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Sunday Lifestyles

The United States needs more thinkers, not followers

An article I published recently about public media received some blowback from a few self described conservatives (whatever that means in today’s world). The arguments stemmed from a report that the people in charge of NPR are exclusively Democrats, thereby discrediting my claim that public media is by and large well-researched and reliable, and by extension, not political. One critic also makes the claim that because the programs on PBS and NPR are not all that popular, why should the government fund them? Hmmm. I was unable to verify or debunk the first of those arguments (I have ...

Healing with horses: Taking the natural path to wellness

There’s something truly special about being around horses and spending time in nature — and when you put the two together, the benefits are even greater. At Centaur Stride, we often take our lessons out into the woods for a peaceful trail ride (weather permitting, of course). The shade ...

‘Sensitivity’ shines: Clinic this month being held for disabled youth

Those who teach us the most about humanity aren’t always human. Horses are incredibly sensitive animals. They respond to energy, emotions, and even intentions. Because they are prey animals, this sensitivity is a form of survival. They are experts at reading body language. The tension in a ...

Fiber arts group makes donation to VA Hospital

The Secret Society of the Twisted Stitchers, a fiber arts group at Anderson-Lee Library in Silver Creek, has been working diligently this summer to create knit and crocheted blankets to donate to the VA Hospital in Buffalo. Each long-term patient admitted to the hospital receives a blanket. ...

Noticing how the new era of dating has lots of phone time

I suppose it’s really none of my business, but I can’t help wondering about how young people go about dating these days. When I see a high school age couple in public, it’s not clear what’s going on between them because they don’t seem to be having much of a conversation. In fact, they speak to each other about as much as grandparents do when they go out to dinner. (This amounts to about thirty-seven words per meal, the main topics being the weather, traffic, kids these days, bodily malfunctions, and the high price of everything from liver to onions.) Dating is not like ...

Patterson Library’s Benefit Auction, Chicken BBQ returns

Mark your calendars for a lively evening of food, friends, and fundraising at Patterson Library’s Annual Benefit Auction and Chicken BBQ, taking place on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at Eason Hall, 23 Elm St. in Westfield. This beloved community event brings together supporters of the library for a ...