Smith's piece about Dale Earnhardt, Jr. shows how his late father's distance and tough love made it difficult for them to ever bond, and Little E admits that he spent his entire life trying to please his father, which became impossible after his death. Now, even though he's the most popular driver in the sport, Junior still craves acceptance, and has seemingly found it at his new team, Hendricks Motorsports -- whose owner Rick Hendrick became a father figure to Junior after losing a son. This piece got media attention for the driver's comments about his father and the decision to leave the team named after Number 3, though the psychological insights are what really make it worth reading.
Posted 11:37, 14 May 2008
Despite an ailing economy and ridiculous real estate prices across New York City, "amazingness lives" in some homes, proving that, thanks to one individual's vision, "behind any facade, you might find wonderland." This massive feature highlights six superb examples, from an 18-room castle in Yonkers to a "blindingly white" Manhattan condo. Each feature is loaded with stunning pictures of the home and interesting accounts of the inspiration behind the designs as well as the painstaking process of turning vision into reality. An engaging feature sure to inspire edifice envy in the architecturally inclined.
Hamas leader Ahmed Yousef has praised Barack Obama for his JFK-like vision, even though Obama himself considers Hamas a terrorist organization. McCain has latched onto the comments to practice some dirty politicking of guilt by association, and claiming he himself is "Hamas' worst nightmare." Most editorialists would fashion a pretty good column from that, but Cohen skillfully propels the debate from mudslinging to the deeper issue of which candidate truly has the chops: "The Middle East needs supple minds that are not mired in the past," Cohen remarks, noting that McCain's admirable qualities aren't suited to solving persistent diplomatic wrangles.
Known for his hilarious and poignant memoirs, 51-year-old David Sedaris is publishing a novel, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Reginato talks to him about the rigid fact-checking that has resulted from the James Frey mess, and from The New Republic's recent piece that aimed to fact-check Sedaris' memoirs. (Not only did it turn up almost nothing incriminating, but it's amusingly ironic to him because of TNR's Stephen Glass and Baghdad Diarist fabrications). Reginato manages to include telling, intimate details -- Sedaris' battle with drug addiction and his luddite habits, for example -- about a man we thought we knew everything about.
Glass and the crew produce an engaging "housing crisis for dummies" by drawing an aural map of a mortgage's "trip" from the giant pool of over $70 trillion (the entire world's savings) to the defaulting homeowner, and interviews the individual at each stop who gave it the green light to continue it's death march. Not surprisingly, the common theme of each participant's story was that they ignored their conscience, regulations, or traditional financial logic when they made their respective decisions. It's a riveting description of the crisis, and likely the most lucid, illustrative explanation of it you'll find.
Adelstein, a longtime crime reporter for Japan's largest newspaper, offers an insightful, personal glimpse into the realities of the yakuza, or Japanese mafia. In Tokyo alone the yakuza holds an estimated 800 front companies in a variety of sectors, but has traditionally been involved in drugs, prostitution, and pornography. The 80,000-strong yakuza is able to stay in power due to a lack of laws Americans take for granted, such as plea bargaining and witness protection. This weakness has allowed the yakuza's power to affect America and its citizens; Adelstein himself is under threat by the yakuza for his publishing his exposé, and is incredulous at the powerlessness of Japanese law enforcement to gain control of the situation.
Despite an ailing economy and ridiculous real estate prices across New York City, "amazingness lives" in some homes, proving that, thanks to one individual's vision, "behind any facade, you might find wonderland." This massive feature highlights six superb examples, from an 18-room castle in Yonkers to a "blindingly white" Manhattan condo. Each feature is loaded with stunning pictures of the home and interesting accounts of the inspiration behind the designs as well as the painstaking process of turning vision into reality. An engaging feature sure to inspire edifice envy in the architecturally inclined.
Hamas leader Ahmed Yousef has praised Barack Obama for his JFK-like vision, even though Obama himself considers Hamas a terrorist organization. McCain has latched onto the comments to practice some dirty politicking of guilt by association, and claiming he himself is "Hamas' worst nightmare." Most editorialists would fashion a pretty good column from that, but Cohen skillfully propels the debate from mudslinging to the deeper issue of which candidate truly has the chops: "The Middle East needs supple minds that are not mired in the past," Cohen remarks, noting that McCain's admirable qualities aren't suited to solving persistent diplomatic wrangles.
