We live in a time of great fear. Terrorism. Financial instability. Food security...or is that now "nutrisekur"? Well, here's one more - tiny substances:  •  A blue-ribbon scientific panel has waved a yellow flag in front of a rapidly expanding number of products containing nanomaterials …

Here we are on the last religious holiday left in the calendar. Somehow merchandisers have yet to figure out how to take advantage of Jesus on the cross to sell me a chocolate lump or to fashion an ad campaign for cars. For a brief while in high school there were a spate of Good Friday jokes like …

Nothing like reading that does not tax the brain on one's sick day. So it was with some joy that I read the news that men like meat:  •  “It may not come as a bolt out of the blue, but one of the largest studies yet has proven that men and women really do eat differently. Researchers who …

I got to tick two new to me diners off the list during this weekend's central New York, The Glenwood Pines Restaurant in Ulysses down near Ithaca as well as the Crystal Restaurant in downtown Watertown. I think the first place dates in part from the late '40s while the second is an all-1920's …

While it has no start date, I think it is safe to say that we are in Yule. I wouldn't suggest that work has slowed but the holding of meetings at work seems to have wrapped up. Next week I write and notice that the phone isn't ringing that much.  •  We wanted to be more Yule-like at home, too, but …

I hear there is a purple pill that will fix all this but I have to figure out the right question to ask. Until then sputter, hack, wheeze.  •  Technology apparently hates Santa and ruined at least one little child's Christmas forever. What next - anti-Santa beer? Santa and beer???  •  Via Ben the …

A photo essay at the BBC about Polish night bakers reminds me again how much I like chleb - rye bread - and other Polish food. And reminds me to write about it again. When folks came over the other day to test drive a couple of weisse beers that will show up at the LCBO next spring, there was …

While sometimes I think accounts of new movements or fads are really just the combination of a particular instance or two with a reporter with the need of a story - but this is a more interesting than most:  •  “ Science groups for young professionals who don't wear white coats, like the year-old …

First, I would like to thank the Canadian dollar for peaking just about the very weekend we traveled. Then I would like to thank the new customs guy who asked "you mean like a bunch of cases" when I advised I had 67 beer in the back - to which I responded "well, I have some singles." Woot.  •  Ann …