Sideways Glance

Citizens carrying a placard reading "Coward, Chicken, Yellow-Belly (top) and They, didn't hide. They they did not run (Bottom)" take part in a Hundreds of thousands of French citizens solidarity march (Marche Republicaine) in the streets of Paris January

Finding the courage to write about cowardice

April 24, 2015Books

“Coward. Chicken. Yellow-belly.” Those were insults the French used against the gunmen who carried out the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January. Cowardice, in fact, is currently enjoying a bit of global resurgence as a put-down. So much so that Boston University professor Chris Walsh decided it was time to write a book about the subject. The first hurdle? Finding source material.

Steve Gosskie, the 2013 Featherbowling chamption in the Cadieux Cafe. Gosskie holds the second portrait that Jerry Lemenu painted for him. The first was stolen and never returned.

Featherbowling is an almost unknown sport — but not at this Detroit café

November 25, 2014Sports

Fatty Arbuckle (center) riding in The Whip, one of William F. Mangels' classic rides. At one time, Mangels had 500 of them in operation.

It took a ‘cranky,’ dour immigrant to make Coney Island the capital of fun

October 29, 2014Culture

The love affair between Mexican Americans and Morrissey isn’t that surprising

October 24, 2014Music

Julius Kacinskis outside of “Peacemaker,” the pop-up shop on East 20th Street in Manhattan where he sells Vladimir Putin t-shirts that he designed. “People portray Putin as a mean guy,” Kacinskis says, “so we gotta educate people."

Even if you don’t like Vladimir Putin, you’re welcome at the store where he’s Superman

October 10, 2014Lifestyle

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The Russian film "Da i Da" ("Yes and Yes") directed by Valeria Gai Germanika

Russian curses are inventive, widely-used — and banned

October 8, 2014Culture

Russian filmmakers must either avoid using profane dialogue or seek alternative ways to show their films, now that Russian ‘mat’ is no longer permitted in public performances

A Kirin staff member poses with its new craft beer product "Spring Valley Brewery 496 prototype," which was launched in July 2014. Craft styles are increasingly migrating from the United States to other countries.

America’s craft brewers are inspiring beer lovers — and makers — across the globe

September 26, 2014Food

It wasn’t that long ago that the American beer landscape was a wasteland of watery lagers. But now more than 3,000 breweries and craft brewers like Sean Lewis are churning out world-class beers that influence brewers and beer lovers worldwide.

You might want extra life insurance before trying some of the recipes in this cookbook

September 17, 2014Food

Since 1991, the Ig Nobel prizes have been awarded, tongue firmly in cheek, to researchers whose work “first makes you laugh, then makes you think.” The theme of this year’s Ig Nobel ceremony? Food. And with that, we have this review of the Ig Nobel Cookbook, Volume I.

How a Chicago bluegrass band rocked Nigeria’s music scene

August 27, 2014Music

Bluegrass covers of pop and rock music abound abound. But none have quite the back story of The Henhouse Prowlers’ version of “Chop My Money,”a cover of a Nigerian hip-hop mega-hit that created a frenzy in the country when the band toured there this summer.

The BP Amoco yard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn is one of the stops during The Poison Cauldron tour. Refining ceased along Newtown Creek in the 1960s, and today the name of the game is petroleum distribution from fuel barge fed tank farms like this.

Want to tour a toxic beach? ‘Anti-tourism’ explores the darker, dirtier corners of the world

August 12, 2014Lifestyle

The latest trend in tourism doesn’t look like tourism at all. With the help of some adventurous tour guides, young urbanites are seeking out the world’s most unusual, gross and often dangerous locales.

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