24 May 2002

New York's currently: on vacation until Tuesday

U.S. and Russia sign nuclear reduction treaty, to reduce long-range weapon ranks by two-thirds. Related links: Arms Control Association Q&A on the treaty. Also, a 1996 Frontline special on loose nukes (great resource).

Bush loves Russia, says The Economist, because Russia has plenty of nuclear weapons, oil, and connections to the 'Axis of Evil.'

Report says India to give Pakistan two months to control cross-border Kashmir attacks.

Joint Chiefs of Staff see progress in delaying attack on Iraq, possibly have convinced Bush and Pentagon to reconsider war as inevitable.

Lockheed Martin won biggest military contract in history, and the plane that's developed may make military history.

Woody Allen describes work process as 1) remove script from typewriter, 2) make phone call, 3) start production.

As Enron prepared to file for bankruptcy, the White House moved quickly into damage-control mode.

Old, but great: Steven Shaw spends a week in the Gramercy Tavern kitchen.

Nicotine water to hit store shelves soon.

New PBS series, Frontline/World, including good feature on Sri Lanka, suicide bombers.

Hearst editorial assistant gets fired after writing hilarious email, 'Duane Reade sells candy to ANYONE. Do not bitch if the candy jar is empty.'

Overheard Conversation: two boys around age nine, on the sidewalk:

'So how many different ones are there?'

'Well, there's blue. There's purple. There's, like, red. Oh, and there's black.'

'Black? Are you sure?'

'Yeah. Are you calling me a liar?'

'A black one? Really?'

'Yeah. What? Are you calling me a liar? There's a black one.'

'Well who had it?'

'Darth Vader's leader.'

'Oh. I've just never heard of a black lightsaber.'

'I'm not lying.'