by Joshua L. Durkin Next month on Obscura Day, people far and wide will get their weird on and join with others who are interested in wonders, strange things, oddities and esoterica. by Joshua L. Durkin     Next month on Obscura Day, people far… Read more »

by Amanda Bloom THE UNITED STATES should be putting pressure on its Middle Eastern and African dictator “friends” to open up their respective governments and lessen their control, according to Dr. Abubaker Saad, a former Libyan diplomat who fled the country after a failed coup… Read more »

by Amanda Bloom AN OUTREACH to overseas American troops that started in a local second grade classroom has expanded to several school districts, organizations and corporations. Valentines for Troops, a group based in Newtown, Connecticut, sent over 3300 letters to 2200 overseas troops last year… Read more »

by Amanda Bloom IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE LIVES and deter the cholera outbreak in Haiti, Western Connecticut State University’s Biology Club is conducting a soap drive through Friday, December 17.  The club’s Vice President, Amanda Castonguay, came up with the idea after learning from… Read more »

from Tribuna CT TLa Raza News Report Rubén Moreno, Translated by Elena Shore THE UNITED STATES receives about $5.6 billion a year in remittances from other countries. Eighty-two percent of the money is being sent to U.S. residents who were born abroad. That’s according to… Read more »

by Katie Kilroyfor The China Care Foundation Imagine a fragile little infant with a severe medical condition. Then picture her without a home, parents or any sort of support system. She has no chance at all of becoming healthy without someone’s help. This is a… Read more »

Words and photos by Lee Elkinsfrom Foodie Plus 4 THIS SUMMER I took a trip that was about 15 years overdue. I went to Finland to visit my best friend. When she married her Finnish sweetheart more than 15 years ago, I promised to visit…. Read more »

by Randal C. Archiboldfrom The New York Times MEXICO CITY — There are the bicentennial buses. Bicentennial roads. A bicentennial marathon. A bicentennial song. The bicentennial digital library. A bicentennial video game… What appears to be missing is bicentennial enthusiasm. By accident of timing, as… Read more »

by Neha Bawa The Danbury-based employment and career transition service, The Bridge to Independence and Career Opportunities (TBICO), is certainly building bridges–even international ones. Led by President and CEO LouAnn Bloomer, TBICO is a non-profit organization that teaches “real-world” soft skills to people who have… Read more »

by Kate Mrotek Akkharaphong Khamkhun, assistant professor of Political Science at Thamassat University in Bangkok Thailand, looks up at me from behind his desk, bright-eyed and grinning. He wags slightly in his chair with a playful energy, waiting expectantly for our interview to begin. As… Read more »

by Emanuela P. LimaOriginally published in Tribuna CT The push for immigration reform may seem to be on the front burner now that health care reform is out of the way. But candidates in the upcoming 2010 midterm-elections are already banking on the controversial issue… Read more »

by Katie Kilroy A mother holds a special place in the heart. She is someone you cherish and admire, call for any silly reason and trust without fail. Culture to culture, place to place, a mother’s dedication and zeal remains the same. When I embarked… Read more »

By Mariza DávilaOriginally published in Tribuna CT On the afternoon of Sunday, March 21, tens of thousands of people descended upon the National Mall in Washington, D.C., stretching for nearly five blocks, calling for comprehensive immigration reform – this year. The growing coalition – with… Read more »

by Katie Kilroy EDUCATION IS POWER. In Senegal, not everyone grasps the essentiality of going to school. However, one truly remarkable young woman has persevered against all odds in a country where women have it the hardest. Aissatou Sow is the first to attend school… Read more »

by Kate Mrotek In the heart of Bangkok, not a ten minute walk from the Grand Palace and the national museum, lies the most infamous street in Thailand–Khaosan Road. The straight and narrow Khaosan Road, no more than a mile long, is covered by a… Read more »

by Kate Mrotek Comparing the Brick Bar Club in Bangkok, Thailand to your average nightclub in the States would be like comparing a tear-down-the-walls house party to a country club social. Beyond the thick wooden doors leading into the Brick Bar is a seismic wave… Read more »

Words and photos by Katie Kilroy So much attention is paid to what goes in our mouths here in Senegal. In a place where freshly cooked meals and locally grown produce are the standard, I have begun to think twice about anything that comes out… Read more »

by Katie Kilroy Life is challenging for women in Senegal. They are expected to cook, clean and tend to the children, all while retaining no financial control of their lives. In the town of Kébémer there is Jigeen Nu Farlu, a group of six uniquely… Read more »

by Katie Kilroy Members of Katie’s host family in Kébémer, Senegal.  From L to R: Aminata Sow, Khadie Mbaye, Najox Sow, Mama Soda Cissokho, Ndiaye Khar Fall. Despite all of the modern conveniences, technology and perks of life in the land of Uncle Sam, is… Read more »

by Amanda Bloom Will the next wars be fought over this vital resource? by Amanda Bloom Have you purchased a bottle of water lately?  It took more water to produce the plastic container than their is water inside of it.  Did you swim in the… Read more »