Glass and the crew produce an engaging "housing crisis for dummies" by drawing an aural map of a mortgage's "trip" from the giant pool of over $70 trillion (the entire world's savings) to the defaulting homeowner, and interviews the individual at each stop who gave it the green light to continue it's death march. Not surprisingly, the common theme of each participant's story was that they ignored their conscience, regulations, or traditional financial logic when they made their respective decisions. It's a riveting description of the crisis, and likely the most lucid, illustrative explanation of it you'll find.
Known for his hilarious and poignant memoirs, 51-year-old David Sedaris is publishing a novel, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Reginato talks to him about the rigid fact-checking that has resulted from the James Frey mess, and from The New Republic's recent piece that aimed to fact-check Sedaris' memoirs. (Not only did it turn up almost nothing incriminating, but it's amusingly ironic to him because of TNR's Stephen Glass and Baghdad Diarist fabrications). Reginato manages to include telling, intimate details -- Sedaris' battle with drug addiction and his luddite habits, for example -- about a man we thought we knew everything about.
Weaver, a culinary historian, discusses the food and history of Cyprus. Cypriot cuisine is multi-faceted -- due to the country's geographic proximity to Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon, its cultural ties to Greece, its varied terrain, and its occupation by many different countries and empires over the centuries. Weaver visits tavernas where he enjoys fava bean stew, halloumi cheese, a native orange called kitromilo, and local favorite horta me avga, sauteed eggs and greens with lemon. There are 23 species of oregano on the island, and it is the earliest recorded viticulture in the Mediterranean, dating back 5,500 years. The author's extensive knowledge and unbridled curiosity make this piece worthwhile.
Kaufman explores the fairly new food-science arena of produce morphology, in which scientists are attempting to decode shape-determining DNA to create, for example, perfectly round tomatoes, more easily shippable square grapefruits, or "a cute little watermelon for a small family." But Kaufman is skeptical; identical, symmetrical produce has a "hypnotic effect" on him, and he somewhat predictably contemplates the philosophical implications of trying to fix "imperfect" fruits and vegetables. Worth a read, if just for the neat graphic of tomato cross-sections that look like brain scans.
Knickerbocker's bottom line seems to be that brown rice has a bad rap -- and that it's not just for hippies anymore. She embarks on a journey to rediscover the grain, which has had the inedible hull removed but not the fibrous bran layers. Not surprisingly, this makes it far more nutritious than its white cousin -- it's higher in fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Interestingly, it also requires more water and a longer time to cook. Knickerbocker talks to a local rice grower and describes the growing process, creating an informative yet warmly personal narrative. Lovely food photos accompany the story -- especially a colorful spread of chicken and brown rice with chorizo.
Thirty-four years after moving to Los Angeles for political asylum, Mathew returns to her birthplace in Ethiopia to reconnect with family friends and rekindle memories. Filled with friendly fellowship dinners, cultural celebrations, and trips to the market, Mathew's days in Addis Ababa are a nostalgic reintroduction to the sights, sounds, and flavors of her youth. The injera (spongy bread), gomen (greens), misr wot (red lentil stew), and kitfo (spiced raw beef) reflect not only the region's piquant spices but also the deep influence of the Orthodox Church. Mathew's reflective piece and the recipes, images, and practical travel tips that accompany it are an enticement to experience Ethiopian flavors firsthand.
Posted 3:00, 10 April 2008
Von Bremzen attends a six-course gourmet meal inspired by elaborate menus created for a noble 19th century St. Petersburg family. The chef for this period-costume dining event is the author's mother, Larisa Frumkin, who emigrated to the United States from Russia in 1974. Borscht kicks off the sit-down meal, followed by a fish pastry called kulebyaka, and then cutlets of chicken pozharsky. Recipes for these pre-Soviet era dishes accompany Von Bremzen's affectionate description of the feast.
Posted 3:48, 8 April 2008
