1 October 2002

New York's currently: not updating the headlines today, Wednesday, 2 October 2002, because the author's head is exploding with viruses.

U.N. and Iraq negotiate return of inspectors.

Hudson River proves fine for swimming, north of Manhattan (say, Washington Heights).

If you like Gossip! you'll love a large collection of celebrity mugshots.

South Africa grapples with professional flight, as doctors go overseas for better pay.

Attention Detroit-ers: Haypenny Anniversary Party, this Saturday.

Fed warns drug companies to stop sending doctors free gifts (e.g., junkets, entertainment tickets, conferences).

An argument for not classifying chemical and biological weapons as 'weapons of mass destruction,' change preferably to 'nasty but not so deadly.'

Venice has always suffered lesser floods and dealt with them--'a republic of beavers,' Goethe called it. Italy's controversial plan, the MOSE program, to save Venice.

Joseph Epstein actually should switch to bricklaying, given his straw arguments, and the editor who approved his column gets high marks for controversy (let's also hang an elephant in Coney Island!); Thankfully, Onna Weissman will keep at it.

Ooh! Ooh! You can hear TMN contributing writer Paul Ford discuss his work on NPR, with RealAudio. (starts around minute 46)

Love, Novoselic, and Grohl settle Nirvana lawsuit.

George Plimpton on traveling as Fitzgerald, keeping Mailer away from Hemingway, and the time he got his hands around the neck of Robert Kennedy's assassin.

But the [NY Post] may have gone too far in a caption under a photo of paralyzed actor Christopher Reeve and his Hollywood pals celebrating at a birthday bash last week. 'None of them could move the next day,' the caption read. Good catch by the Daily News gossip team (last item).

Repairman takes customer's car for a joyride, posts on message board. Then, customer finds out and is more than a little pissed. [thanks to mp]