Month: January 2023

Book Review: ‘The Noise of Typewriters: Remembering Journalism’

“The Noise of Typewriters” is part memoir of Lance Morrow, quasi-biography of Time magazine co-founder Henry Luce, and semi-eulogy for the journalism industry. It is inundated with nostalgia and emanates a sense of sorrow for what he calls the long past “Golden Age” of journalism and those who made it golden. Morrow is most known…


Is It Safe to Consume Vegetable Oil Every Day?

Compared with cold-pressed virgin olive oil in glass bottles, the plastic-bottled vegetable oil in the supermarket is truly bang-for-your-buck, and it can be found in almost every kitchen. However, how often can vegetable oil be used for frying, boiling, sautéing, and deep-frying? Be careful, as you may be unknowingly ingesting carcinogenic toxins. Vegetable Oil Refined…


Nature, History and Sunshine Welcome Visitors to St. Lucia

Words printed on T-shirts worn by locals offered a welcoming note shortly after my wife, Fyllis, and I arrived on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia: “Be happy.” “Forget your troubles.” “Don’t worry, just party.” On the other hand, the sticker attached to the bumper of an automobile offered a warning about the challenge awaiting…


CDC Issues New COVID-19 Guidance After FDA Makes Change

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance to people with weak immune systems, saying they should take extra precautions after a key COVID-19 antibody treatment’s emergency use authorization was pulled by another federal agency. The guidance again calls for immunocompromised individuals to wear masks and engage in social distancing, the CDC’s…


Garden Planning: How to Make This Year’s Crop Your Biggest Ever, Part 1

Gardening season typically starts in April, but many gardeners swear by sowing their seeds early for a harvest several months earlier—and much longer. Outdoor conditions in most of the United States are too harsh to sow seeds directly in the ground or in raised planter beds in February and March, but you can easily start…


How to Make the Best 7 Layer Dip

There are some game day foods that are universally beloved. It’s hard to find much fault with a Buffalo chicken dip or cheesy bacon-topped potato skins. And then, there are some Super Bowl recipes that are a little more controversial, like the seven layer dip. Wait, what’s not to love about that classic combination of seasoned sour cream, guacamole, salsa, refried…


Collective Memories of the Hong Kong Haw Par Mansion and the Rise and Fall of ‘The King of Tiger Balm’

With the closure of Haw Par Music, The Haw Par Mansion (also known as The Tiger Balm Villa), a grade one heritage building that carries the collective memories of Hongkongers, was returned to the government on Dec. 1. 2022, unclear what its future fate might be. This palace-style mansion, sitting on the hillside west of…


What Should I Do When My Furnace Breaks Down?

By Paul F. P. Pogue From Ask Angi With the year’s coldest months underway, your furnace will be working overtime to keep the house cool. And if it breaks down, fixing it will quickly become your top priority. Here are some do’s and don’ts about what to do if something goes wrong with your heating…


This Giant Bird of Prey Is the Largest Eagle on Earth With Talons Bigger Than a Grizzly Bear’s Claws

For a bird named after a horrid beast from Greek mythology, this raptor of unmatched power and majesty is pretty incredible. The “harpy eagle” was so named because of its resemblance to the chimerical harpy—storm spirits with the face of a woman and body of a bird who carried dead souls to the underworld, Hades….


Trump Begins 2024 Campaign in New Hampshire, South Carolina

Former President Donald Trump visited two early-voting states New Hampshire and South Carolina on Jan. 28, hitting the campaign trail for the first time since announcing his 2024 bid for the White House in November last year. “The 2024 election is our one shot to save our country, and we need a leader who is…