Piano-and-voice teacher Deborah Cooney is convinced electric meters made her sick and destroyed her music business.
January 23, 2013
North America
Radio quiet
En Route in Port-au-Prince
I stepped off the plane and onto the tarmac, directed toward a small white building with bright blue lettering: "Toussaint Louverture." The massive cracks in the side of the building were visible even before we …
Last Stop: Chloride, AZ
We were heading to the majestic Grand Canyon, surely America’s most famous crevasse, when we decided to stop off at the neat little ghost town of Chloride, AZ. Nestling halfway between Las Vegas and the …
January 15, 2013
Polar Bear Season in Churchill, Manitoba
Our plane knifed through the dark grey clouds and plunged into a driving snowstorm. As the wheels touched down on the tarmac we could distinguish the hulking remains of previously crashed planes lining the runway. …
January 14, 2013
Orcas and Kayaking in the San Juans
We were shivering under cloudy skies on the top deck of the 114-foot ferry as it entered Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. The overcast sky suddenly parted, as if on cue, and there …
January 10, 2013
Must-see Colombia
Most of the Caribbean has long since lost its authenticity, being overrun by cruise ships, high-pressure touts and one too many Jimmy Buffet wannabes. But there are still a few places where you can find …
Bushwick – Brooklyn's Hip Haven
Directions scribbled on the back of a napkin or coaster usually lead you to unforgettable locations. It was no different on this Sunday afternoon. As I sat and enjoyed a very good East Coast brew …
January 3, 2013
Christmas in Cleveland
What am I going to do in Cleveland? That was my very first thought when my boyfriend asked me to go there with him for a friend’s wedding. Since he was part of the wedding …
We went to Mexico to get ahead. We smuggled cheese to get back.
An American couple moves to Tijuana to avoid the high cost of living in the U.S. They become food smugglers for Mexicans living in the U.S.
December 19, 2012
Christmas, island style
At my desktop computer, I have clicked over to YouTube and typed in “Christmas music.” First up is, “Christmas Music Playlist Part Two For Your Christmas Party.” I click again. The party begins with Elvis …
December 19, 2012
Mexican lawmaker urges database to track young border crossers
In a December 17 posting on El Sol de Tijuana’s website, it was reported that a member of the PRI political party stated that a reliable database must be created to keep track of children …
December 18, 2012
Copalis Beach
There’s only one place to drink in Copalis Beach. The river winds through a short slough to the ocean and, just south (as "just south" as it could be), sits Green Lantern Tavern. The nondescript …
December 17, 2012
A Guide to Zion
Just don’t get sidetracked in Vegas. That’s the key to arriving in Zion National Park from San Diego within a day with enough daylight left to explore the canyons. The park, located in the southwest …
December 11, 2012
June Lake's Open for Business
Even with the unexpected winter closure of June Mountain*, skiers and snowboarders are finding June Lake village to be a welcome getaway – to get away from the crowds of nearby Mammoth. While Mammoth's skiing …
December 10, 2012
Tiny Talkeetna, Alaska
A short jaunt north of Anchorage, Alaska, is the quaint town of Talkeetna, considered the jumping-off point for climbers looking to tackle Mt. McKinley. Talkeetna suddenly swells in size starting in April through July. That's …