Category Archives: Opinions
Magical LUKE arm
Two veterans have received what is being called the world’s most advanced commercial prosthetic — the LUKE arm. Short for Life Under Kinetic Evolution, the 
LUKE allows them to do everything from handling tools and cooking to gift wrapping a present and eating a single grape.
Sometimes the Department of Veterans Affairs really steps up to fix a problem, and this is one of those times. Eight years ago, the VA hooked up with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to create a prosthetic that could do multiple functions at
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Summertime on Grandmama’s back porch
It was summer, hot, humid and Gradmama wanted some peaches. Every summer as long as she was physically able, we canned peaches for the winter. She’d send Uncle 
Walter or Wesley Campbell up into the sand hills where the peach orchards were, and they’d come home with a bushel of ripe, not hard, peaches at their peak.
They knew when all the different varieties came in and knew a lot of the growers.
I remember one particular day. We’d had breakfast. Once the cantaloupes started coming in, we’d eat one every day.
They’d be lined up on the shelf on the back porch, and Grandmama would send a
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When life makes no sense
There are times we become confused and will not be able to figure out a way to solve our problems. Life is not always a smooth interstate, and it’s good to remember that God is with us when we encounter unexpected roadblocks and detours. In these 
stressful situations, we can know that delays do not necessarily mean denial, but could be an opportunity for us to stretch our faith and learn more about trusting God. There is a fascinating story found in Genesis chapter 22 about a man named Abraham and his wife, Sarah. They were not able to have children and were now in their 90s, but one day an angel came to them and
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Why do we always say no?
Far too many of us say no to help when we’re discharged from the hospital or rehab, even though studies have shown that too often we end up even worse off when we 
refuse home health care. Why do we make these choices?
• The situation isn’t correctly explained to us. Worse is if the hospital doesn’t understand the Medicare guidelines and doesn’t offer us home health care. There’s a difference between “home care” and “home health care.” One involves skilled care and the other personal care. If we’re on
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Everything is meant to be eaten
Somewhere on Fowler Farm is a tally stick with five marks on it. I believe this because Boomer, our boxer pup, must be keeping up with the number of door mats he has destroyed.
And I mean completely destroyed. The first two were the woven rope mats. Once he discovered they were chewable, he began making inroads on the perimeters. Once he managed to detach one end, he busily set about unraveling the rope. It didn’t take long.
I came home to find the front porch covered with frayed bits of rope, scattered pretty evenly.
So I hopefully went to town to find something that would hold up to his attentions
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Courier Letters to the Editor 6-28-17
Tribute to the stars and stripes
Dear Editor,
In celebration of the 4th, here’s something for all of those who love our nation that I wrote just for you.
Long may she wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave. Oh red, white and blue-striped noble banner star-spangled, here’s to you.
Keep waving proudly over our land all through the brightest day or darkest of night over our land, united we stand! God-denying, Christian-hating Communists would
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Study: Mild exercise won’t do the trick
Some of us suspected it was too good to be true: that mild exercise of any type was good for us and helped us live longer. A new study shows that, unfortunately, we may be right.
New research out of Brigham Young University (published in Preventive Medicine journal) shows that we can slow the type of aging that happens in cells if we do intense exercise. (Not what I had in mind. How about you?) To quote from one
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Can you believe this is true?
There was a news tidbit that came my way that frankly didn’t seem believable. Apparently, there are adults running around loose on the street that believe chocolate milk comes from brown cows. Really. Who could make that up?
Also, many fifth-graders don’t know pickles are made from cucumbers, French fries are made from potatoes and, last, but certainly not least, hamburger meat is made from beef.
That’s right. And not just children fall into the category of food source ignorance.
In addition, there are many people who don’t know cheese is made from milk.
They don’t know raisins are dried grapes
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Letters to the Editor
Not solving the problem
Dear Editor,
I read the Pickens County School Board passed its budget, raising property taxes 2 mills. This was approved in a 4-2 vote, with Brian Swords, Shannon Haskett, Betty Bagley and Betty Garrison voting for the tax hike. This follows a slight tax increase in
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The bond of love we have with our pets
Within two weeks of each other, my son and daughter-in-law took both of their dogs to the vet to end their suffering.
Juno and Bishop were so loving and gentle. They were rescued a few years ago, but 
sadly they both had recently been diagnosed with cancer. It’s very difficult to go through this, but our sincere love and respect does not to want to see them suffer. When my wife and I would visit, Juno would always bring us this huge chew bone, and Bishop would wrap his legs around ours like he was hugging us. Of course, my son and his wife are very upset, and we can definitely relate, as we have also said goodbye to several dogs through the years. I
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