Welcome to Mexico! By Victoria Schmidt Afraid of Mexico?   I’ve been so upset about the disconnect between the perception of Mexico in the United States and the reality of life in Mexico. When we first decided to move to Mexico, our family and friends were very concerned.  First they thought we had lost our […]

The Immortal Memory Of Robert Burns By James MacLaughlin     I am a Burnsian. By that I mean I am an admirer of, and advocate for, the works of Robert Burns, Scotland’s National Bard. I received most of my schooling in the lovely market town of Dumfries in the south of Scotland where Burns

Vigor Trigger By Judy Dykstra Brown   What once passed for vigor, I fear has turned into a case of fine acting. If I walk with energy, it is a forced energy expressed in spurts in situations where once I ran. I hope this can be attributed to the dignity of my age; but when I

Is Revenge Ever Justified? A Preview of Lakeside Little Theater’s Next Play By Kelly Hayes-Raitt   When Argentine-Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfman penned Death and the Maiden nearly 30 years ago, little did he dream that the play would today still be a timely reflection on revenge, reconciliation and restoration. Set in an unnamed country, but

UVA — Celebrating 40 years of Helping Students By Sue Torres     How do you measure success?  The University Vocational Assistance program AKA UVA has been measuring it “one student at a time” for the past 40 years.  The concept of assisting bright but financially challenged Lakeside students began as a quiet act of

CHARLEY AND SANDY: A Dog Story By Robert James Taylor “Dogs have a way of finding people who need them.”   It was Springtime—our third year living in San Juan Cosala. One day Anita called us: she had a dog, a Golden retriever that was left overnight, tied to her gate: another abandoned creature she

Profiling Tepehua By Moonyeen KingPresident of the Board for Tepehuamoonie1935@yahoo.com Operation Smile     This column has covered stories of Operation Smile before, most readers are aware what they do. They transform lives. They turn a tragedy of birth into a step for the future. ‘Instituto Jalisciense de Cirugia Reconstructiva’’ (IJCR), Guadalajara, is a teaching

“The Corruption Of The Pen” By Fred Mittag H.L. Mencken    “The pen is mightier than the sword” is an adage that gives journalism high responsibility. The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes this in the preamble to their code of ethics: “Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner

Who Knew? By Margaret Van Every   Jeanette annually spent a couple of weeks with each of her three granddaughters who lived in different cities across the US. Her youngest and dearest grandchild Danica had recently started middle school in upstate New York and Jeanette was visiting the family during the leaf season. Danica insisted

All The Things Left Unsaid By Bob Strand   Lee Coleman was one of the most interesting men I ever worked with on the ranch on which I was raised. And this story about him is probably the saddest story I will ever tell you. Because of the large amount of work to be done