December 2024

A New Year Request Mel Goldberg The new year says, “Stop wishing for peace.” And I understand that the act of not killing each other is as easy as making coffee and pouring it in to a mug, and we could have had it if we wanted it enough to make it happen. The new […]

We were in a 36-foot LCVP, Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel, about a mile from a beautiful island, Okinawa, in the dark blue water of the Pacific Ocean. The LCVP was tied up to the side of an APA, a 492-foot Auxiliary Personnel Attack ship. An APA can transport 1500 troops and all of their military devices necessary

Shortly after WW2 the Cold War with the Soviet Union began. A key factor for the USA and other western nations in keeping abreast of what was going on in the Eastern Bloc countries was the use of very sensitive radios. These radios were used for electronic intercept (ELINT), signal intercept (SIGINT), communication intercept (COMINT),

Listen to the Nightbirds Sing The thirteenth-century Sufi poet Rumi knows what is required of us at this holiday season: No more words…Stay quiet like a flower.So the nightbirds will start singing. The nightbirds – a symbol of our deeper self; that which understands even beyond our conscious being, that there is more to our

My new neighbor likes to cook. I do not. She also likes me. That combination makes me the frequent recipient of Nancy’s culinary gifts delivered in decorated bowls and colorful baskets. The other day she appeared at my door with two hot-out-of-the-oven herbed biscuits on a plate painted with roses, and a large container of

My closet rattles. One door is slightly ajar. Something is being batted about on the floor inside. A paw is visible now and then when it comes close to the bottom edge of the door. Once a nose with white whiskers peeks out, then shoots back in like a jack-in-the-box. My tiny new kitten was

The azaleas were in voluptuous, vibrant purple bloom. Roses nodded heavy heads of scarlet and pink, glossy green leaves set off the rosy colors. Melissa traipsed around the garden, marveling at how well her ornamental flowers were doing this year. Her intense attention to prevention of mold and insect infestation was finally reaping rewards. Her

Remembering Moonie’s Mission We sadly lost Moonie King, the heart and tenacity behind Tepehua Community Center, last December. It’s been a long, sad year without her, but with the infrastructure that she put in place, those that follow in her footsteps are keeping things running well. Her “foot soldiers” keep her visions and philosophies front

The topic this month is pancreatitis, which can occur in both cats and dogs. The pancreas is located near the stomach and liver, and it produces enzymes to assist in food digestion and hormones such as glucagon and insulin. The digestive enzymes are secreted into the small intestine, and the hormones enter the bloodstream. When

By Kelly Luker Review by Susa Silvamarie Private Eye for the Bad Guy by Kelly Luker is a memoir that reads like exciting fiction. In prose that is clear, precise, understated, and fascinating, Luker describes her experience of the uneven and often contradictory relationship between law and justice. Her dryly humorous view can get a reader