Things I Worry About… By William Franklinbillstjamespl@gmail.com   When I was young I was a kind of true believer. Though I knew Santa was a hoax I assumed a lot of the rest of the things I heard about might in fact be true. So to some degree I worried if I thought there might […]

Dear Portia Advice to the Lovelorn, the Drastically Distracted and the Deeply Disgruntled   Dear (Be still, my heart!) Portia, Though usually reticent, I feel led, perhaps even compelled, to express the feelings that burgeoned within me upon reading your interview with the Editor in a recent issue of the Ojo.  Your pithy and trenchant

Depression! By An Anonymous Contributor   Scientists have long known that spending time with loved ones is good for our long-term health and may reduce our risk of cognitive decline, whereas loneliness is linked to high blood pressure, inflammation and a weakened immune system. But why exactly does loneliness have such bad effects on our health and well-being?

Bridge By The Lake By Ken Masson   One of the great attractions of bridge is that no matter how much you play the game you are highly unlikely to ever see the same deal twice and there is always a new challenge to overcome. This intriguing hand was played in a match-point game at

Profiling Tepehua By Moonyeen KingPresident of the Board for Tepehuamoonie1935@yahoo.com   High above Chapala Lake sits pueblo San Pedro Itzican, past Mezcala in Poncitlan. It has approximately 6,000 inhabitants, about 12 % of whom are illiterate. Homes range from modest to hovels with varying degrees of amenities. There is no clinic, no doctor, but it is

If Our Pets Could Talk By Jackie Kellum   Do dogs really have to ‘run free’ in order to get the benefit of exercise? While researching this topic, many resources written by reputable dog organizations and professional dog trainers address this subject. Almost unanimously they state it is ‘nice’ for a dog to run free,

Ramblings From The Ranch   About two years ago, Bill and Melanie adopted our Maggie Mae. She wasn’t a dog we expected to be adopted, having been at the Ranch about six years. And during that time her personality had changed. Usually she was friendly and loving with everyone, but during her last few years

Post From The Palace By Margie Harrell   As I sifted through the usual junk mail and utility bills one envelope caught my eye. It’s not every day you see the Queen of England’s coat of arms on your mail. If it was an advertising gimmick they had my attention. Weeks earlier, on a whim,

Welcome to Mexico By Victoria Schmidt Saving Time?   Mexico moves forward to Daylight Savings Time on April 7, 2019. The USA and Canada have already moved forward. This puts us in the twilight zone of time. When we call friends and family, we have to make sure we take into account that their normal

Selma Movie Review by Tod Jonson   (Ed. Note: This magnificent movie has just been re-released in the United States and some parts of Europe.) Few people know the history of Ava DuVernay, a black artist who heretofore worked with short subject material. For this film, DuVernay stepped into the ranks of a first-class director