Opinion

I grew up in a small town in Southwest Arkansas on a one-mile stretch that included the school district, a local bank, three restaurants, a mom and pop general store and a post office. In some ways, it was a lot like Eureka Springs. I never felt afraid in my home, I knew everybody in town and we all rallied around local causes when needed. Small as it was, the community spirit was certainly alive...

Aries: Feel free to take a chance on Friday, just remember to give one back next week so the “Take a chance, leave a chance” dish isn’t empty for someone else needing it. Taurus: A bird will answer your question on Tuesday. It could cheep, peep, tweet or just flip at you. No matter the method, you’ll get the point...

L-Theanine is an amino acid that I have written about from time to time. I liked it then; I like it even more now. You see, new science was published just last month that clearly shows two new benefits for this amazingly affordable and safe supplement.  But first a short review!...

Full disclosure: It’s 7:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night, I just sat down to write this week’s column and I can’t think of anything worthwhile to write about. This happens every now and then. Writer’s block is pretty common for most writers, or so I tell myself. Nobody is a fountain of creativity all the time, right? If your answer to that question is “no,” please lie to me...

The Lovely County Citizen ran a story last week announcing that Bob Ballinger decided to run for the District 5 Arkansas Senate seat.  Ballinger does not deserve the voters’ support.  He neglected his constituents and is embroiled in a bribery scandal.  ...

Aries: Some days the glass is half-full, other days it is half-empty. On Friday, the universe takes away your glass and replaces it with a Lightning McQueen sippy cup. Try to resist the urge to fill it with vodka. Taurus: Finding the beauty in life is its own reward. Then again, so is finding a bag of unmarked bills hidden in the flower bushes near the playground...

Even though we try to take good care of ourselves and even with the help of good fortune, our bodies bear the brunt of wear and tear every day we live.  Just as everything else is constantly becoming something else so it is true with our bodies as well.  An early signal that this is so is a feeling of tiredness - sort of a sense of deep fatigue...

Growing up, I knew my dad was an alcoholic. I knew that from an early age. My mom raised me on her own and didn’t try to keep things from me, including the reason why my dad wasn’t around very much. I still saw him on holidays or when I’d visit my grandparents, but he certainly wasn’t a regular fixture in my life...

June for years has been considered the month for celebrating Gay Pride  This year, President Trump who previously promised “to do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of the hateful and foreign ideology, believe me!” will speak at the anti-LGBTQ conference “Road to Majority.” This conference is sponsored by the homophobic Faith and Freedom Coalition...

Aries: The sky isn’t falling, but it might be throwing a few spitballs at you on Friday. Carry a fire-proof umbrella or learn to duck, because those suckers flame up on atmosphere re-entry. Taurus: Words not only fail you this week, they slap a pointy dunce hat on you and stick you in the corner. Fortunately, your actions are a lot louder, especially if they’re top-notch...

Cannabidiol oil (CBD) is a fairly new all-natural supplement on the market in all 50 states. In my 20 years I’ve not seen a new supplement take the market by storm and stimulate the hope and possibilities of so many. Like everything nothing is for everyone but the possible benefit(s) is so high and the risk of using is so low it is so easy to understand the excitement of CBD...

This Sunday, Gideon and I decided to do something healthy. We spend most Sundays playing Wahoo and eating tacos, but we thought maybe we’d earn those tacos with a hike. Off we went to Lake Leatherwood City Park to explore one of the many trails we’ve come to love in Eureka Springs...

I want to thank our newspapers for doing a great job covering the news: international, national, state and local! However, you missed a stitch on May 27. You covered the Jesus Parade with lovely photos but not one picture of the Joy in Diversity and Love parade right after the Jesus Parade...

Aries: Look deep inside and do some mental housecleaning. In the couch cushions of your mind, you’ll find an old Blockbuster receipt, two ancient Skittles and a weird memory from summer camp. Toss all of that, spray a little Febreze and you’re fresh as a daisy for the weeks ahead...

I’ve found a supplement that is shown to be excellent for pre-diabetics, type 2 diabetics and also for those with high cholesterol. This is clinically studied in people and tested in the laboratory. The herbal supplement is called Berberine which has been used by the old grannies and now has been discovered by medical science. ...

About a month ago, I had a bad week ... the kind of week that makes you want to dig a hole in the ground, crawl in and stay for a couple hundred years. It was so bad that I started to re-evaluate everything I’ve ever done or will do in my life. Like most people who have anxiety-driven existential crises, I realized I was the root of the problem. My solution? Exercise more...

Something I have always wondered about is why Eureka Springs doesn’t fly more U.S. flags celebrating Memorial Day, July 4th and Veterans Day. The Doughboy War Memorial sculpture in Basin Park was placed as a memorial after World War I to honor the local men who served this country...

