Perry, Romney Boost Military, Bash Obama In Texas

The two top leaders of the large field of Republican presidential hopefuls have gotten a warm welcome this week from the friendly crowd at the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in San Antonio. Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney both boasted of their admiration and support for the [...]

Sandwich Monday: The Frank Round-up

All these newfangled sandwiches we eat make us nostalgic for the good ol’ days, when foods were healthy and people cared about what they put in their bodies. So we pulled out our old 1965 Betty Crocker Boys and Girls cookbook…only to find the seeds of the obesity epidemic were sown far earlier than we [...]

‘Matterhorn’ Author On What It’s Like ‘To Go To War’

As a Marine during the Vietnam War, Karl Marlantes learned to fire an M16, to command a platoon, to fight and to kill. And in the four decades since Vietnam, he’s spent his time reading, reflecting and writing a memoir that has helped him come to terms with that experience. In his book, What It [...]

In Syria, Homs Emerges As Center Of Protest

An increasing number of Syrian soldiers are quitting the army and joining up with anti-government protesters, according to reports from the central city of Homs and surrounding towns. Now, some wonder whether the largely peaceful movement in Homs — a center of anti-government sentiment — is gearing up for a different approach. The turning point [...]

Libyan Rebels Set Deadline For Surrender

Libya’s rebels say they have more than 10,000 fighters surrounding Moammar Gadhafi’s hometown of Sirte and are waiting for the order to attack. The rebel officials say that order will be given this Saturday. But over the next few days, they will try to negotiate the peaceful surrender of Sirte, the last major bastion of [...]

Human Rights Group: Syria Is ‘Persecuting Its Own People On A Vast Scale’

In a report released today by human rights group Amnesty International, Syria is described to be in the middle of a brutal crackdown. The report alleges that amid protests, more people are being detained and more people are dying behind bars. “These deaths behind bars are reaching massive proportions, and appear to be an extension [...]

Comics Star Joann Sfar, Capturing ‘A Heroic Life’

If anything, the late Serge Gainsbourg has become more of a cultural icon than ever in the two decades since his death. A songwriter, a singer, an actor, a writer, a painter, even an occasional director, Gainsbourg achieved great fame as a provocative symbol of rebellion against respectable life. He hit his stride as a [...]

Green Tomatoes: An End-Of-Summer Bonus

I have a waste-not-want-not approach to pretty much everything in life. Lemon peels get tossed in a jar to infuse into limoncello, worn bed sheets are ripped into rags, and nothing thrills me more than to freestyle a stellar meal from a shelf full of random leftovers (a game known, in my house, as Iron [...]

From Cheerleader To Air Force To A New Life

The second part of our series about the challenges female veterans face as they transition back into civilian life. What happens when a teenage girl spends her formative years in the military — tracking terrorists, enduring rocket attacks and holding her own in a rough, male-dominated environment? The skills that make an excellent airman don’t [...]

Former GM Exec Hopes To Kick-Start Detroit Schools

If there were an award for the “most challenged” school district in the United States, the Detroit public school system would have good reason to claim the title. The system is wrestling with crumbling buildings, low achievement and a decline in enrollment that just won’t stop. But this year, the system has added some new [...]