My first column of 2006 was about a New Year’s Eve wedding marred by a thief who filched a fistful of cards from the gift table at the happy couple’s reception. What made this petty thievery especially newsworthy wasn’t the value of the cards — which, it turns out, contained almost $1,000 in cash and […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
A need for weed
A number of products, including paper and clothing — even food and beer —are made from hemp. What is it about hemp that makes it so versatile — and why is it illegal to grow in the United States? Is it also illegal in Canada? What did the first Gutenberg bible, Christopher Columbus’ ropes and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
No room at the inn
I’d like to tell you a Christmas story. I’ve got a few of the main elements — a stable, some livestock, three wiseguys, and one devoutly religious couple, desperately seeking shelter on Christmas Eve. The couple is Afaf and Jamal Rashmawy, who just happen to have been born in Bethlehem — specifically in Beit-Suhar, or […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Giving green this year
Where can one find green-friendly gifts for friends and family this holiday season? Reconciling one’s green values with the urge to shop has never been easy. Most environmental groups today decry Western consumer habits as wasteful and a major cause of ecological degradation in a shrinking world. And many people, environmental issues aside, believe that […]
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It’s tree-repair time again
The sound of tree branches cracking, snapping, and crashing to the ground is definitely something I’d rather not hear again. As daybreak approached on Friday, Dec. 1, it became apparent that our 45-year-old sweet gum tree had been turned into a big stick and that half of our 40-year-old white birch and our neighbor’s 60-year-old […]
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What you can do
What can one person do to help curb global warming? Most of our own direct contributions to global warming pertain to the modes of travel we choose. For starters, air travel burns more fossil fuels per person than any other form of transport, so if you can opt for other forms of long-distance travel you […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Sharing warmth
The knock on my hotel-room door came early in the morning, just a few minutes after my alarm went off. I opened it to find a male co-worker offering me a pair of his underwear. There was nothing kinky about his gesture. In fact, I’m not sure which one of us was more embarrassed — […]
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Get your jollies with holly
My favorite winter scene is branches of bright green holly leaves with sparkling red berries against fresh winter snow. Holly is a great addition to the landscape, but careful consideration must be given its planting. Several holly species will provide colorful fruit for three to six months of the year, but fruit persistence depends on […]
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Dr. Gonzo comes home
At the height of his career, in the 1980s, he was a headliner. He had audiences all across the country rolling in the aisles. He shared stages with Jerry Seinfeld and Huey Lewis, partied with Joe Walsh and Robin Williams. He showed a young Drew Carey the ropes. His stage name was Dr. Gonzo, and, […]
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Gardening book gifts
If you have a gardener on your holiday shopping list, consider yourself lucky. Gardening enthusiasts may be the easiest people to please when it comes to buying gifts: We’re always excited about the latest gardening gadgets, and we can’t refuse a good gardening book. With the vast selection of garden books available, where does the […]
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Locks of love
The best compliment I ever got came from a stranger in a Chicagoland mall. We were trapped together in some sort of children’s play area, held hostage by our young sons, who were chasing each other around a big fiberglass treehouse. If you’re a parent, you know how these scenes go: Kids have a way […]
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Nutritious cranberries aren’t just for Thanksgiving dinner
This week we celebrate the many things for which we are thankful. Many of us will sit down to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with our family and friends. A traditional meal for my family includes turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, corn pudding, a cranberry relish, and pumpkin pie. Our tradition of celebrating […]
