Pink Panther
It's hard to be a feminist when you're drunk. It's not that drinking isn't ladylike or that women shouldn't drink at all; my point is neither meant to be puritanical nor draconian. But how true to your own ideals, principles, and sense of self can you be if one is drowning that sense of self in booze?Whenever a woman hands her power to someone else--in this case, something else, alcohol--she is less than. READ MORE >>
Addictive Television
In 1981, Representative Jim Ramstad thought his political career was over. Seven months into his first term as a state senator from Minnesota, Ramstad found himself in a jail cell in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. His trip had started out innocently enough. The young pol had gone to Sioux Falls with members of the Minnesota Vikings football team to raise money for youth sports. But a fun night with friends turned sour quickly. READ MORE >>
Pomp You Up
Spring is here, and with it comes the high school class of 2005. Ah, graduation: caps and gowns, "Pomp and Circumstance," diplomas, class picnics, barbecues, pranks, and, of course, interminable speeches and non-denominational benedictions. Just in case your high school isn't providing enough cliches about the next big step — striving toward goals, being yourself, standing up for what you believe in, becoming a well-rounded adult — Maria Shriver has stepped in with a graduation speech-cum-minibook-cum-gagfest. READ MORE >>
Less Than Zero
There are a million stories in the naked city, but there appears to be only one story in Washington, D.C. Have you ever read a book set in the capital that was not related to government? Whereas any romantic entanglement, murderous scheme, or cloying period piece may be set in New York City, a plot set in Washington is by and large one of official intrigue, albeit involving a pretty girl. When was the last time you read a romance set in the cafes of Dupont Circle, with no conspiracy in the background? READ MORE >>
Almost Famous
Not long ago, I flew to Los Angeles to be a contestant on “The Weakest Link” (the syndicated version with the American dude; British cruelty artist Anne Robinson now only does celebrity competitions in her prime-time slot). While in transit, I entertained fantasies of being picked up at the airport in a limousine. READ MORE >>
