Meeting Places and Romance
James Tissot: Fashion & Faith: “A painting by Mr. Tissot will be enough for the archeologists of the future to reconstruct our era.”
Tissot’s career spanned the English Channel, garnering commercial and critical success both in London and Paris. Though invited by Degas to exhibit with the Impressionists, Tissot declined. He turned to social events and balls, painting metropolitan life with great attention to detail, humor and pathos. Upon close study, even his most ebullient society pictures reveal rich and complex commentary on Belle Époque culture, religion, fashion, and politics. more »
STIs Are Contributing to the Public Health Crisis as Cases of Gonorrhea, Syphilis and Chlamydia Are All On the Rise
To address this public health threat, biomedical research programs need to be refocused on developing innovative diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for STIs. Healthcare providers need access to faster, low-cost diagnostics to identify both active and asymptomatic STIs. The STI vaccine pipeline also needs to produce effective new candidate vaccines for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. As for STI therapeutics, the authors note that research efforts must focus on drug-drug interactions, toxicities and side effects, while keeping ahead of spreading antimicrobial resistance. more »
Revisiting Favorite Books: Kristin Lavransdatter, the Trilogy - The Wreath, The Mistress of Husaby and The Cross
Julia Sneden reviews: We find that it an interesting process, looking back at books we read in our twenties and thirties. The books themselves haven't changed, but thanks to the varied experiences that another twenty or thirty years have added to our lives, we read them from a different perspective. Herewith, the first review of an old, beloved book (actually, three books). "Her mother too had been marked in youth, body and soul, by the bearing and nourishing of children; and she had thought perchance no more than Kristin herself, when she sat with that sweet young life at her breast, that so long as they two lived, each single day would lead the child farther and farther from her arms." more »
Elaine Soloway's Hometown Rookie: Love It!; Doggie Daydream; The Cool Kids Table
"I admit that first impressions of all of my recent apartments have been ecstatic," I said, feeling liberated to take ownership of my proclivity. "I loved Aqua, L.A., and, Kingsbury Plaza. I loved them all until I got the itch to move." I was reciting my last three residences after the death of Tommy; each entailed leases signed, then aborted before two years expired. When the ardor cooled, subletting to new tenants provided my escapes. "I did love all of those places," I said. "I have fond memories of the apartments, neighborhoods, and pals made at each one." Was that guilt forcing me to add a defense? I had always claimed "no regrets" at my swift decisions, but perhaps a bit of remorse? more »