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Local film festival doubles as ‘economic engine’
The Ozark Foothills FilmFest is celebrating its 12th anniversary April 3-7 with the showing of more than 30 films offering, as usual, a wide variety of choices. Two really catch my eye, although I am not a movie buff, with both of those having a …
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Gardening woes
Spring is rapidly approaching and I for one can’t wait. I despise the winter months. There is nothing about ice, sleet or snow that appeals to me. In fact I had a good laugh this year at all the people who were hollering for a …
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Objects of my affection
Do you ever wonder what your stuff says about you? After reading the book “The Things That Matter” by Nate Berkus I started thinking about all those objects we place such importance on and what things, if time permitted, I would rescue from a burning …
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Congress: Munchausen by proxy
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, now referred to as Factious Disorder by Proxy or FDbP, is where a parent or caretaker enjoys the attention of having a sick child so they exaggerate and sometimes induce their victim’s symptoms. Children are made to be sick; parents are …
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Gangsta’ government and the GOP
America’s founding fathers were beholden to the odd notion that the best prevention against a tyrannical leader or mob rule was the simple yet effective system of checks and balances. Presently, a nominal Republican majority in the House of Representatives is the only thing keeping …
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Who owns the news?
Who owns the news? The glib answer is “no one.” But of course, the full answer is more complicated than that. Famously, news is “who, what, when, where and why” — the “five Ws.” That mantra was drilled into the minds of generations of journalists, …
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Internet piracy: Is the free ride over?
Yes, I dutifully affix my copyright notice to my column each week, and I’ve been known to notify the syndicate of suspected unauthorized use; but I haven’t gotten anywhere near as persnickety (or creepy) as the entertainment industry. According to CBS News, the motion picture …
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Not The Onion
Separating satire from real news requires an advanced degree these days. When Jon Stewart becomes the most trusted newsman for millennials, the line between the evening news and The Onion gets blurry, so perhaps we shouldn’t laugh so loudly at old Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky …
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Newspapers are the future
As a teaching tool newspapers are as important as any textbook or website used in school. But call me biased. Just as coffee with dessert after dinner was common with friends coming over to visit my parents when I was a youngster, so was the …
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First woman elected U.S. Senator
Hattie Wyatt Caraway will go down in American history as the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate. And, it was Arkansas voters who made it happen back in 1932. In November 1931, Caraway was appointed by Arkansas Gov. Harvey Parnell to fill the vacancy …
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‘Treasure’ found at Calico Rock Museum
“During construction at the Calico Rock Museum today, we discovered a treasure. No, it wasn’t a pot of gold or old bank notes worth a fortune, unfortunately. When disassembling the stairs, we discovered a handwritten note on one of the stair stringers — the board …
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I’m not crazy — I’m on the phone
A few months ago, many of the functions of my cell phone quit working and I was forced to get a new one. I like the new one but I hate having to figure everything out again and I kept accidentally hanging up on people …
