Love her or hate her, there’s no denying that Rosie O?Donnell has broken a lot of barriers on the road to success, both personal and professional. She succeeded as a woman in the male-dominated stand-up comedy world. She went on to host a successful Emmy-winning daytime talk show. She has also faced–and overcome–the obstacles presented… Read more »
Viewed in the broadest strokes, the problem of the ongoing toy recalls is simple–Chinese manufacturers are making shoddy (even dangerous) goods that are being sold to unsuspecting North American consumers. But this simplistic big-picture view of a complex issue is tied to the smaller picture; in particular, to a recent conversation I had with a… Read more »
Hero. The word gets used a lot. There are sports heroes and action heroes, hero sandwiches and superheroes. And now, apparently, there are UFC heroes–but a recent commercial for them only highlighted how far removed they are from what a real hero is. The UFC is the Ultimate Fighting Championship, an entity that, according to… Read more »
Fads and fashions come and go. From multi-hued mohawks to zoot suits to Elizabethan ruffled collars, every era has its peculiarities (remember the Pet Rock?) And after watching the styles and crazes of the past four decades rise and fall, I’ve figured out what the next big thing is: nothing. Not that people will be… Read more »
It’s a simple fact of enterprise that businesses–at least, for-profit ones–exist to do just that: make a profit. There are mark-ups, margins, and formulas galore, but the whole point is to sell a product or service and to make money doing it. But there are ways to make a buck–and then there are ways to… Read more »
Tight-Laced My corset is made of air, stronger than steel or bone and self-laced to shape me like a tube. What better way to purge this hourglass? You know, Ms. Granger holds the record, tight-laced to fifteen now and counting, but I have no use for her corsetiere. To be the hand within the glove… Read more »
Besides death and taxes, there are a couple of other constants in the universe: Everybody loves a good puzzle, and most of us like to see the good guy win. These two simple facts (as well as the quality of the production) are what’s behind the solid success of the television program CSI: Crime Scene… Read more »
In the interest of all things summer-like and relaxed, my editorial radar seems to have sprouted a pair of Tevas, poured itself a cold drink, and wandered off in search of some shade. There are serious news stories galore, but the only things that seem to be catching its indolent eye are the columns of… Read more »
It really is great, being one of Us. I wouldn’t want to be one of Them. It’s comforting, this ability to create a wall between Us and Them. I’ll cluster together with Us, and together we’ll keep Them at bay. It affords a sense of safety, of stability, in an unpredictable world. Or at least,… Read more »
If It’s too loud, You’re too old. Remember that one? Well, there’s a new twist on it, but It’s one that most people don’t know: if You’re between 6 and 60, It’s too loud–and It’s probably making you deaf. It seems there’s an epidemic of hearing loss happening in Canada, and the worst part is… Read more »