Opinion
Trillions of viruses, and those boom-time rats
THE FACT OF THE MATTER PAUL HOPKINS When my younger brother and I were small, before our sister arrived into the world, and we would get one of those many childhood ailments, my mother would send for the doctor, having created a bed downstairs for whoever was laid low, by way of two armchairs facing …
You are the key to overcoming your difficulties
BY ANDREW MCDONALD HYPNOTHERAPIST “SIT down next to me” sing the rock band James. It is a call to people who are suffering bad periods in their life, times of stress, perhaps a complete desertion of optimism. In other words, all of us. “I’ll sing myself to sleep, a song from the darkest hour, secrets …
When you and your money are easily parted
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR WHEREVER there is even the slightest opportunity of making some easy money, you may be sure that criminals lie ready to pounce. The internet opens up many such opportunities, and charlatans appear to be waiting around every virtual corner with the latest online scam. Especially at Christmas time when our …
Why it’s not all making hay down on the farm
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON THERE was a time when I wanted to be a farmer’s wife. I loved the warmth of a cow’s flank when milking, the smell of the hay barn and catching brown trout in the river on my uncle’s farm in Co Down. I cherished that rural dream for …
Back to the future… hopefully it will work
THE FACT OF THE MATTER PAUL HOPKINS Okay so, you are walking down the street. Suddenly, you fancy a bottle of diet whats-it. Immediately, next to you, a vending machine appears, filled with those diet what’s-its. You grab a bottle, slug away to your heart’s content, and continue on your way. Next, your other half …
Elderberry-Immune support
BY CLAIR WHITTY I think looking after our immune system is at the top of our list this year more than any other. Many of you, like me, will be trying to prevent common cold symptoms developing into respiratory problems. You won’t want to miss any days from work or your kids any days from …
Not drinking in the 2020s
BY ANDREW MCDONALD HYPNOTHERAPIST PRIOR to the 2020s, choice was limited for people who chose not to drink alcohol when socialising. Normal everyday drinking options were plentiful enough. Tea, coffee in a wide variety of styles, tisanes, soft drinks, milk, juice or just good old plain water were enough for daily purposes. That changed completely …
A global Elf shortage or Chinese whispers?
BY JOHN ELLIS, FINANCIAL ADVISOR WE didn’t have #Elfontheshelf back in my day, but Santa’s spy has been keeping kids in check for several years now. However, there are a million Elf on the Shelf toys apparently stuck in China due to global port congestion, prompting media scare stories about elf rationing (only two per …
The benefit of living backwards
AS I SEE IT BY MARIANNE HERON A FRIEND who was making a speech at her 80th birthday celebrations suggested that maybe we should live our lives backwards. Think about it, she said, you would climb out of your coffin, gradually lose your aches and pains, get your job back, emerge from that mid-life crisis …
How our duty of care is to one another …
THE FACT OF THE MATTER PAUL HOPKINS The scientific consensus goes that the holy grail for containing Covid – herd immunity – is achievable. Achievable if enough people get the vaccine – at least 70%, if not 90%, of the world’s population (the figures vary). Also, there is the matter of an annual booster, Covid …
