to celebrate the families who provide a vital role in the safety net for children who have suffered from maltreatment. Foster families across our community provide safe and loving homes for children who need love and support the most. more

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

You may recall that when the 88th Texas Legislative Session commenced this past January, our state elected officials declared that supporting school district efforts to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers would be a top priority. In fact, Governor Abbott charged the Texas Education Agency with developing a Teacher Vacancy Task Force to recommend such policy by the conclusion of the session. Right alongside that very important objective, was school safety. If recent tragedies have taught our state anything, it is that being prepared and equipped for the unimaginable, is of the utmost importance for our school communities. 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

State legislators can take a simple but important step to improve access to mental health care by authorizing Texas to join the Interstate Counseling Compact—currently a group of 25 states who allow Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) the privilege to practice in-person and via telehealth across state lines. 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

To the Editor: It is unfortunate that those who espouse traditional family values, love our country, and want to protect children from obscene and harmful materials in our schools are labeled as … more

Texas boasts a thriving economy, now ranking as the ninth largest in the world. However, to ensure that all Texans benefit from this growth, we must provide modern-day infrastructure in the form of broadband internet, much like the farm-to-market roads of the past. 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

As Texans, we celebrate unique holidays that pay tribute to the extraordinary history of our state and the courageous individuals who shaped it. There’s Texas Independence Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Emancipation Day, and San Jacinto Day, which we’ll celebrate on Friday, April 21. 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