Author Archives: alicia

How Thousands of Dead Bugs Become a Mesmerizing Work of Extraordinary Beauty

Posted on 11/06/2015 by alicia

Jennifer Angus’ artwork is startling, especially when it dawns on you that what is on view is not beautifully drawn, patterned wallpaper. Depending on your mindset, it’s either a nightmarishly freakish, or beautifully mesmerizing assemblage, of insects Beyond the visceral gut … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Science, Smithsonian.com | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Journey to Mingering Mike’s Magical, Musical World

Posted on 03/26/2015 by alicia

Lots of kids create their own fantasy worlds, populating them with monsters or superheroes—representations of friends and family, persecutors and allies, foils and alter-egos. For some, it’s a way of getting by when they don’t fit in, or of escaping … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, Smithsonian.com | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Supreme Court Dubious on Right to Sue Over Low Medicaid Fees

Posted on 01/20/2015 by alicia

Washington, DC — Several US Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism that physicians have the right to sue if they believe states have set Medicaid rates too low. The Justices were responding to oral arguments held today in Armstrong v Exceptional … Continue reading →

Posted in Health policy, Legal, Medscape | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

To Screen, or Not to Screen

Posted on 12/04/2007 by alicia

You walk into the room, but you can’t remember why. You’ve forgotten where you left your keys. Lapses like that seem to be happening more often. The beginnings of Alzheimer’s disease? Maybe, maybe not. Continue reading →

More Galleries | Leave a comment

Equal Coverage For Mental Health?

Posted on 11/06/2007 by alicia

Q Why are my mental health benefits less generous than those that my insurance policy provides for other conditions?

A When mental health coverage was first added to benefits packages a few decades ago, there was still a persistent belief that a condition like depression was not as real as heart disease or cancer. There also were few medications or other therapies that offered significant improvement. Many employers did not offer rich coverage because they assumed the government would eventually pay for treatment of serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar disease. Continue reading →

More Galleries | Leave a comment

Uninsured? You’re Not Alone

Posted on 10/17/2007 by alicia

Barbra Lancelot has a master’s in education and a long career working with special-needs children. Until recently, she also had a good health insurance plan and prescription drug coverage, provided by her employer. But late last year, the 58-year-old College Park resident lost her job. Coverage was extended to her under COBRA, the law that guarantees temporary continuance of employer-provided insurance but requires the worker to pay the full premium. Continue reading →

More Galleries | Leave a comment

U Street: The Corridor Is Cool Again

Posted on 04/14/2006 by alicia

SAUNTER down U Street in northwest Washington almost any night and you’ll hear the pulsing beat of urban nightlife: the tinny pop of a snare drum, the caustic sneering of an indie rocker, the smooth melodies of a lounge singer, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, New York Times, Travel | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Finding a More Authentic Jamaica

Posted on 03/27/2005 by alicia

IT’S not particularly easy to get to Portland parish, a lush, often rainy region on Jamaica’s northeast coast. The closest airport with jet service from the United States is Norman Manley International in Kingston, which is at least two, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, New York Times, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ventures with Venoms

Posted on 10/11/2004 by alicia

Combinatorial chemistry and high-throughput screening have been the rage in drug discovery since the late 1990s, but plant and animal sources still hold promise. In particular, venoms have proven to be rich areas for exploitation. Drugs derived from snakes, vampire … Continue reading →

Posted in Medicine, Science, The New Scientist | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Shifting Tactics in the Battle Against Influenza

Posted on 02/27/2004 by alicia

When U.S. Food and Drug Administration experts met to pick viral targets for the next flu season, they also discussed a promising new way to create vaccines. Read more…

Posted in Medicine, Science, Science magazine | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Wealth of ‘Gear’. . . For What?

Posted on 08/28/2003 by alicia

I was in a lather as I stepped into the cool breezes of the Salt Palace convention center here, eager to see the latest wares for getting my groove on in the great outdoors. Yes, the 22nd Outdoor Retailer Summer … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Wall Street Journal | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Turning a Camera, Stress and the Wild Into a Sudden Hit

Posted on 07/23/2000 by alicia

LESS than a decade ago Mark Burnett was competing in adventure races, an experience that led to his life plan: he would bring the sport to America, which was having a love affair with the outdoors, sport utility vehicles and … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Culture, New York Times | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment