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Cleaning out the notebook
It is sometimes difficult to come up with a topic for a weekly column. So there are notes I keep on various subjects that are not necessarily long enough for a column. But if I combine them, it can provide some interesting tidbits that readers may find informative or even useful. So here we go…
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It is an Appalachian food thing
Growing up in this region of Appalachia, you likely ate certain foods you might not find elsewhere in the country. Appalachian cuisine is a style of food from the central and southern sections of the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. For example, most of us grew up eating soup (pinto) beans and cornbread.…
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Inconsistent English language
Did you ever wonder why the word pneumonia starts with a “p.” I mean the first letter is silent and really does not belong. My dad Sam Lovern always laughed at the spelling of this word and said it should be pronounced “pugh-moan-yuh.” Thus we have the age-old question of the inconsistent English language that…
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How do you like your hot dog?
I hope you and your family had a blessed Fourth of July holiday weekend. I am sure there were a lot of barbecues – or, as we say in this region, “cookouts.” No doubt there was a lot of hot dog consumption across the United States. While lying in bed recuperating from my recent knee surgery,…
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Celebrating America’s 250th birthday, hoping patriotism is strong again
The United States of America will soon celebrate its 250th anniversary as a nation. Of course, that will be July 4, 2026. But many of us “baby boomers” can recall the Bicentennial and the celebration of America’s 200th birthday! The 1976 Bicentennial celebrated the 200th anniversary of the United States’ Declaration of Independence with nationwide…
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Debate over data centers
There is a huge debate and divide over proposed data centers. I have read numerous articles and watched television news reports about these facilities. It seems that wherever they are proposed or being built, there are both positive and negative sides to the story. If you are like me, you are not very knowledgeable about…
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A handsome dreamer, but a bit of a rascal
BY VICKI LOVERN My parents divorced when I was 5, so I barely remember my dad living with us. One of my earliest memories is being in my crib while my mom hid a birthday gift for my dad in a dresser drawer. “Now don’t tell Daddy,” she firmly told me. I also remember that…
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High gas prices impacting Americans
It has happened in the past, but once again, higher gasoline prices are hurting most Americans, especially those in lower- to middle-income brackets. Those seniors on fixed incomes are having a tough time. The recent surge in gas prices has led to various economic challenges. What I do not understand is that prices at gas…
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Loyalty to my favorite teams
I really started following sports when I was around 10 years old. That was in the late 1960s. The love for various teams began then and remains strong to this day. Let us just say many years later I am still loyal and follow those professional and college teams. I probably started cheering for the…
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Many West Virginians paid the price in the Vietnam War
West Virginians had a higher death rate per capita compared to other states during the Vietnam War. The Mountain State sent 36,578 troops to Vietnam, with 1,182 of them dying. This rate was higher than the national average, with West Virginia suffering the highest casualty rate in the nation. Kentucky had 1,024 soldiers killed in…
