This week we’re introducing a new column, “New York’s Roadside Attractions,” in which TMN Editor Erik Bryan travels to historical homes around the five boroughs and, among other things, tries to get historical re-enactors to break character and submit to an interview. The weekend of Sept. 17
* British Airways to sell $200 courses on how to survive an airline evacuation. * Feminists rally against "mademoiselle," call for French equivalent of "Ms." * Journalist follows protocol to Interview a woman with 100-plus personalities. * David Brooks defends Mitt Romney. * Leading contender for U.S. presidency suggests
* The most popular contraceptive for women in southern and eastern Africa appears to double the risk of HIV. * LAPD says 911 response will suffer as officers are pulled to monitor prisoners released due to overcrowding. * When Texas counties handled executions. * Neal Stephenson surveys the history of science fiction and its
In a North Carolina mountain town, the cops are good old boys, the sheriff’s a teddy bear, and the chief conducts drug raids in his head. All of which spells nothing good for a Mexican caught with a carful of guns, or for the town’s “Cop Beat” reporter.
* Elections in Zambia symbolize democratic progress in southern Africa: rare and patchy, but ongoing. * Eight ways to keep young officers from running away from an Army career. * About that iPhone/fMRI story over the weekend: Brain-imaging experts call big-time bogus. * Items confiscated from people entering British Parliament. * Interactive
A lot of people lead fantasy lives online—as do I. But instead of slaying orcs or posting amateur porn, I live out my dream of being an advice columnist. Five years ago, I joined MetaFilter. MetaFilter began as—and primarily remains—an online space for members to share interesting
Chad States previously photographed men at their most masculine. His latest work finds them amid lush parks at their most discreet.
* Watchdog alleges Shell paid Nigerian militant groups in order to maintain production amidst conflict. * By focusing on social, national security issues—and downplaying the economy—Obama '12 resembles Bush '04. * City withholds free 9/11 Memorial tickets from tour companies who try to charge extra for them. * Yann
* Anwar al-Awlaki is the U.S.'s first due-process-free citizen assassination. * Details of the two-year al-Awlaki manhunt, which also led to death of al Qaeda's magazine editor. * Bahrain's vicious crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators requires U.S. to cease arms
* New numbers find New Orleans lost 29% of its population in the last 10 years. * Of small companies formed between 2004 and 2008, only 3% added more than 10 employees. * Neutrinos getting lots of attention for potentially refuting Einstein. * Performance psychologists enter the classical-music world to help musicians cope
