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in The New York Times
by
Judith Warner, 5 June 2008
Warner delivers a shot to the gut with her Domestic Disturbances blog and this stinging indictment of rampant American misogyny. The juxtaposition of the collapse of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign with the smash-hit success of "Sex and the City" is more powerful and decidedly less cutesy than the headline suggests. A brief walk through the sexist cottage industry that sprung up around Sen. Clinton (nutcrackers, anyone?) brings the point home, as does a collection of nasty quotes from assorted talking heads. "It’s nothing other than an expression of woman-hate — and the degree to which such expressions have flourished ... has added up to be a real national shame."
Posted 12:18, 6 June 2008
This abstract was written by
Jeremy Brosowsky
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times
by
Michael Cieply, 27 May 2008
Cieply's straight-ahead obituary of Sydney Pollack will make you sadder than you ever expected to be at news of the director's death. His filmography as a director includes more than 20 movies and spans five decades, and includes "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" (1969), "The Way We Were" (1973), "Tootsie" (1982), "The Firm" (1993) and "The Interpreter" (2005). He also played memorable roles in films such as Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut" and Tony Gilroy's "Michael Clayton." In the end, "Mr. Pollack’s career defined an era in which big stars ... and the filmmakers who knew how to wrangle them ... retooled the Hollywood system." RIP, Sydney.
Posted 2:10, 27 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jeremy Brosowsky
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times
by
Micheline Maynard, 22 May 2008
We long ago gave up on the notion of a free lunch, in the air or otherwise. Now American Airlines has announced that it will be charging passengers $15 to check their first bags. The airline, which has been hit hard by soaring fuel prices, also said it would be taking up to 85 aircraft out of its fleet by the end of the year. However, it's unclear whether the cutbacks will aid the ailing airline, as the parent company's shares fell nearly 25 percent in the first 24 hours after the announcement. A sad but useful primer on a significant player in a beleaguered industry.
Posted 5:17, 22 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jeremy Brosowsky
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times
by
William Yardley, 14 May 2008
The people of Juneau, Alaska have cut their electricity use by 30 percent in the past month -- not through environmental conscientiousness, but because prices rocketed after an avalanche wiped out the hydroelectric dam that provided four-fifths of the town's power. With only diesel power available, the price of electricity is nearly five times higher than before, and everything from a public sauna to drying laundry by machine is a target for savings. Yardley's piece is a powerful demonstration of environmental change, though there's surprisingly no mention of whether climate change itself could have contributed to the avalanche.
Posted 4:25, 14 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times
by
George McGovern, 14 May 2008
George McGovern writes an article in which he clearly has experience: He notates several instances in which the Democratic party divided, giving elections to the Republicans. Although he commends both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for continuing their campaigns, he is concerned that the same thing could happen again in this election. As a solution McGovern proposes that the two candidates campaign without criticize one another and make quick stops each state with a remaining primary to strengthen the party.
Posted 4:21, 14 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bret Strecker
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times
by
Edward Wyatt, 14 May 2008
Former Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Al Gore's spokesman during the 2000 Florida recount, is none too pleased with a new HBO film depicting him as a wimp whose weak strategy was largely to blame for Gore's ultimate loss. Other members of Gore's team, and even Bush adviser James Baker, say Recount is unfair to Christopher, but director Danny Strong insists the portrayal is accurate. Wyatt doesn't firmly take sides, but he does refer to Jeffrey Toobin's book Too Close to Call, which asserted Christopher was urging Gore to concede by the end of the recount's first week.
Posted 4:07, 14 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bonnie Walker
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times
by
Bob Herbert, 13 May 2008
"Millenials," people born in the '80s and '90s, are likely to bring about a tectonic shift in politics in coming elections. The young generation is the first to face a lower standard of living than their parents, marked by an evisceration of well-paying middle-management jobs from the workforce with bleak outlook for improvement, and an increasing lack of employer-provided health insurance. It's because of this that the Millennials are the most politically progressive generation in history, and Herbert predicts -- perhaps too rosily -- that soon their influence will loosen the stranglehold that conservatism has held on American politics.
Posted 4:53, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Amy DeGeus
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times
by
David Brooks, 13 May 2008
Scientific revolution can change public culture, Brooks writes, and the atheism debates from Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and others highlights the effect neuroscience research is having on belief in God and religion. Some would argue that people perceive God's existence because their brains have evolved to confabulate belief systems, but as neuroscience advances, meaning, belief, and consciousness remain mysteries. A human's sense of fairness, empathy and attachment are based on deep instincts yet to be explained. As science gains respect for spiritual states, God may become more personal and religion less integral to spiritual experience, Brooks writes in this well-developed, engaging essay.
Posted 4:49, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Francis Merlie
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times
by
Michael Slackman, 12 May 2008
While the teenage years are a time for rebellion in many Western societies, similar behavior is not accepted in the Muslim world, where strict religious and cultural demands create an extremely conservative society. Slackman speaks with a pair of young Saudi men attempting to navigate the already tricky terrain of love while remaining within the confines of what is acceptable behavior in their culture. The lengthy feature is engaging until the very end, as Slackman offers an interesting perspective on facets of young Muslims' life from family loyalty to love, which one Saudi female notes "can ruin your reputation."
Posted 5:13, 12 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
Karl Rove's leap from White House adviser to Fox, Newsweek and Wall Street Journal pundit is the latest example of the blurring line between the media and politics. Ever since George Stephanopoulos joined ABC, observers have questioned whether such jumps are like gamekeepers becoming poachers. Democrats remain suspicious when Rove offers "independent" advice for the Barack Obama campaign, but editors insist there's little danger of audiences seeing him as truly unbiased. Newsweek's Joe Meacham points out, "No one on the planet who is reading Newsweek is at all puzzled as to what Karl's politics are." The writers raise some interesting points while avoiding the natural traps of journalists discussing their own profession.
Posted 2:55, 12 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.