Archive for 2010

Do You Know Where Your New Years Eve Cocktail Comes From?

Posted on December 30th, 2010

After a long workweek a business colleague and I decided to salve away our ills with a few cocktails. She ordered some sugary newfangled confection and I, being seasonally nostalgic, opted for the hot weather classic, a gin and tonic. Once prepared and sipped upon she leaned forward slightly. “I have a confession to make,” she said as she whisked a stray hair from in front of her eyes. “I don’t like gin and tonics,” she said. “They taste so…so…medicinal,” she added while twirling that self-same errant hair. “Well there’s a good reason for that,” I said, taking a long sip. I then began to tell her why. The problem with the origins of classic cocktails is that often those cocktails were developed by…

Cycling Towards a Better Future

Posted on December 16th, 2010

Since it’s introduction to the public at the turn of the 20th century, the bicycle has always been placed high on every child’s Christmas wish list. Photo Randy Olson In some places, however, the bicycle is much more than fancy-free past time. Many African countries, such as Tanzania, Nigeria, and South Africa are relying more and more on bicycles as a main mode of transit. Most people in Africa don’t have access to public transportation of any kind, and spend hours every day walking to and from their place of business. When one spends at least four hours everyday walking, plus the hours of labor in between, it comes as no surprise that there is little time left for education, much less for any…

The Struggle of Haiti

Posted on December 10th, 2010

Haiti is once again in a state of turmoil after the presidential election results were announced on Wednesday. Angry mobs, alleging election fraud, flooded the streets, their violent rioting shutting down not only schools and businesses, but the Port-au-Prince airport as well. After January’s devastating earthquake, which killed over 250,000 people and left at least a million homeless, Haiti has been in a deepening state of despair. This fragile economy has only been worsened by a recent cholera epidemic, which according to international health officials, will affect over 200,000 Haitians in the upcoming months. After experiencing so much loss, frustration and pain this past year, it is easy to understand why this political standoff has caused so much pent-up anger in the Haitian community.…