tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215947082011-12-14T22:06:42.385-05:00<a href="http://nyinquirer.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8118/2185/1600/nyilogo.gif"></a> </p> <<-- Headline News and Opinion -->>Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.comBlogger391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1148062888104338812006-05-19T14:18:00.000-04:002006-05-19T14:21:28.113-04:00

www.nyinquirer.com

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1144070748264880312006-04-03T09:16:00.000-04:002006-04-03T11:14:15.056-04:00

The admirable aspect of a democracy is that everyone gets their say. The utterly distressing aspect of a democracy is that everyone gets their say.So in order to combat the anti-immigration voices that are crowding the airwaves like grating fingernails against a chalkboard, the Inquirer Issue of the Week will be immigration.First, while the Times ran an article in its Week in Review section that

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1144069957154087942006-04-03T09:11:00.000-04:002006-04-03T09:12:37.153-04:00

Watch out wednesday for everyone's favorite pink book.Last year it was worth $27.3 billion.Just in time for tax season.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1144069574447184562006-04-03T08:57:00.000-04:002006-04-03T09:06:14.446-04:00

The Post breaks the big one today. Manhattan District Attorney says he's working on a settlement after shutting down a whopping $3 billion money-laundering scheme, money reportedly heading to terrorist groups in the Middle East.Question, of course: which bank?Too bad, he won't say. And while the snappy article leaves many more questions unanswered, it does make the bold assertion:"Morgenthau's

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1143493095670585682006-03-27T15:45:00.000-05:002006-03-27T15:58:15.796-05:00

CNN has posted a transcript of last night's Reliable Sources with Wolf Blitzer. Logan, chief foreign correspondent for CBS News, quells the Bush Administration's campaign against American journalism in Iraq. Some highlights from Logan:"I mean, we just can't win. I think it's an outrage to point the finger at journalists and say that this is our fault. I really do. And I think it shows an abject

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1143464806578585742006-03-27T08:02:00.000-05:002006-03-27T08:06:46.583-05:00

He is a nomenclature consultant. He walks with a limp due to a horribly mangled fourth toe he can't manage to stop stubbing. He has a minor alcohol problem. He prefers filth and disgust to the amenities offered by a hotel maid. He has been hired to rename the town of Winthrop, and he's the protagonist of Colson Whitehead's new novel, "Apex Hides the Hurt."Nomenclature consultant? Think of

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1143464528065075842006-03-27T07:55:00.000-05:002006-03-27T08:02:08.066-05:00

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice offered up more conditionals on troop withrdawl. DEPENDING on what happens on the ground.Considering that torture and execution are widespread and seem to be an acceptable, if not government-backed practice, those "ifs" "ands" and "buts" don't make me think our troops are coming home anytime soon.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1143463804182984942006-03-27T07:46:00.000-05:002006-03-27T07:50:04.183-05:00

While we're riding this wiretapping wave, a report from the AP (thanks, Wired!) begins to cite abuses of the NSA's powers. Although it's tough to call them abuses, because, with the exception of Mr. Feingold (see below), there hasn't been an uproar against Mr. Bush for his plan.Perhaps in light of these realities, and The Inquirer editors expect much more like this, Americans will realize that

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1143463146415572912006-03-27T07:15:00.000-05:002006-03-27T07:39:06.540-05:00

Boy does President Bush face a lot of non-believers these days. Amid all the usual sparks, haggling and blather that decorate the U.S. Congress, The Inquirer editors found themselves feeling suddenly kind of stupid. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) has made "A crazy political move," according to congressional leadership. Actually, Bill Frist ramped up his rhetoric and so eloquently posited, "Russ is

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1143239309608316562006-03-24T17:02:00.000-05:002006-03-24T17:28:29.673-05:00

The foundations of civil society - courts, cops and care - are strong in the United States. By no means should they be a yardstick for measuring progress in Iraq, but as instiutions coalesce in the nascent political system there, the basics are worth mentioning because nothing of the sort seems to be coming about.Christopher Allbritton is a brilliant American reporter in Iraq. His latest dispatch

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1143237508269908122006-03-24T16:27:00.000-05:002006-04-03T08:47:18.896-04:00

