Being Jewish prepares you to be an awesome advice-giver. After all, only 1.7 percent of Americans are Jewish, but 100 percent of Ann Landers, Dear Abby, Miss Manners, and Dr. Ruth are. Emily Yoffe, author of Slate’s thoroughly enjoyable “Dear Prudence,” summed it up nicely: “Judaism is
With the U.S. military engaged in multiple battles around the world, it’s time to revisit that haunting classic of war and steel-drum cinema, “Apocalypso Now.”
* Chinese parents incensed at demolition of unsanctioned schools—and the high-rises that replaced them. * Ai Weiwei blasts Beijing, where one of the only positives is that people still give birth to babies. * If terrorist methods are as widely available as automobiles, why are there so few Islamist terrorists? * Chronic
* Irene can't be pinned on global warming, but more events like Irene should be expected in a warming world. * Hotels preserve chairs and tables during hurricanes by tossing them in the pool. * Rivka Galchen's fabulous 2009 Harper's essay on the quest to control hurricanes.
Detective Chief Inspector James Harold Japp, portrayed by Philip Jackson in the long-running Poirot series, is my favorite. He goes into every new adventure believing he’ll finally one-up the Belgian penguin, but always loses. Still he maintains his humor and indulges Poirot’s whims. I can’t
Confessionals are designed to draw the penitent into soul-searching. The spaces themselves are bare, but our knowledge of their function can make viewing more complicated.
* Flooding from Irene devastates portions of upstate New York, Vermont, submerging several small towns. * Waiting out the storm in a school gym. * Libyan rebels resist Western pressure, say they won't extradite Lockerbie bomber. * Top Gun proves we vote at the box office—Bigelow's upcoming bin Laden
* Latest updates on Hurricane Irene. * Extraordinary chronicle of an "ordinary" day in Mexico's drug wars—cause of 43,000 homicides since 2006. * Former Mexican President Fox suggests truce, amnesty, legalization. * If one of my employees started smoking crack I'd confiscate his gun and kick
* Attractive Irene tracker from the Times. * South Africa's police vow to stop high rate of cops being killed; population terrified of killer cops. * Men torch casino in Mexico, killing 53; worst attack in five years of anti-gang policing. * Recent history of MI6 and Gadhafi's relationship,
The state fair puts on display the usual cornucopia of wonders both natural and synthetic, all ready for your sampling. A young man gets in touch with his appetite.
