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in Radar
by
Sarah Horne, May/June 2008
Despite the recession, conspicuous consumption is alive and well for the ultra-rich. In this interesting-in-a-sickening-way article, Horne writes that although those making $200,000 to $500,000 are cutting back, multimillionaires are welcoming the chance to live more cheaply, and billionaires look forward to shaking loose from the "centa-millionaires" who dilute their privilege. Luxury sellers, such as fashion designers, yacht makers, and ultra-high-end realtors, aren't seeing any slowdown in their business. Although some of the rich are willing to tone down their "grotesque exhibitions" in public, Horne says in private not much has changed.
Posted 4:48, 9 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bryan Fagan
and edited by Brijit.
in Radar
by
Aaron Gell, May/June 2008
Answer: not much, apparently. Cave grouses and grumbles his way through an interview with Gell, discussing drugs, music, his family, and his (lack of) faith. Cave mentions his latest album, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, but the interview only touches on it. Although family life and quitting his drug use has seemed to calm him, Cave still has plenty to complain about -- awards, the media, global warming. Still, Cave's reticence makes it difficult to get much out of him in this forgettable piece.
Posted 4:46, 9 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bryan Fagan
and edited by Brijit.
America's fascination with celebrities blithely extends to their children, the cheekily labeled "aristo-brats." We already love their ultra-famous parents, so we gladly accept these "human sequels, easier to green-light than untested projects." They pop up in fashion circles, at movie festivals, on the talk show circuit and in other artistic positions. Though some try to distance themselves and be accepted on their own merits, most capitalize on their parents' celebrity to gain extra clout for their projects. This piece is snarky, but it's also funny and accurate, reminding us that if the "Lucky Sperm Club" stays in the spotlight, we only have ourselves to blame.
Posted 1:59, 6 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Laura Sorensen
and edited by Brijit.
in Radar
by
Christopher Ketcham, May/June 2008
Ketcham spins a nightmare scenario in which a database called Main Core names millions of Americans to be detained or watched in case of a "national emergency" of unspecified nature. The government feeds surveillance and wiretap information -- as well as private info such as email subject lines, ATM withdrawals, and credit card purchases -- into Main Core . This might sound like the standard conspiracy tale -- for example, FEMA is supposed to seize power in this scenario -- and some of Ketcham's sources are anonymous. But Ketcham does an excellent job reminding readers that "enemy lists" and electronic surveillance aren't new, and the Bush administration's record gives his story the unsettling whiff of truth.
Posted 9:43, 6 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bryan Fagan
and edited by Brijit.
This titillating feature reveals pop-culture historian Billy Geerhart’s late '90s correspondence. Geerhart, masquerading as a 10 year-old who wanted to drop out of school, wrote celebrated personalities requesting their advice. Responses came in from Dick Cheney, Oprah, Mister Rogers, Janet Reno, Larry Flynt and others, but the article focuses on responses from killers Richard (The Night Stalker) Ramirez, Charles Manson, David (Son of Sam) Berkowitz, Ted (The Unabomber) Kaczynski and Eric (My Two Sons) Menendez. Worth a look for just for Manson's doodles, the replies are fascinating; so is the fact that Geerhart has followed up with letters from an older, college aged Billy.
Posted 11:09, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Marc Calderwood
and edited by Brijit.
The Church of Scientology has always successfully squelched critics with its notorious CIA-worthy intimidation tactics -- until now. Scientologists reeling from negative PR surrounding Andrew Morton's biography of Tom Cruise and the much-circulated YouTube video of the crazed Cruise himself. Meanwhile, a network of Internet activists called Anonymous has successfully sabotaged the church's website and staged real-world protests, and the niece of current Scientology leader David Miscavige has defected and is blabbing about the church's weird practices, including its authoritarian treatment of children. Cook provides a fascinating peek at Scientology's special blend of paranoia and delusion and its struggles against attacks on all fronts.
Posted 10:19, 2 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Bonnie Walker
and edited by Brijit.
in Radar
by
Tom Teodorczuk, April 2008
Teodorczuk reports that America's B-list stars and celebrity has-beens are flocking to England to revitalize their careers. The strategy has worked marvelously for Madonna, who settled into respectability in the English countryside, and Woody Allen, who in the film Matchpoint did for London what he once did for New York's Upper East Side. Surprisingly, the staid Brits are embracing a flood of colorfully quirky American fugitives including Janice Dickinson, David Gest, and Dennis Rodman. Rumor has it that even Britney Spears is contemplating relocating (emphasis on "rumor"). Teodorczuk doesn't explain the cause of the phenomenon, but the article is mildly amusing.
Posted 10:00, 2 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Bonnie Walker
and edited by Brijit.
Cook perceptively argues that Osama bin Laden has become a brand as universal as Coca-Cola, with Bin Laden T-shirts selling like hotcakes in Muslim countries. With their mastery of online marketing and social networking tools, Al Qaeda has disseminated their hate-filled but appealingly simple message to youth worldwide. Meanwhile, America's Muslim-centric PR efforts -- including a now-defunct teen magazine and a satellite news network no one watched -- have fizzled like New Coke. Cook sagely notes that the problem is message and credibility as well as method; America's efforts to win Arab hearts and minds are handicapped by Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and its leaders' ignorance of the Muslim world.
Posted 7:46, 2 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Bonnie Walker
and edited by Brijit.
in Radar
by
Matt Salacuse, April 2008
This showcase of pre-teen rockers currently taking New York City's music scene by storm includes groups with such unbearably twee names as Tiny Masters of Today, Toxic Muffin, and Care Bears on Fire. If you're not already familiar with the musical stylings of these "middle-school moppets," don't expect to learn much here. The rundown on each band provides only basic stats, including age (ranging from 9 to 14), average height, relationship (classmates or siblings) and best cover song. The accompanying photo spread, which shows the young rockers posing, leaping, and smashing guitars, will depress anyone older than 25.
Posted 4:58, 1 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Bonnie Walker
and edited by Brijit.
Ames takes a close look at the opposition leaders taking a stand against Russia's Vladimir Putin and his increasingly authoritarian rule. Eduard Limonov, a brash novelist and something of an "aging Marxist rock star," has witnessed a cult of personality spring up around him as young Russian punks take his anti-Putin, anti-consumerist message to the streets. This profile of a real-life Tyler Durden figure reveals a passionate, fascinating leader who has been neglected by the Western media. If only Ames could have gotten beyond the groupie fawning...
Posted 4:57, 1 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Justin Smith
and edited by Brijit.