News is a funny business. It has the power to make people laugh, cry, cringe, wince and stand up and take notice. It has the power to topple governments. It bears the liability of losing all its credibility by publishing a single story. And in a broader sense, it offers the masses a reality - stories packed with facts that none of us alone have the reach to uncover.In his "Off Message" column in

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1143120579700314562006-03-23T08:18:00.000-05:002006-03-23T08:29:39.753-05:00

The Inquirer can't even bring to words a response for New York Magazine's exhaustive take on 9/11 conspiracy theories; we want to write off the entire story as a disgraceful use of ink and paper, but there are a few quotes which, while they don't save the angle of the article, they do keep it out of the trash bin entirely.That rant aside, New York does a great interview with the young literary

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1143118771637550182006-03-23T07:42:00.000-05:002006-03-23T07:59:31.696-05:00

An economic, philosophical, and though utterly depressing, psychological tenet of human behavior is that people act in their own self-interest. It's a principle based on preservation, and in a world of scarcity, a necessary one.However, in today's world where the diamond trade - an entirely luxury industry - still funds African warlords and Louis Vuitton handbags are snatched up by the hundreds

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142980058068797092006-03-21T15:29:00.000-05:002006-03-22T11:55:41.883-05:00

Walter Kirn is shaping up to be quite a man of American Letters. The Inquirer enjoyed his novel, "Up In The Air," and got a kick out of his most recent, "Mission to America." The former, a dark tale of a traveling man chasing the dubious goal of a million frequent flier miles, and the latter, an admirable attempt at focusing on the American scene through the eyes of two missionaries up to no good

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142946979571364792006-03-21T08:05:00.000-05:002006-03-21T08:16:55.733-05:00

After reading on page one of the New York Times today another article about Patrick Tillman, the football player who signed up for the war and was then killed under questionable conditions, The Inquirer offers up the following piece on Col. Ted Westhusing (pictured at right).While the Times' investigation does well to point out missteps and ambiguities, Westhusing's story is one that speaks to

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142946244680043722006-03-21T07:54:00.000-05:002006-03-21T08:04:04.680-05:00

Either Washington is a far more skittish town than New York or the journalist is painting an inflammatory portrait of the grease fire in a Union Square McDonald's.It's likely a little of both. Regardless, this Washington Post piece on Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, and what look to be his last days holding his post, is a good summary of what anyone living in a major metropolitan area,

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142945405413300612006-03-21T07:46:00.000-05:002006-03-21T07:50:05.413-05:00

"These are the times that try men's souls . . . " If it weren't so early in the morning, Inquirer editors would research the quote from Strunk & White to find out who said it, but even without accredidation, it makes all the sense in the world in the big oil business today.Unfortunately, they don't try too hard, and really, the rest of us should be recycling more, turning off lights when we're

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142945181609395282006-03-21T07:42:00.000-05:002006-03-21T07:46:21.610-05:00

Check out the cases in front of the Supreme Court today. Our highest court in the land, currently being restocked with life-term judges by the sitting President decided yesterday to steer clear of a tobacco lawsuit settlement, but will be hearing the following:Worker's rights (worker's comp hours).Patent law (medical science).Public workers complaining about their bosses, free speech?

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142944931912709692006-03-21T07:29:00.000-05:002006-03-21T07:42:11.943-05:00

In Slate, Jack Shafer takes a stab at newspapers across the country, including the Boston Globe, who ran stories on consultant John A. Challenger's analysis which stated that during March Madness - the unbelievably-fun tournament of NCAA basketball - employers will lose $3.8 billion because of slacker employees will be wasting time watching games while they should be busy banging out TPS

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142944151249303682006-03-21T07:01:00.000-05:002006-03-21T07:29:15.053-05:00

The Inquirer's favorite comic strip, Dustinland, takes on the creator's unrelenting pride in being a gadget-curmudgeon. No iPod, and what's more, no cellphone.Considering The Inquirer editors don't have cable television and still listen to New York Knicks games on AM radio, we salute this one.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142897886271799592006-03-20T18:25:00.000-05:002006-03-20T18:38:06.293-05:00

