This past Thursday, we celebrated Independence Day. On this date we remember a time when our forefathers declared independence from British rule and embarked on a grand new experiment in democracy. On Thursday, many Americans marked the occasion with family barbecues including hot dogs, watermelon, and corn on the cob. Others attended city-wide parades…
When electronic cigarettes (also known as “e-cigarettes” or simply “e-cigs”) first emerged in the mainstream tobacco market about a decade ago, tobacco users and even some health advocates found cause for optimism. But growing evidence – and a recent accident that points to negligent product design – is also pointing to cause for concern….
The population of the United States is swiftly aging, and with an aging population come concerns about how older individuals will be cared for in their final years. Many older adults need assistance with day-to-day tasks or have specific medical needs that require daily attention. Others find themselves unable to remember who family members…
It is late June, and summer vacation is in full swing for school-aged children. Younger kids are at home on the couch, kicking a ball around at the playground with friends, diving into summer swimming lessons, or engaging in fun summer-camp activities. Older children need less supervision and may find themselves with a less-structured…
Any parent’s worst nightmare is losing a child. For some parents, that means living for years in a constant state of panic and hypervigilance, breathlessly reading articles about cancer risks and choking hazards. For others, the enormity of the potential loss breeds a kind of self-assuring optimism that borders on denial. For most parents,…
According to your almanac, summer does not begin until the Summer Solstice – June 20th or 21st in the Northern Hemisphere, give or take a few hours. (This varies from year to year because the Earth’s rotation around the Sun is not perfectly synced with our terrestrial concept of 24-hour days – go figure!)…
For those living in the Northern Nevada area, a strong sense of déjà vu is sweeping the state as residents check their local weather reports. Winter storm warnings were in effect over the past weekend, warning residents to avoid the roads and stay indoors if possible. While this may feel like a story we…
Back in March of last year, the epic snowfall enjoyed by skiers throughout the Sierra Nevada region was sullied when a snowstorm in the Lake Tahoe area turned tragic. 61-year-old Alan McMahon was heading north on Mount Rose Highway, driving to a worksite near Incline Village, a small community on the Nevada side of…
This past Sunday marked the unofficial beginning of the summer party season. While Saint Patrick’s Day is a storied “drinking holiday” celebrated with a mix of garish costumes, themed drinks, raucous singing, and general cross-cultural reverie, its timing on the calendar tends to dampen the scale and reach of the associated partying. Falling in…
On April 12, the children’s products manufacturer Fisher Price announced that it was issuing a recall for the popular Rock ‘n Play baby sleeper. The company advised that parents should stop using the product immediately, citing safety concerns. The popular product has been on the market since 2009 and has been linked to 32…