Curse drives Denver-based horror duo to dig deep By Leigh E. Rich Chaosicon: A Novel of Supernatural Terror By Christopher Leppek and Emanuel Isler Write Way Publishing June 2001 358 pages Horror authors Christopher Leppek and Emanuel “Mani” Isler never thought “chaos” would stalk them. Or come for their blood. Literally. The Denver-based duo recently [...]

The hairy issues of being a groomed feminist By Leigh E. Rich A friend once called me and, before I had a chance to say hello, asked rapidly, “What one thing would you want if stranded on a desert island?” My reply was as automatic as it was predictable. “Duh. Tweezers.” As if she had [...]

Does the ‘preparedness industry’ predict calamity or promote the illusion of a ‘risk-free’ life? By Leigh E. Rich Dread: How Fear and Fantasy Have Fueled Epidemics From the Black Death to Avian Flu By Philip Alcabes Public Affairs April 2009 336 pages When it comes to many of today’s epidemics, perhaps, as FDR warned during [...]

Epidemics and the concept of ‘Dread’ with author Philip Alcabes By Leigh E. Rich In the mid-1300s, the “Great Mortality” decimated nearly one-third of Europe’s population. One of every three or four individuals was stricken with the “pestilence,” a mysterious illness that began with a headache, fever and swollen lymph glands—around which red spots on [...]

What does horror have to do with public health? By Leigh E. Rich American sportswriter Red Smith once said, “There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at the typewriter and open a vein.” Two Denver-based horror novelists have done away with the metaphor and are literally mixing their blood with ink, selling [...]

The latest in the Indiana Jones series unearths conspiracy theories By Leigh E. Rich “Belief in the supernatural reflects a failure of the imagination.” — Edward Abbey Sometimes I feel like a humorless Jerry Seinfeld, asking a not-nearly-drunk-enough crowd “What is with the” dot dot dot. There is enough in this world to give one [...]

The 2008 presidential election in Savannah By Leigh E. Rich If the local election-watching parties were any indication, the 2008 U.S. presidential election held few surprises for Savannahians. Civility dominated the low-key atmosphere at The Mulberry Inn on Bay Street, where Chatham County Republicans waited for results. A small but hopeful crowd gathered in the [...]

Georgia’s delegates embrace Obama’s message at the 2008 DNC By Leigh E. Rich This November change is the only option, say the Georgia Democrats, who promise they can’t—and won’t—finish what they believe the Republicans started. Themes of change, hope, unity and public service dominated the 2008 Democratic National Convention last week, as Illinois Sen. Barack [...]

Democrats celebrate a series of ‘firsts’ at a landmark convention By Leigh E. Rich The Democrats touted their 2008 gathering in Denver as “a convention of firsts,” with its live high-definition streaming, its Spanish language simulcast and its “Delegate Service Day,” according to their Web site, www.demconvention.com. Michelle Obama, and many of the other speakers [...]

Health roundtable kicks off the Denver DNC By Leigh E. Rich Four hours before DNC Chairman Howard Deans banged the gavel and began the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, physicians, public health specialists, medical researchers and CEOs gathered at Boettcher Concert Hall for a Rocky Mountain Roundtable on “Health, Wellness and Prevention,” moderated by [...]

Biden gets two thumbs up from Georgia delegates By Leigh E. Rich DENVER—If the Democratic Party struggled in selecting a vice presidential candidate to complete the Barack Obama ticket, all they needed to do was ask Savannah City Councilwoman and Obama-pledged delegate Mary Osborne. “Oh, I love him,” she said. “He was my choice all [...]

Georgia delegates proud of Hillary Clinton’s call for unity By Leigh E. Rich DENVER—Four years ago, John Edwards talked about two Americas. On Monday, the opening night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Michelle Obama depicted America as one nation. Tuesday night, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., who lost in her bid to [...]