From the Ground Up
Even in the face of disaster, life finds a way. But how long can we afford to flout forces beyond our control and live on unsteady ground? And what are we willing to pay? Our writer sends a dispatch from New Orleans.
Clay Risen
Brothers From Another Mother
Did David Childs really steal his Freedom Tower design from a Yale student? And can you call that stealing, or just the way the business works? Our critic explains how plagiarism exists in architecture, and why there actually should be more of it.
Oxford American Music Issue
Fans of the Oxford American like to hate its editor, Mark Smirnoff. He repeatedly runs the magazine into the ground only to resurrect it after months of radio silence. But then he puts out something like the 2005 Music Issue, and all is forgiven. An eclectic mix of obscure and
Sincerely Yours LOL!
The recent publication of Robert Lowell's letters makes us wonder, will someday collections of today's scribblers' correspondence include emoticons? A look at the last gasps of letter writing.
Fame!
It’s one thing to be Mario Lopez and have a single claim to the history books, but it’s quite another to distinguish your celebrity with a striking, but unrecognized achievement. OUr writer takes a look at three famous men, not necessarily known for inventing chewing gum or cornering the pencil mark
Cameron's Physics, Tara's Slips
Experts answer what they know. The Non-Expert answers anything. This week we help two readers with vital questions of national security: Can cars backtrack mileage if driven in reverse, and who is responsible for forcing celebrities down our throats?
Beyond Therapy
Which story is front-page material: Kerry's tan, or his position on loose nukes? Bush's plans for immigration reform, or a bulge in his jacket? By fluffing rumors and stuffing their shirts, the political media this election season has constantly failed the public.
Concerning My Neighbors, the Hicks
It's easy for Yankees to see the South as a swamp, full of evangelist in-breds and Fox-fed yokels, when the media reinforces the stereotype.
Withering Heights
Great buildings deserve strong guardians and even stronger PR, and so do bad buildings apparently, as shown in the case of 2 Columbus Circle.
Barking at the Gate
The White House Correspondents Association dinner is DC's biggest night--politicos mix with editors mix with celebrities, all very realalcoholik. It's also among the lowest points of journalism.