A Yellow-Brick Road for Immigrant Women

A Yellow-Brick Road for Immigrant Women

The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorite movies as kid growing up in Trinidad. I liked thinking that a magical storm could take you somewhere new, where you could meet fun new friends and even take your pet dog along. Heck, even a new pair of shiny red shoes awaited...
The Miserable Catch 22 of Mental Illness

The Miserable Catch 22 of Mental Illness

I’m depressed. I’ve dealt with mental health issues for decades now. Nothing fancy or interesting like multiple personalities or hallucinations. Just run-of-the-mill boring ones — good old depression and anxiety, and maybe some undiagnosed PTSD to go with...
Hooked on Conservation

Hooked on Conservation

Something remarkable has happened to recreational fishing. Increasingly, game fishers no longer publicly display their catches at rodeo weigh-ins or on taxidermy fish mounts. Even the age-old practice of rendering the day’s catch to fillets destined for a grill or a...
Is This New Reform a Toxic Waste?

Is This New Reform a Toxic Waste?

There should’ve been an overhaul in how we regulate toxic chemicals years ago. Like when the 2010 President’s Cancer Panel report concluded that babies are now born “pre-polluted.” Or when it came to light that a common flame retardant used in...
Trump’s ‘Realty Check’ on Climate

Trump’s ‘Realty Check’ on Climate

Newsflash: Donald Trump isn’t as retrograde on climate change as we thought. It turns out he’s well aware of the dangers of global warming — at least to his golf courses. The Republican presidential hopeful is so concerned, in fact, that he’s petitioned the Irish...
Your Chewing Gum Is Making You a Lab Rat

Your Chewing Gum Is Making You a Lab Rat

Whenever I’m on a long road trip, chomping down on a piece of gum helps me stay awake. I don’t choose gum because it’s bright white or glossy, but because the burst of sweet minty freshness really keeps me going. Thanks to nanotechnology, I have my choice...