Proposed 9/11 Memorial In Kent Causing Stir

Nov 11, 2009 - It is a bright, Indian summer afternoon in the Litchfield Hills, and the downtown streets of this tourist mecca look invitingly peaceful. But the communication lines connecting First Selectwoman Ruth Epstein to the outside world have been anything but peaceful for two weeks as the passions aroused by the 9/11 tragedy have turned Kent into a national lightning rod over terrorism, Islam and the role towns should play in memorializing the dead. Epstein, a former journalist who is stepping down after two terms as first selectwoman, was approached more than a year ago by Peter Gadiel, the father of James Gadiel, a young Kent native who worked as a trader in the World Trade Center and perished in the 2001 terrorist attacks. - 81 Comments

Not Truthful, Just Gore

Oct 18, 2009 - Not Truthful, Just Gore By Paul Chesser A viral buzz is probably not something you want to have in these days of H1N1 (swine flu) paranoia. But if you're Ann McElhinny and Phelim McAleer this week it's not a malady, but a desired condition. That's because Sunday marks the formal public introduction to their film documentary "Not Evil Just Wrong," which follows their 2006 joint effort "Mine Your Own Business." - 10 Comments

Swine flu 'hits pregnant harder'

Aug 04, 2009 - Pregnant women are four times more likely than the general population to need hospital treatment for H1N1 swine flu, data from the US suggests. The findings from the small-scale study suggest pregnancy does increase the risk of complications without speedy anti-viral treatment. It also underlines the need to ensure pregnant women are made a top priority when a vaccine becomes available. - 7 Comments

New HIV strain discovered in woman from Cameroon

Aug 03, 2009 - WASHINGTON – A new strain of the virus that causes AIDS has been discovered in a woman from the African nation of Cameroon. It differs from the three known strains of human immunodeficiency virus and appears to be closely related to a form of simian virus recently discovered in wild gorillas, researchers report in Monday's edition of the journal Nature Medicine. The finding "highlights the continuing need to watch closely for the emergence for new HIV variants, particularly in western central Africa," said the researchers, led by Jean-Christophe Plantier of the University of Rouen, France. - 4 Comments

When Weddings Hit the Internet

Jun 26, 2009 - When Yanna Elfes was planning her ultimate big fat Greek wedding in Sydney, she never imagined it would be virtually attended by millions of people around the world or become the subject of a vicious email slur campaign and a police investigation. But that's exactly what happened after she married her husband Kosta two months ago at the Greek Orthodox church in Kogarah. Her friends published photos on their Facebook pages and within days the images were appearing in nasty viral emails that quickly spread across Australia and to workplaces as far flung as London and Dubai. - 5 Comments

GOP headache: The birther issue

Jul 28, 2009 - GOP headache: The birther issue by Daniel Libit, Lisa Lerer When lawmakers return home for recess in August, they can expect to hear tough questions from constituents on the economy, health care and government spending. But Republicans are preparing for something else: the birthers. As GOP Rep. - 3 Comments