Christopher Allbritton has been posting to back-to-iraq.com for years now, and his answer today to the civil war question leaves no gray area about what side of the fence he falls on.More telling is the link he presents to an article by Nir Rosen in the Boston Review. It's long, which is good because too often the news is "cursed" for only showing one side of the story. Well, often times hard

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142897070333234442006-03-20T18:16:00.000-05:002006-03-20T18:24:30.333-05:00

When reading Sploid, The Inquirer always ends up with a crooked eyebrow, but this testament to the danger of the peanut, is, well, you get the point.Peanuts, bronchial spasms and death? In their own words, "Maybe someday soon the gross vilification the once-beloved nut will end."Bless Spolid.

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142896571578519022006-03-20T18:05:00.000-05:002006-03-20T18:16:11.596-05:00

Gawker points at the Newspaper Industry's hapless blaming of Craigslist on their creep towards the red. Besides the fact that Craigslist is just about the ugliest, yet most functional thing in life today - that is, next to the New York City Subway - it's funny that businesspeople at newspapers damn Craigslist for their woes.Maybe there's something besides classified advertising (which was always

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142895803726598352006-03-20T17:50:00.000-05:002006-03-20T18:03:23.753-05:00

Gothamist pays mind to a "flurry" of e-mails they've received about tonight's elephant walk. There's nothing the city needs more than an increased number of circus animals on the streets of Manhattan.On a recent trip to the island nation of Sri Lanka, whose elephant population is well-known for mingling with tourists, The Inquirer learned that elephants are giant, and in turn, frighteningly

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142879237517103162006-03-20T13:16:00.000-05:002006-03-20T13:27:17.536-05:00

The Mercury News posted a telling interview with Washington Post Iraq reporter Jackie Spinner about her time spent reporting in Iraq and the book she's penned about it, "Tell Them I Didn't Cry."While the book seems to be an original take on telling the tale of a Westerner sticking it out "to write stories" from the war-torn nation, The Inquirer offers up cheers to Spinner for fessing up to how

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142877830301163072006-03-20T11:25:00.000-05:002006-03-20T13:03:51.726-05:00

Everyone's using the three-year anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq to take stock of the civil war that's erupted on the front lines of the war on terror. Quick summary: 2,300 dead American soldiers. More than 17,000 wounded. Iraqis dead? There's been no official number released, although late last year President Bush uttered the incredulous number: 30,000. Money spent? Almost $250

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142353630000476522006-03-14T11:13:00.000-05:002006-03-14T11:27:10.010-05:00

As neoconservatives now line up in opposition to President Bush and the war in Iraq, it's astonishing that they feel they should be cut any slack. Perhaps that's the beauty of democracy, it's so easy to skirt responsibility.Take this Cato Institute bash session, for instance. All the good ol' boys ranting and raving about Bush's disloyalty. Couple that with Francis Fukuyama's turncoat testimonial

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142312136060469022006-03-13T20:42:00.000-05:002006-03-13T23:55:36.103-05:00

Over time, editors at the New York Inquirer will follow large issues judged to have a near-universal import and present the most informative and reliable resources at the heart of the matter.The first issue will be Iran.In a telling roundup of essays published in The Christian Science Monitor, a handful of respectable wonks offer four approaches to the problem.The probation offer sounds good, all

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142299368088748452006-03-13T20:01:00.000-05:002006-03-13T20:22:48.160-05:00

Apparently iPods might soon have to speak many languages in France. Or, at least be able to speak to more than just an Apple platform. As Apple's engineered their cultish music empire, songs downloaded from Apple's online music store will play on iPods only.The Inquirer isn't exactly sure what kind of jurisdiction French law holds over the products that private companies produce, and more to the

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142291428504414252006-03-13T17:38:00.000-05:002006-03-13T19:43:37.886-05:00

Not a single one of us at the Inquirer has ever read a book by David Foster Wallace. Though, reading the review in the Times of his new collection, "Consider the Lobster," we do metaphorically (of course, remember this is postmodernistisms we're dealing with!) scratch our heads at the authority with which the reviewer throws around this slippery, and in turn, sloppy, p-word.Lucky for us, the

