Newsweek Society

Plenty of Puzzles at the Inn

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:53:50 GMT

A puzzle is perhaps best enjoyed during a vacation, when time is plentiful and relieving stress is the order of the day. Aficionados know that the choicest accommodations for puzzling are intimate, quiet inns, nestled in the countryside.

Putting the Pieces Back Together

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:53:50 GMT

Incredibly, all six of us made it. Economic travails had nearly derailed our long-planned girls' weekend, making a trip to Malibu seem like an unnecessary extravagance amid the lost jobs and uncertain futures some of us faced. But there we were, blessed with the perfect setup: a borrowed beach house, gorgeous weather, a million possibilities. So how did we spend our four precious nights? Clustered around the kitchen table, laboring over three wooden jigsaw puzzles found in the closet. "Let's not tell anyone what we did," said one of my friends.

I Walked All Over Crocs. What Have I Done?

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:29:07 GMT

An update to our story from Aug. 11, 2008. I walked all over Crocs, and now the shoemaker is hurting. Sweet clown shoes, what have I done?

Why CDs are Killing Classical Music

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:24:45 GMT

In 1996, American composer john Adams wrote a whirligig of a piece called "Scratchband." In its short running time, woodwinds and brass chase each other through thrashing figures so drunk on high spirits that the electric guitar, bass, and percussion can barely keep up. It would be the perfect track to play for anyone who thinks classical music is plodding or stuffy beyond saving—except for the fact that no one owns a legal recording of the music. It's not as though Adams is ashamed of his daring 12-minute essay in sound. He's simply been at a loss, for more than a decade, when it comes to identifying a major symphonic work or concerto that "Scratchband" would make sense next to on an 80-minute CD. "I've been kind of hedging," Adams admits, "because it's hard to find a spot."

(500) Days of Summer: Not Exactly a Love Story

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:24:14 GMT

When was the last time you saw a young couple fall in love on the big screen? High School Musical 3 doesn't count.

Hiking the Israel Trail

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:10:46 GMT

Below lies the sweeping Negev desert. Above, a line of camels saunter across a stretch of land dotted with yellow-flowered tumble thistle and tiny pink sun roses. In the distance, the lights of Arad twinkle as the soft slopes of the Yatir forest melt into the darkness. It's dusk on the 600-mile Israel National Trail, a footpath that ambles from the country's southern border with Egypt all the way north to the edge of Lebanon. It was modeled on the Appalachian Trail, designed as a peaceful retreat from the world. But this is Israel. No oasis of calm can keep out the heat and tension of everyday life completely.

Wendy Williams Q&A

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:03:45 GMT

The queen of radio is ready to take over the TV talk-show world. Williams spoke to Ramin Setoodeh.

What Would Jesus Watch?

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:52:35 GMT

Back in March, David stood ready to slay Goliath, and almost no one was there to witness it. That was when NBC debuted a modern retelling of the biblical underdog story. Among the show's blessings were its impressive cast, anchored by Golden Globe winner Ian McShane; imaginative director Francis Lawrence (); and a favorable critical reception. But the premiere was trounced in the ratings, finishing last in its time slot and thereby missing an opportunity to defeat the giant—in this case, After failing to find an audience, it's that's in a sling. The show won't be returning for a second season.

Judd Apatow's Relationship Issues

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:45:35 GMT

There's a scene in Judd Apatow's new movie, in which George Simmons (Adam Sandler), a famous comedian fighting a terminal illness, makes a pilgrimage to see his old flame, Laura (Leslie Mann). Their breakup was nasty, but George isn't above exploiting his health for a second chance at true love. Laura, a former actress, never achieved George's fame, and she quit Hollywood to become a full-time mom. A canny seducer, George arrives on her doorstep with a bag of props to remind Laura of the girl she once was: her favorite old pair of jeans (they still fit!) and a greatest-hits reel of her acting spots. As she watches the clips of the occasional moment, her verdict on that is considerably harsher. Later, Laura says, "I always played the bitch."

The Polaroid Lives!

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:40:10 GMT

Over the past five years, I've up-loaded more than 200 pictures to Facebook. Some are of me. Some are of my friends. Most are of me and my friends doing mildly embarrassing things. But none has elicited as much enthusiasm as the snapshot I took recently at a Brooklyn flea market. The response has little to do, I think, with what actually appears in the image: an assortment of old Owl-brand stamps, seen from above. Nor can I credit the other tchotchkes edging into the picture: a beaded necklace, a crystal bowl, a leather sleeve of sorts, a silver object that may or may not be a harmonica. What makes this particular digital photo popular on Facebook is the fact that it doesn't look digital at all. After extracting the original file from my Nikon, I dragged it into a program called Poladroid, which quickly spit out an image that belied my DSLR's multi-megapixel specifications: jaundiced tint, fuzzy focus, textured white border. And yet, the moment I posted the photo online, admirers rushed to ask how I "vintagefied" it. The consensus, as one tech-savvy correspondent put it: "This looks so great."

Why The Ladies Love Vampires

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:09:25 GMT

Is it the bad economy, or your secret desire for domination? Psychologists weigh in on our obsession with the bloodsuckers.

How 'True Blood' Lost Me

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:34:41 GMT

The HBO vampire series leaves me cold, and it's not because of all the dead bodies

Crying for Kashmir

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:47:46 GMT

When Justine Hardy and her mother visited the Kashmir Valley in the spring of 1989, it seemed to them an idyll. The weather was warm, the nights were cool, and mother and daughter rode bikes, shopped, and packed picnics of Kashmiri delicacies. Distantly, they were aware of unrest: protests, strikes in the city, and the ever-present —young Indian soldiers, reminders to the Kashmiri Muslims that India held the region by threat of force. But to the British tourists, and even to many Kashmiris, these signs seemed more annoying than dangerous. For the most part, Hindus and Muslims lived and worked peaceably, their festivals intertwined, their Kashmiri identity shared.

Miller: The Radical Left Versus Obama

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:58:23 GMT

The radical left versus the president.

Cashing in on Michael Jackson's Legacy

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:55:55 GMT

Licensing deals could earn the Jackson estate hundreds of millions. But will his legacy be exploited for the potential windfall?

When Race Plays a Role in Medicine

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:56:10 GMT

When race plays a role in disease.

Dumbledore's Army: Charity Changing the World

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:23:26 GMT

Do you really need us to answer that question? The story of one Potterphile's quest to change the world through charity.

Viewpoint: Scientists who Blast Religion Hurt Their Cause

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:24:53 GMT

Scientists who blast religion are hurting their own cause.

11 Things About the Cast of Harry Potter

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:14:41 GMT

What it's like to kiss Daniel Radcliffe, and other things we learned from the stars of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

A Harry Potter Co-Star on Kissing Ron Weasley

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:08:32 GMT

Ron Weasley's love interest in gives us the scoop on Hogwarts heartache.