Features

Medical myths

Two most prevalent medical myths are that America has the best health care system in the world and that tort reform provisions capping damages for medical malpractice has made medical treatment cheaper for the consumers of Texas.

P.T. Barnum of circus fame once said there was a sucker born every minute. Unfortunately, enough money can make suckers out of otherwise thoughtful voters. In fact, Texans have been sucker-punched more than once by the big money behind “tort reform,” as they call it.

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Cool weather sets up perfect East Texas state park escape

Just recently, I was kayaking on B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir near Jasper and couldn’t help but notice the number of tent and RV campers in the adjacent Martin Dies Jr. State Park. It was a cool Saturday morning and aside from folks cooking breakfast around their campsites, I saw hikers, bikers and lots of people on the water paddling rental canoes.

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Hunters shift focus with season’s change

The central zone dove season is already closed until Dec. 23 and the south zone is closing Oct. 30 until Dec. 23, but with duck, goose, and deer seasons opening Nov. 5, hunters are all smiles. And saltwater fishing on the inland lakes and bays could hardly be better. The speckled trout, redfish, croaker, sand trout and flounder are showing up in many coolers.

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Do you fish to fit your pan?

The regular readers of this column know by now that my husband, Ted, and I love to fish here on the Southeast Texas Gulf Coast. I don’t care if we are in the open Gulf of Mexico, on the beautiful Intracoastal Canal, Galveston Bay, Rollover Pass, or along a secluded little inlet. I love it all. There’s nothing more relaxing or healing to me than being on the water.

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Free movies on YouTube

I recently found out that Google’s infinitely popular YouTube video service now offers over a thousand full-length movies for free. Many other full-length movies are also available on YouTube for a fee, typically about $3, but I found enough of a selection of free movies to keep me well entertained for many hours.

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