Aries: You don’t have to worry about a fox in the henhouse, but you should be concerned about the wombat in the dishwasher. He doesn’t have any experience in plumbing, so you really should call a professional. And a zookeeper. Taurus: The bull is slow to anger, which is good, but you’re also slow in everything else, too. Congratulations on making your sweetie happy and finally taking the Christmas lights down...

I don’t like ticks. Ticks carry many different disease-causing agents and spread them through their attachment to our bodies. This is called vectoring. I’m surprised at how itchy and long-lasting the bite can be. I’m humbled by the tick and how well it does its ugly job...

Like many women, I grew up leery of using the f-word. I’m not talking about the four-letter word that rhymes with truck. In truth, I come from a family where profanity is used pretty regularly and not considered taboo. The f-word I’m talking about is a little longer and a lot more polarizing: feminism...

Dear Editor, Let’s make America a disgrace again. - David Marry Alice in Wonderland explains my angst in the days of Cheetolini (People ask why I call him that: Before his hairstylist got to him, his hair was orange and he models himself after the Italian Fascist Mussolini):...

Aries: If something goes awry, all is not lost. It’s simply misplaced. Look for your ambition under the sofa, and check the medicine cabinet for your courage. Whatever you do, leave the bottom drawer in the fridge alone. Taurus: On Tuesday, you’ll awaken with a start, which is more exercise than you’ve had in weeks. Keep that heart pounding with a brief jog or by looking at the interest on your student loans...

I’ve written about the travails of using prescribed/OTC drugs for reducing acid reflux (GERD, heartburn) several times. This group of drugs is very commonly used daily and is in fact one of the biggest selling and profit making pills ever. The group is called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). ...

Dear Editor, Coming on the heels of the horrendous health care bill passed by the House on May 4, Sen. Hatch’s remarks add insult to injury and the American people deserve an apology. He stated,  “The public wants every dime they can be given. Let’s face it, once you get them on the dole, they’ll take every dime they can. We’ve got to find some way of getting things under control or this country and your future is going to be gone.”...

Aries: One small step for man usually means you’ll be zapped by the time you reach the doorknob. Pick up your feet before you fry your nose hair. Taurus: Tuesday will be an exercise in humility. Do enough reps, and you can yell out at the gym “Bro, do you even lift?” Which will cancel out your humility, and you’ll have to start over...

While most all prescribed drugs affect the absorption of certain nutrients whether from food or supplementation, most people are unaware. In fact, the lopsided biased healthcare system typically only warns about nutritional supplements interfering with the prescription drugs.  Wrong headed, I think...

For future reference, if you offer a rain date for “Yards and Yards of Yard Sales” and the forecast guarantees rain, you move everybody to the rain date — you don’t call all the participants and ask them which weekend they would like to do it. This event has grown, and people come from other states to shop, especially dealers. ...

Aries: Variety is the spice of life, but you’ve added way too much garlic and cilantro to your mix. Your breath might keep cuties away, but it will also kill vampires on contact, so at least there’s a bright side. Taurus: If your reach exceeds your grasp, don’t give up. You’re finally showing some ambition, you just need to do some yoga so you can explore the top shelf. Hint: That’s where they keep the really good stuff...

Cortisol and DHEA are two hormones closely associated with health, sickness and weight gain. Whether eating to fill an emotional need or grabbing fast food simply because there’s no time to prepare something healthy, a stressed-out lifestyle is rarely a healthy one. ...

This past Saturday, my friend Kelby and I went to Fayetteville. We got caught in the heavy rains halfway through the day and decided to come back to Eureka. The drive wasn’t horribly stressful, but I could tell we both worried a bit trying to navigate the road to get back to Highway 412. I didn’t say anything. Kelby didn’t say anything. I think we both thought we’d feel less anxiety if we just shoved it down and pushed through the storm...

Editor, Cheers to all the landlords who maintain their rentals with integrity, so their tenants may live in comfort and with dignity. — Allan Margolies I suppose I should be grateful. I am fully awake now. I see the slimy darkness as it oozes out from underneath the rocks at my feet. I am galvanized for the fight of my life and I welcome the other light warriors who march in solidarity beside me...

Aries: You have a mind that just won’t quit, but it really needs to take a coffee break before it has a meltdown. Give your brain a day off before you end up heavily medicated and holding crayons with your toes. Taurus: A day without you is like a day without sunshine. Let those around you have a nice, rainy afternoon watching Netflix and eating pizza. After all, they can’t miss you if you’re not gone, and they’ll unlock the garage door for you in the morning...

When I was a kid tromping around the Everglades, I was careful to step around the saw palmetto plant. It wasn’t for the reason of protecting the hardy plant, which is in the palm family but because the diamondback rattlesnake would often wrap itself under the low fronds and be very difficult to see. Little did I know then the benefit of those odd-looking berries that the saw palmetto produced...