Category Archives: Articles

Articles, essays, and posts which may or may not evolve into topics for discussion meetings.

Another urban change update

Recalling the urban change/Vanishing City junta, I had to post about this article in the Guardian about Williamsburg changing. I don’t plan to attend any Duane Reade protests, and think too much is made over these type of stores moving in, but I do confess to not being that happy to see them proliferating. I

My evolution towards ethical eating

Around four years ago I came back from China and because of one of the last stories I wrote while over there I was determined to change my eating habits. I wasn’t ready to go full vegetarian, but I was going to try to eat less meat and try to avoid intensively raised meat. So

Catch a Viewing of “The Vanishing City”

For anyone who wanted to come to our previous meeting but couldn’t make it, the film we watched is being screened at The National Arts Club next Wednesday, followed by a panel discussion. “The Vanishing City” is a great documentary about real estate in Manhattan over the last 30 years. It covers the changes in

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

Just wanted to do a quick post about the breakfast event I attended Monday morning at the Council on Foreign Relations with the Iman of the controversial Islamic center. There was an air of anticipation in the room and a heavy media presence outside that made it particularly interesting among the events I go to there.

The Beck DC rally and “ground zero mosque”

Check out our very own Alex Zaitchik’s dispatch on the, uh “Restore America” rally in DC this past weekend in The New Republic. Ya’ll will recall the Beck Junta that Alex led off of his new book. Honestly, every time I read about Beck I want to smash something, the guy is so infuriating.  He holds what

Will Israel Bomb Iran?

A lot of people are talking about the cover story in the new Atlantic by Jeffrey Goldberg on the possibility of Israel attacking Iran. I found it fascinating reading, diligent reporting with a wide range of sources and a different take on the psychology behind this. I didn’t realize at all the background with Netanyahu and

Urban Change

Looking forward to the Urban Change Junta. We have our first film showing as a part of the Junta for this one, with some of the folks involved in the movie Vanishing City as a part of it. I’m been skeptical about those who are quick to attack the way a city is changing. I