I spent my teenage years in the company of serial killers, cannibals, vampires and witches. But enough about my family reunion (I kid, they were merely Mormons and sheep farmers). This week is Halloween, so I must confess -- and share -- a love of the scariest movies and books. »
Archive for October, 2009
I Become a Better Citizen: Several Days in Yosemite’s Backcountry, Part VI — Doorframes, Mashed Potatoes, and Hoping for Conviviality
I’ve taken enough trips to know how to design an itinerary the right way. on’t front-load it so much that you give yourself nothing to look forward once the main adventure is over. We’ve all had trips where the homeward slog is just that — a death march back to reality. »
Trick-or-Treat Toothbrushes? No Way! Halloween Heroes and Zeros
Halloween should be the most fun holiday of the year. The formula is easy: kids ask for candy, kids get candy. Adults go to parties, wear amusing or enchanting costumes. You slice up some squash, leave it on your porch with a candle in it. So why is it so easy to hijack Halloween?... »
The Movable Feast: Food Cart Cuisine Increasingly Diverse, Delicious
Recently, a new trend has emerged, driven by burgeoning numbers of creative, truck-based vendors and fueled in part by social media. You can now find almost any type of cuisine in the form of a cart or truck somewhere. A small sampling . . . »
I Become a Better Citizen: Several Days in Yosemite’s Backcountry, Part V — Boots Off
"One of my favorite things about hiking is the uncompetitive nature of it all — how a third-grader in unfortunate clothes can haul by me on the trail without leaving me feeling like a complete codger in his wake. We all hike our own hike; we all win." »
Time for Change Hasn’t Ended: An Interview With Authors of New Book ‘Generation Change’
We interviewed the co-authors of upcoming book "Generation Change." Jayan Kalathil and Melissa Bolton-Klinger spoke to us about the inspiration behind the new book, thoughts on the power on online social networking, and reveal the bipartisan nature of flossing. »
I Become a Better Citizen: Several Days in Yosemite’s Backcountry, Part IV — I’m Going Swimming
"Every meal has its best bite, every wardrobe has its best pair of shoes. And if all goes well, every trip has its best day. For me, out here, today is that day. An incomparable setting, a waterfall plunge I won’t soon forget, one hell of a campfire, and that old stretch-run feeling..." »
Fox Fact and Faux
CAUTION! You are about to read an opinion-based column about Fox News Channel’s opinion-based reporting. While many political commentators have said the Obama Administration should “take the moral high ground,” and appear on Fox News, I respectfully disagree. »
Attack of the Zombie: Perfectly Potent Halloween Punch
With Halloween around the corner, it's the perfect time for the Tiki drink known as the Zombie. It has an alcohol-packed punch, a quirky history, and an involved, complex sort of magic in making one. Learn all about it. »
I Become a Better Citizen: Several Days in Yosemite’s Backcountry, Part III — Half-Bold, Half-Bananas
"Standing up at the pass, gnawing on a mighty tasty PB&J sandwich made only four days earlier, I see a man steadily trucking up the unforgiving switchbacks. When he hits the pass some minutes later, his wide smile prompts me to react similarly. Funny how relentless exertion in thin air can produce such joy." »
