Fresh is the major word to describe
the food we have eaten here in
Vietnam. In fact today in a little
dinky restaurant in the border town of
Chau Doc where we wait for our boat to
Cambodia, where no English is spoken
and the menu is in Vietnamese, we have
the most delicious sour fish soup prepared
at our table.
A little fire is brought to the table and a pot with the
liquid, the meaty fish, vegetables, herbs and pineapple
is placed on the heat to cook while we eat other
lovely things. You can’t get fresher than that.
Why risk money on a pipeline through the heartland of America?
The Keystone XL Pipeline to provide more fossil fuel is not the path to a sustainable future. A keystone to sustainability is using petrochemicals for lightweight materials—such as carbon fiber—that can be used to save energy and harvest renewables.
We need to greatly reduce emissions during the projected life of this proposed pipeline. Energy companies (and investors) would be wiser to support clean renewable energy and not risk money on a pipeline that will be too expensive to use cost-effectively.
How can we meet Federal Air Quality Standards if crude from Canadian tar sands reaches refineries and is burned in air basins that have already reached their carrying capacities? We need to avoid the hidden costs of pollution.
To say “I laughed, I cried” as I
watched The Artist might be an
exaggeration, much like the acting
of the silent era, but I have to admit
I found myself smirking and tearing up
to this meaningful and moving film.
This film had everything: romance, adventure, suspense,
drama—what it didn’t have was dialog. Aside
from intertitles (similar to subtitles), there are no words
in this movie; it is a silent film.
This seemingly random list encapsulates
the COURIER stories that
meant the most to me in 2011. Part
whimsical, part inspiring, part intensely
heartfelt, these stories, as well as many
others, represent why I love to write for
the COURIER: I am brought to laughter
and to tears; I meet the most interesting
people doing the most interesting things; I
am offered moments that help me examine
my place and purpose in the world.
What a place of unique and valuable opportunities:
the nature of my work varies
from holding chickens to crafting the life
story of the COURIER’s former owner,
publisher and editor, Martin Weinberger. Column by Brenda Bolinger
Given this is the time of year of reflection and spirituality, we decided to post a previous column by our managing editor Kathryn Dunn about politics and giving. It's our hope readers will look at this not as a political column, but one that invites the spirit of compromise in order to find solutions for the common good. Regardless of our differences, we can work together to not only improve our lives, but those of others. The photo is a special holiday greeting taken by Claremonter Chris Darrow. Happy holidays from the COURIER family.
