This summer, many will find themselves cooling off by the water, grilling out with friends and family, or playing a game of volleyball. Whatever it is that you decide to do outdoors – you need to consider wearing an SPF to protect your skin from the sun. The exposure you have to the sun today [...]
Archives for June 2009
Ancient Cures for Memory Loss
Throughout history people have used folk remedies and herbs to improve their memory. Even if these techniques aren’t scientifically proven, people use them to this day. For example, sage has appeared in many cultures as a stimulant and an aid to health. In medieval times, purple sage was an ingredient of tonics that were concocted [...]
Antje Duvekot: Songwriting Gem Releases New CD
Antje Duvekot is one of those singer-songwriters that should be wildly (and widely) well-known and appreciated. Her music so original, so engaging so utterly individual and creative, that it can already take its place among the songwriting giants. Yes, that means folks like Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. Duvekot’s lyrics are lush, but never end [...]
Journalism’s Crisis Call
One of the big business stories of the past couple of years is the decline of the traditional newspaper industry. Once powerful media giants such as the Chicago Tribune and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer have been on the skids. The Post-Intelligence ceased publication in 2009, making Seattle the first major U.S. city without a daily print [...]
Boston’s Crooked Still is Pushing the Bluegrass Envelope
Even though Crooked Still is one of the most lauded bluegrass bands in the world, they aren’t the usual suspects. The band isn’t based in Nashville, Kentucky or other likely bluegrass hubs. They have emerged from Boston’s eclectic folk music scene. Although not as widely known as progressive bluegrass groups such as Nickel Creek or [...]
Orcas Island: Shangrila in the U.S?
Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juan Islands, a chain of over 100 islands in the Puget Sound. The island is a popular vacation spot for those seeking serenity, privacy and beauty. Even before it was discovered by Spanish explorers in the late 1700s, Orcas was a “vacation spot.” Coastal Indians treated the [...]
Purple: A Noble Color
The opposite colors of hot red and cool blue combine to create the color purple. It’s a mysterious color, often associated with nobility, spirituality, wisdom and divinity. Purple was not on Sir Issac Newton’s original color wheel, which adds to its hard-to-get mythology. On the color spectrum it’s placed between red and violet. It doesn’t [...]
Embracing Work & Life Balance
Work/life balance has gained steam as a relevant topic in America because so many citizens are burning the candle at both ends. A recent on-line survey showed that 70 percent of employed Americans are working more than 40 hours a week. There are many reasons for our collective workaholism. Some people are simply trying to [...]