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Sound Off

Sound Off: April 21, 2026

By Sun Herald
Fisheries scientist Jim Franks, the longest-serving employee of USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, stands with Jill Hendon in 2016 at the dedication of the research vessel named after him. Hendon was proud to serve as benefactor at the dedication.
Fisheries scientist Jim Franks, the longest-serving employee of USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, stands with Jill Hendon in 2016 at the dedication of the research vessel named after him. Hendon was proud to serve as benefactor at the dedication. USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics.

Jim Franks

Thanks to Anita Lee for the beautiful memorial tribute to Gulf Coast Research Lab fisheries biologist Jim Franks in Sunday’s issue. He was an amazing man. I never knew a single person who said a negative word about him. I was blessed to have him as a GCRL staff member and friend for 40+ years. I hope he knew how many people loved and respected him.

Not so fast

As usual, the Trumplicans were quick to praise Donald Trump for getting the Straight of Hormuz opened up (that he caused to be closed). It lasted a couple of days. Hold the adoration until he actually achieves something other than causing world-wide chaos.

Oops!

All the Sound Off comments patting President Trump on the back in Sunday’s paper for the blockades succeeding to open the strait will have to eat crow. Iran just closed it back. I know, he was just playing.

Psychedelics

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to accelerate research for some psychedelic drugs to treat mental health disorders as recommended by Joe Rogan and RFK Jr. Who better to serve as subject matter experts on mental health than these three? Who needs decades of peer-reviewed research, randomized controlled trials, and institutional review boards when you’ve got a microphone, a supplement stack, and a strong feeling about it? It’s comforting to know the path forward might be charted somewhere between a 3-hour podcast episode and a conversation that starts with, “Have you ever tried this?”

AI

Everything I see that is generated by AI comes with the disclaimer “can make mistakes.” So just how great is this when you can’t trust the information it gives you? If it can’t be fixed, it’s more dangerous than useful.

Actually, it’s not what you voted for

So you think winning in Iran, Venezuela and perhaps Cuba is what you voted for? No, what you voted for was to stay out of foreign wars. That was what Donald Trump promised.

Deep State

So, President Trump is the Deep State? That truly is a mind-blowing level of Trump Derangement Syndrome.

Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.

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