I first heard the acronym KISS from a physics professor at Northwestern. I had come home for the summer and was knocking out a few core requirements through their 3-week summer courses. This guy teaching the class was a bit crazy but a really great teacher. He had to deal with people taking science classes that just were absolutely not cut out for critical thinking. So that said, he was probably much more sane than the rest of us.

When a student was just really over complicating things he would tell them KISS — Keep it simple, stupid!

Ok, not the most politically correct statement, but he had a point. Since then I’ve heard this over and over again usually as either ‘Keep it Short and Simple’ or “Short and Sweet”. No matter what words you choose, the idea is the same — good outcomes come from simple, straightforward, and to the point ideas that use easy to attain, easy to implement plans to make things happen.

I absolutely believe that this is the mindset we need for successful development here in Cenla. I’m really tired of every new idea requiring studies, and conferences, and committees, and consultants, and millions of dollars and wasted years for something that otherwise should be a really simple idea.

Half the time when (and if) a project ever does come to fruition it’s been so many years since it was originally discussed that we think it’s something completely new. As my British friends would say — Bollocks!

I believe the core of progressive development in a community of our size lies in the hands of the people. Not to say we can do everything. There is certainly quite a bit that must be done at the government level. However we can do a lot!

I plan to post a series of threads on here under the KISS topic. They will be ideas for simple improvements we can make — for development of our economy and community that really needs very little help from the powers that be.

This is my call to action to you Cenla — let’s keep it simple, straight-forward, short and sweet, and make some positive changes happen!

I hope you will all comment on my ideas, and I would like to be able to showcase any ideas of others out there. So if you have an idea for something that is short, sweet, and something you’re interested in making happen yourself — send me an email ward at lexiconbusiness dot com (sorry bot safety).

Will the long sought after East-West corridor ever become a reality in Central Louisiana? Two seperate groups are fighting for it.

The current prosal for 1-14 from near El-Paso to SC via LA, MS, AL, and Ga would be the equivalent of a transportation tripple bypass for the communities along its planned route, but how real is the reality?

We will be discussing the project, the past, the future, and the realities of I-14 with government, business, and industry leaders.

Development of Alternative fuel production and trading could yield the much sought after economic boom Central Louisiana has long yearned for. With Shreveport, Lafayette, Baton Rouge and the rest of the Gulf Coast communities still bathing in the commerce created by the region’s oil boom of the 1960’s and 70’s, Alexandria and the rest of Cenla have Languished economically. The need for leaner, greener sources of fuels could find Alexandria at the center of this century’s petroleum boom.

We’ve done some research and Linguistics has proven…Louisianians are right! It’s p’uh’cans and pr’ah’lines.

We’ll tell you why. That way when someone says peecann you can set them straight!

The Current is tackling an issue that no one in Cenla seems willing to touch — the stink!

We are working on a series that will consider the negative economic impact of environmental issues in our area. In particular, we will look at the effects of the airborne pollution caused by Roy O. Martin’s Colfax Creosote plant and International Paper’s Craft Paper Mill on the metro area.

We are working with the EPA and several other groups to consider the health risks and implications of this pollution.

The big question we are asking is whether the smell of our downtown region is a factor in its slow development.

Are people getting out of their car, taking a wiff and going to the next town?

Please let us know what you think.

Working in Cenla

Do you make minimum wage? We want to talk to you. We are currently working on a series of articles that will provide a very clear picture of wage and benefit levels in Cenla. We are working very closely with the areas top employers, national labor organizations, and government. We hope to provide the most complete expose on this subject the area has ever seen.

How will they vote?

Louisiana Legislators plan to introduce yet another round of state minimum wage bills this session. And, some expect them pass. We are interviewing the authors, supporters, and opponents of current and past legislation. We are also talking with various lobbies and special interest groups in the state to find out what they will and will not support and why.

How we stack up.

We will feature a series of reports comparing Cenla to other labor markets and compare pay and benefit levels, quality of life, and value of wages. We will also discuss the effects of local minimum wage laws with communities who have been affected by them.

Have we missed something? Let us know…