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in Salon
by
Katharine Mieszkowski, 14 May 2008
Mieszkowski talks with Nan Mooney about her new book, (Not) Keeping Up With Our Parents: The Decline of the Professional Middle Class. Mooney discusses the rising fixed costs that are squeezing the middle class; housing, child care, health care, and retirement all cost far more than they did for previous generations. It is these fixed costs, and not frivolous "latte" spending, that are driving white-collar families into debt, Mooney says. Mooney's call for greater social responsibility is a bit vague, but her analysis of the problems facing middle-class families is convincing and timely.
Posted 2:39, 14 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jack Mellyn
and edited by Brijit.
in Salon
by
Louis Bayard, 13 May 2008
In the '80s, hating Ronald Reagan was as integral to the liberal experience as hating George W. Bush is today. Lately though, Reagan is regarded differently, as seen in liberal historian Sean Wilentz's latest book, The Age of Reagan: 1974-2008. The book is more of a "survey course in current and not-so-current events," and Reagan goes missing for half of it, making this volume significant mostly because of its author, a liberal who now recognizes that the former president redefined politics and left his mark on government. Bayard's account is half flabbergasted and half accepting, as well as genuine and relatable.
Posted 2:35, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Francis Merlie
and edited by Brijit.
in Salon
by
Robert Burton, 12 May 2008
A PBS show features Dr. Daniel Amen claiming Alzheimer's disease is preventable -- then shilling DVDs and books on the subject. The problem is that there's little scientific evidence to back this view, and it was Amen who produced the PBS show, with no apparent vetting. Amen's medical expertise is questionable at best, and every media outlet that conveys his unfettered views simply adds to his undeserved credibility. Burton's piece is well-researched and says as much about the media as it does about Amen himself.
Posted 2:44, 12 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
US army sources say desperation to bump up enemy body counts could be pushing honorable soldiers to participate in illegal killing. Documents from a recent prosecution of three soldiers accused of killing an unarmed man with sniper fire suggest senior officers are pressuring them to cause as many casualties as possible because that's the best statistic to show the US is "winning." But officials highlight the difficulties faced by soldiers trying to apply traditional rules of combat in a guerrilla warfare situation. The authors clearly did their homework, relating several anecdotes of soldiers testifying to inflating casualty rates.
Posted 1:57, 9 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
in Salon
by
Jürgen Kremb, 7 May 2008
With hundreds of thousands left homeless and facing starvation after Cyclone Nargis, the military rulers in Burma seem completely incapable of coordinating relief efforts. Whether through lack of information or an attempted cover-up, they are grossly understating the death toll. There are rumors they chose not to warn the public about the impending cyclone, keeping broadcasts free for propaganda about next week's referendum on their governance. It even took four days before they agreed to accept UN aid. Kremb uncovers shocking allegations about official behavior.
Posted 2:38, 7 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
in Salon
by
Rebecca Traister, 6 May 2008
Walters' autobiography, Audition, reads like a transcript of a self-interview in her trademark style, Traister writes. It does little to convey how groundbreaking a feminist media figure she truly was, preceding Katie Couric as a female prime-time newscaster by 30 years, though there is some mention of the barrage of criticism she received from sexist commentators. While there's some mention of her own family problems, much of the book consists of celebrity anecdotes that range from anodyne to astute. Traister's review goes into some depth, though it's difficult to tell whether she actually recommends the book.
Posted 2:17, 6 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
in Salon
by
Amy Reiter, 5 May 2008
Che Guevara's iconic image has been emblazoned on everything from T-shirts to doormats, which led Trisha Ziff and Luis Lopez to explore the phenomenon in their documentary Chevolution. Ziff and Lopez examine the mythologizing of Che as well as the specific environmental factors -- such as Cuba's (lack of) copyright law -- that led to the image's omnipresence. Reiter asks some tough questions that are critical of the film's position, and the duo's responses flesh out their biases in a well-rounded interview that sells the movie but also offers some insights into the pop culture phenomenon.
Posted 4:24, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
aaron knoll
and edited by Brijit.
In this entertaining piece, the authors speak with some of the 285 remaining uncommitted Democratic superdelegates, noting that most "seem like the gawky kids on Little League teams who silently pray on every pitch, 'Please God, don't let them hit it to me,'" in their hope to avoid casting a deciding ballot. However, the candidates have put the pressure on such superdelegates already, with both camps making personal phone calls to plead their cases. And while some analysts have alleged that most of the undecided are Barack Obama supporters afraid to confront the Clintons, the testimony in this feature suggests they'd rather avoid having to make a critical decision altogether.
Posted 3:37, 2 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in Salon
by
Edward McClelland, 1 May 2008
The US government began tightening security on the country's northern border after 9/11. By June 2009, all entrants to the US will be required to show a passport -- no exception for Canucks. After exploring opinions from America's neighbors to the north, McClelland sympathetically sheds light on some negative results of the shut door: Trade is suffering, tourism to Canada is down, and people must show government documentation just to visit family members across what used to be an imaginary line. Equally worrisome, McClelland smartly points out, is the United States' ignorance of Canada's wishes for the shared border, which weren't considered in the new legislation.
Posted 2:40, 1 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jess Moss
and edited by Brijit.
in Salon
by
Elizabeth Grossman, 30 April 2008
This brief piece explores the work of the scientists aboard the CCGS Amundsen, a research vessel scouring the Arctic Circle for ice samples. Despite the lack of industrial sources in the Arctic, the scientists have found disturbingly high levels of mercury in the water and ice, a result of coal-burning power plants in developed nations such as the United States and China. And while the frozen mercury wouldn't have harmful effects on wildlife, global warming is causing even permafrost to melt, releasing the toxin and contaminating the food web. Grossman competently covers yet another important side effect of climate change.
Posted 11:59, 30 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.