Janis Hall
What’s lurking in fragrances and flavors?
Do you know what's in the products that you slather on your skin and inhale into your lungs? If you knew all the ingredients, you might be alarmed and look for alternatives. However, many manufacturers have been able to keep their ingredients secret.
Even products that list ingredients have rarely provided comprehensive lists. The simple word “fragrance” on a product label is an umbrella term that can hide dozens or hundreds of chemicals from a list of more than 2,000.
Kavanaugh a symptom of the elitist old-boy network
Brett Kavanaugh is, perhaps, merely a symptom of the elitist old-boy network that such privileged young men are trained to tap into because that's how they get (farther) ahead in life. Go to the right schools, join the right fraternity, and become indoctrinated into the patriarchal, patronizing behaviors that...
What’s the deal with the marijuana plant limits?
I started writing a letter to add a horticultural voice of reason to the discussion about amending marijuana plant number limits. But when I looked up the issue on the Legislature's website, I found that S.216 is an Act Related to Prescription Drugs, which was signed into law some...
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Exciting news about BMAC
Thanks for the interesting article about the new Brattleboro Museum & Art Center building. I have often paused to look across the water and wonder about that building, so it was fun to read about its history. I look forward to seeing how it evolves!
Too many choices in Brattleboro charter amendments
The Brattleboro Town Charter amendments that were clumped as one item on the ballot were too varied. I agreed with some changes and disagreed with others. For instance, time off for voting does not seem necessary because voters may receive and submit their ballots before voting day, in person or by mail. But changing the timing of voting to coincide with general elections makes sense to me. In the end, I had to vote no. I needed an opportunity to...
Much to prepare for 42-percent increase in senior population
Thanks very much for printing this letter from town nurse Jennifer Fitzgerald. The Deerfield Valley is especially in need of elder services, and we applaud Ms. Fitzgerald's efforts to bring together residents and organizations to make it happen. In 2010, the Governor's Commission on Healthy Aging warned that Vermont needed to prepare for a 42-percent increase in elderly population by 2017. With more than half of that time elapsed, our state and its organizations still have a tremendous amount of...
Discussion shows perils and pitfalls of website photo use
Thanks very much for printing Peggy Farabaugh's piece about copyright infringement [Business, June 18] and also the response from Markus Brakhan [Letters, June 25]. Though Brakhan's assessment of Farabaugh's situation might seem harsh, the two letters serve as warning to those of us who maintain websites for small businesses. Apparently, these days we must develop the ability to research the provenance of photos and other graphics that we use or else forgo using them. In light of all this, I...