Four years ago, as I spent hours canvassing West Asheville for [Council member] Brownie Newman, I thought I was increasing the total Buncombe housing supply—and resulting affordability—because of his (still-unfulfilled) promises to increase walkable, high-density housing in the city. I had some idea that he wasn’t big on similar housing near my farm, even though […]

I recently saw this quote on a bumpersticker: “I Love My Country—But I Hate My Government.” Where does one acquire such a plaque? Sound bites define our apprehension of the news. In-depth anything seems to slink away from those who speak via the media. Yesterday’s news is all but forgotten. The lives of our friends […]

Bush, a la his wrongful push into Iraq, is ignoring intelligence reports telling us Iran had abandoned its nuclear development back in 2003. He claims not to have known about the information until it was recently released. According to The Washington Post, he has known about it for months but has continued his saber rattling. […]

Choosing a person for the office of president of the United States is the most difficult decision that a citizen of America must make. The person I chose is of high quality in character, integrity, wisdom, knowledge, education, experience, and a love for our Creator, [the people] and for our nation—[some]one of obvious moral and […]

With all the crap restaurants that have opened here, there is at least one ethnic base left uncovered: the delicious soup known as pho. It can be had in most major cities in America, but why not here? I would gladly trade in at least six sushi places and most of the teriyaki (or maybe […]

I have not followed the debate over the congressional bill to require a verifiable paper trail for all voting machines (HR 811: The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act), so I was interested in [the recent] letter on the subject [“Heave Holt,” Dec. 12]. I was suitably alarmed by such statements as: “The bill is […]

I had a disturbing experience recently during a telephone conversation with the customer service department at Wachovia Bank. Having considerable difficulty understanding the individual I was speaking to, I inquired as to the location of the call center. The individual would not state the location of the call center, only that it was Wachovia’s customer […]

I greatly enjoyed the article in the “Holiday Guide” about the 12 days of Christmas and the Feast of Epiphany [“The Twelfth Day, Revealed: Orthodox and Hispanic Faithful Revere the Epiphany over Christmas,” Dec. 5]. However, it does not have to be as foreign and exotic as the article might lead one to believe. The […]

I don’t think I ever recall a challenge for a Spiritual Smackdown [“Let’s Have a Good Ol’ Stomp-and-Chant,” Letters, Dec. 26]—although I fear that someday some loony network will dream up such a premise for a reality show. But here it was, in the Mountain Xpress! In this corner: Lady Passion and her team of […]

There seem to be many people in the Asheville area who claim affiliation to some form of paganism, and from both pagan and Christian communities in the area there are many who seem inspired by the idea of “the Celts,” so it is not surprising that writer Alli Marshall chose to retell the story of […]