Alva Review-Courier -

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, March was named for Mars, the Roman god of war. This was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter. With March comes...

New Year’s resolutions rarely take so, Kiwanis Magazine gave me some ideas on what not to do in 2019. Several I had already decided in favor of, the first of which is not leaving voice mails....

“What this country needs is a good 5 cent cigar.” –Thomas R. Marshall What this country needs today is self-repairing pavement. The Dutch are experimenting with a stretch of asphalt laced with...

It doesn’t take much to make a difference in another person’s life, positively or negatively. It’s also easy to overlook someone who is being bullied, and so difficult to think independently or...

When the National Geographic subscription expires, I try to make justification for not renewing the $39 magazine when most other periodicals are $6-$10. The next issue contains an article that blows...

“Up from the ground came the bubblin’ crude, black gold, Texas Tea.” Great news for the Clampetts, soon to be the Beverly Hillbillies. As the demand for alternative fuel vehicles grows, so does...

Last year’s calendar was weary with special days, celebrations, anniversaries and appointments while 2019 is stacking-up to be the same. February was, for the second year, the slowest month at the...

In the hit “Drivin’ My Life Away,” Eddie Rabbitt sang: “Well, the truck stop cutie comin’ on to me. Tried to talk me into a ride, said I wouldn’t be sorry. Oh, but she was just a baby....

Fortune magazine devoted a 28-page section to “The Shrinking Middle Class.” While most Americans consider themselves to be middle class, it is an elusive formula that decides. If you’ve ever...

On the cover of Time magazine we see the picture of the first baby born in the U.S. to a mother with a transplanted uterus. Reading further, I discovered that one in 1,450 women worldwide are born san...

Counter checks had only the name of the bank. That meant your signature was used to identify the account. Each signature was identifiable but it was a very poor system. Then came personalized checks,...

“You never know when you need to look like you have a little bit of sense and a little bit of money.” Those were the words of Charles Johnson IV as he accompanied his wife to the hospital as she...

A human’s life on earth is ruled by natural rhythms established in each individual’s cells. Many of us rebel against daylight savings time, cloudy days and schedule changes brought about by jobs...

Thousands of Americans reach retirement age each year. Many of them plan to “age in place.” If that brings up connotations of grab bars, toilet seat risers and access ramps, you’re not alone....

Ann Hodgman, in Smithsonian Magazine, says, “This season, 65 percent of Americans will send Christmas cards or letters.” It’s a tradition for many and the bane of others. The custom of sending...

Flooding in Houston, storm surge on the East Coast, fires in California team-up to raise insurance rates all across the country. The purpose of insurance is to spread the risk among the...

“Is it live, or is it Memorex?” – a slogan from the days of recording tape. Is it a real diamond, or is it paste? Paste diamonds, also known as diamond simulants, have some of the same character...

Bill Crowder in Our Daily Bread says, “Compassion fatigue can be one of the results of living in a badly broken world.” Following the news for an emotional uplift proves to be a daunting challenge...

From an article in the Talequah Daily Press comes this statement: “But today, outright lies have become the weapon of choice and the weaker-minded would rather believe the office-holders they...

“Ebola (virus) reminds us again that a health crisis anywhere is a health crisis everywhere.” – Sue Desmond, CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The war on worldwide poverty and famine...

I like cars and deer, but they don’t mix. In many years of driving, I’ve only hit one deer but during mating season and hunting season, they are on the move, putting them and you in harm’s way...

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” -- Arthur C. Clark. Just as batteries have grown in capacity and longevity, computers from novelty to necessity, and diaries...

Losing your ability to drive, whether self-imposed or dictated, is one of the biggest blows to independence that a senior citizen can suffer. As more people outlive the ability to drive, many states...

I got a call from Jamaica, mon! Since I don’t know anyone from the island, I didn’t answer. Mentioning the call to a friend, they had answered and were offered a chance to have $25,000 deposited...