Human Environment
Public and private places and buildings, including cities, monuments, parks and reservations
The Man Who Wouldn’t Die
The plot to kill Michael Malloy for life-insurance money seemed foolproof—until the conspirators actually tried it
February 07, 2012 |
By Karen Abbott
What to Look for on the Train Ride From New York to Washington
Sure, the view along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor has its share of grime. But there are also sights that'll make you want to put away your smart phone
February 02, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
The Mystique of Route 66
Foreign tourists and local preservationists are bringing stretches of the storied roadway back to life
February 2012 |
By David Lamb
Football or Rugby: Whose Players are Tougher?
Could football players last 80 minutes in a rugby match? The great debate continues
January 31, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
L.A.’s Answer to the Yellow Brick Road
A group including the actor Jack Nicholson has tried to get Dirt Mulholland on the National Register of Historic Places
January 30, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Sunday Funnies Blast Off Into the Space Age
When Dr. Athelstan Spilhaus met President Kennedy in 1962, JFK told him, "The only science I ever learned was from your comic strip."
January 27, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
Go Behind the Red Barn and Rediscover Dale Nichols
Though snubbed by scholars, the American realist painter produced surprisingly symbolic works, as a striking new exhibition makes clear
January 26, 2012 |
By Henry Adams
New Zealand and Other Travel Locales That Will Break the Bank
New Zealand is worth visiting, but I'm not sure how long I can keep traveling here while claiming to be "on the cheap"
January 12, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Coming Attractions for 2012: The Great Gatsby in 3D!!
Films both new and old that we look forward to in the coming year
January 12, 2012 |
By Daniel Eagan
Moving Sidewalks Before The Jetsons
The public's fascination with the concept of "movable pavement" extends back more than 130 years
January 11, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
Waging War on Mammals in New Zealand
The family spent days in a government cabin eating food, all provided by the New Zealand Department of Conservation, which only requested an effort to stomp on kiwi-killing vermin in return
January 10, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Italy: Where the Olive Oil is the Most Flavorful
An organic farming network gave my niece the opportunity. Then she gave me the nectar of the gods
January 06, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Into New Zealand’s Strange Waters and Prehistoric Forests
The absence of native mammals, aside from bats and pinnipeds, gives the impression that New Zealand is still in the age of dinosaurs
January 05, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Journey to the Bottom of the Earth – Almost
Anyone would be a fool to visit the South Island and not see the cliffs and marine scenery of Milford Sound, maybe the closest thing the real world knows to the fabled “Cliffs of Insanity" of The Princess Bride
January 04, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Goofing Around in England’s Lake District
Now out on DVD, The Trip, with comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, takes the road movie into the storied English countryside
January 04, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
One Newspaper to Rule Them All
In 1900, British newspaper magnate Alfred Harmsworth predicted a national newspaper for the United States. "Is it not obvious that the power of such a paper might become such as we have not yet seen in the history of the Press?"
January 03, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
National Film Registry Selections for 2011
From Forrest Gump to silent comedies, 25 titles have been added to a list of our country's most significant films
December 30, 2011 |
By Daniel Eagan
Best Bets to See a Big Predator
Get your grizzlies, polar bears, big cats, wolves and crocs here
December 30, 2011 |
By Alastair Bland
Santa’s Trusty Robot Reindeer
A special visit from the Ghost of Christmas Retro-Future
December 23, 2011 |
By Matt Novak
Seven Islands to Visit in 2012
Pitcairn Island is populated by 50 people, has a handful of hostels, a general store and a café and, frankly, could really use a few visitors
December 22, 2011 |
By Alastair Bland
