Of the many rising stars in the field of green architecture, Richard Cook is arguably the brightest. He has a theoretical rigor and passion for sustainability on par with William McDonough. He has the design ingenuity of Frank Gehry. So it’s not surprising that Cook is quickly making his name known among the vanguard of 21st century architects.

When David and Helen Osofsky founded their upstate New York dairy farm in 1941, they named it after their oldest son Ronny. No pressure there; if your mom and dad named the family farm after you, would you feel obliged to go into the family business?

Obligated or not, Ronny stayed on the farm while his brothers Sid and Rick pursued careers in investment banking and law, respectively. And when David and Helen decided it was time to hang up their milking pails, Ronny dutifully took over the dairy operation.

What do you get when you combine the elements of aromatherapy with the tenets of shiatsu? You get BuddhaNose, an amazing line of essential oil-based balms, sprays, and salts that ease menstrual cramps, fight the infections that cause colds and flu, and promote peace and tranquility. BuddhaNose is the creation of Amy Galper, an aromatherapist and shiatsu practitioner.

Miss Edna Lewis, the undisputed grand dame of Southern cuisine, died on February 13 at the age of 89. Her passing's been mourned by many, and her legacy lauded, but the obituaries calling her “the Julia Child of the South” don't really do her justice, in my opinion. Looking back, Lewis's style of cooking seems truly visionary, relying on farm fresh produce and herbs, prepared according to the season, as well as a fearless, and judicious, use of fat.

Yesterday the blogosphere erupted with links to an exceptionally touching autobiographical radio piece by Howard Dully, who in 1960 became first patient in the US to receive a transorbital lobotomy. He was a 12 year old boy.

It’s an entirely unique experience, to hear a lobotomy victim share his story. To feel the delicate honesty of a voice that finally assembles the courage to research his tragic past. A secret history that he has, for 40 years, been afraid to address. At the forefront of his saga are the feelings of inadequacy, for obvious reasons; a struggle that haunts him every day of his life.

The filmmaker Terry Gilliam celebrates his birthday today. His surreal films have contributed a playfully unique darkness and salient wry humor to the annals of mass consciousness commonly known as popular cinema. His masterful sense of wonder and outlandish embrace of the fantastic have become a signature aesthetic. After the 2002 documentary, Lost In La Mancha (a “making of” movie about the production of a Gilliam film beset with disaster and never completed, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote), he became an emblematic hero to me. A visionary who is not afraid of – yeah, plagued by – failure.

People are born crazy, all of them. At least that’s how Albert Ellis breaks it down. And with all the tragic ruckus surrounding him in his late years, I doubt that he would exclude himself from the fray:

Shrug your shoulders, up, up. Turn imaginary doorknobs with both hands. Kick your right heel, kick your left. Hear dhol drums jamming. Keep shrugging. Now you’re grooving to bhangra. A traditional dance and music fro

To complete the two-year Ultimate Black Belt Test (UBBT) it’s not enough to do 52,000 pushups, 52,000 crunches, 1,000 miles of walking or running, and 1,000 hours of sparring.

Gangaji, a white woman with snow colored hair, turquoise eyes, and a soft, slight accent that reveals her Mississippi roots, travels the world year-round, telling people from Byron Bay to San Rafael to stop. When someone is on her stage sharing a tale of