Category: US Culture

Are We Well Off in the United States or Would You Rather Live Elsewhere?

Are We Well Off in the United States or Would You Rather Live Elsewhere?

Every once in a while I have a realization about how well, for the most part, we live as American citizens.  Sure, I understand that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer (with the income gap growing each year) and that wages adjusted for inflation haven’t grown in well over 30 years, but when compared to […]

Read more ›
David Brooks and the Detoriation of Financial Mores

David Brooks and the Detoriation of Financial Mores

In my view, David Brooks is one of the preeminent op-ed writes in the US.  Brooks constantly gets “it” right and his latest piece, “The Great Seduction”, published on June 10 in the New York Times talks about the startling economic reality in the US.  Here’s snip it from the piece: “a typical US household with income under $13,000 spends, on average, $645 […]

Read more ›
What’s Up With the Red Clay at the French Open?

What’s Up With the Red Clay at the French Open?

The 2008 French Open kicked off at Roland Garros this past weekend.  Roland Garros is actually the name of the tennis center where the Open is held; more specifically, Roland Garros was a French aviator and WWI hero. The French Open is played on red clay versus the Decoturf surface at the US Open in Flushing, Queens.  Red clay surfaces are […]

Read more ›

Does American Idol Work?

The American Idol finale took place last night and for the most part the show featured slightly washed up singers (attempting to mimic Freddie Mercury) and “Brady Bunch” like numbers by the 12 finalists.  The highlight of the show was Gladys Knight, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Junior performing the song, “Midnight Train to Georgia:”   For a critical look at American […]

Read more ›

The Connection Between Status and Diet

The New York Times ran an article on the correlation between food/diet and social status.  In turns out that the lower your status the more junk food you are prone to eat / include in your diet. 

Read more ›
The Wii Fit is a Media Sensation But Can You Get Fit Using It?

The Wii Fit is a Media Sensation But Can You Get Fit Using It?

The Wii Fit is receiving a ton of media attention as of late and was featured on the Today Show this morning and in the Fashion and Style section of the NY Times on Thursday (why not the Sports section?).  I’m not convinced the attention is warranted but if the video game system can get American’s just a few inches off […]

Read more ›