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142289179953758372006-03-13T17:21:00.000-05:002006-03-13T17:33:00.053-05:00

Why does the Foer family inspire so much hate? Gawker today notes another Foer brother who's making headway in this strange industry of letters. And who can forget that New York Press cover (pictured here)? To parody the cover of Jonathan Safran's much-ballyhooed sophmore attempt at a novel.What contempt!Well, ok. The Inquirer wishes J.S. would just write something, rather than dress up his books

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142287254165194232006-03-13T15:12:00.000-05:002006-03-13T17:00:54.996-05:00

Fitting for a lucky day like the 13th, and we here at the Inquirer know it's only March, but as President Bush today called the war in Iraq "tense," one has to wonder how long it will take for his "I'm keeping with my principles" attitude to crumble in the face of a horrendous civil war.When the President worked himself into a tizzy in front of an audience of newspaper publishers last week, he

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1142280708040529302006-03-13T14:59:00.000-05:002006-03-13T15:11:48.880-05:00

The Warm-Up series that have grown in popularity summer after summer at P.S.1 in Long Island City will only draw longer lines this year. The New York Times writes up the art installation that will occupy the concrete-walled courtyard.On Saturday afternoons throughout the summer, hipsters flock in droves to Court Square to waste away hours listening to usually-decent D.J.s and trying to deal with

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1141701401203249992006-03-06T22:04:00.000-05:002006-03-06T22:16:41.223-05:00

Name as many of the seven dwarves as you can. Now, count with your fingers, or, even take a minute before reading on and scribble down on a scrap of paper as many of their silly names as you can dredge up from your memory.Ok, part two.On the other hand (though you’ll hopefully run out of fingers by this point), or on the verso of your scrap of paper, note as many of the Supreme Court justices of

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1139792923160295292006-02-12T18:54:00.000-05:002006-02-12T20:08:43.200-05:00

This is the one-oh-eight precinct on 50th Ave. in Long Island City. From the mouth of an officer braving the blowing snow on the stoop moments before this photo was taken, "A winter wonderland, eh?"And across that river (which itself is barely visable here) should be the Citicorp building and Midtown, the disparate mass of Upper East Side residential buildings, and about a mile up the river,

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1139695507378936212006-02-11T17:01:00.000-05:002006-02-11T17:05:07.390-05:00

And here it is. Our fearsome (for the time being) logo. I hired a first-rate NYC design firm, and boy did this thing cost me a pretty penny. But, how I see it: a logo is the first glimpse into the glamour, conviction and sophistication of a magazine, so I really think this one hits the mark.Wow did I get my money's worth. The board of directors will be thrilled.And as soon as I can figure out how

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1139265590466181812006-02-06T17:36:00.000-05:002006-03-06T22:43:39.413-05:00

(Orignally published on Gothamist.com)This week a federal judge served up former Environmental Protection Agency chief Christine Todd Whitman with an entirely warranted wake-up call. While more than 5,000 residents, workers and students from Lower Manhattan have filed a class action lawsuit accusing Whitman and the E.P.A. of misleading them about the health risks involved in breathing the air

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1139265374319771822006-02-06T17:29:00.000-05:002006-02-06T17:36:14.336-05:00

(From Gothamist.com)It was Mike’s week. Actually, considering the mayor’s worth more than you can imagine and New Yorkers gush over him as if he’s some kind of savior, maybe this is shaping up to be his century. Call him Bloomer, Hizzoner, Moneyberg, Li’l Mike – choose your favorite nickname. It doesn’t much matter, because you can call the short, nasily-voiced gazillionaire with an eerie ability

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21594708.post-1138385614756698562006-01-27T13:12:00.000-05:002006-02-06T17:48:53.756-05:00

Dirtier than the New York Post and more interesting than senior gym class, an impromptu launch for the New York Inquirer . . .Regular writers to come: on politics, on culture and on sports -- always heeding the call to indite the powerful, to taunt the conventional and to love the New York Knicks even though, these days, they border on disgraceful.(And to always string on infinitives, even when

Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01124332919101571395noreply@blogger.com1