As Bullies Go Digital, Parents Play Catch-Up

Christine herself uses a keystroke logger, software that records everything her two daughters write and see on their home computer. “It’s uncomfortable,” Christine said. “But my older daughter has demonstrated less than zero common sense. The level of trust between us is much lower than I’d like it to be. But I also think she was relieved that we caught her. … My younger daughter calls me a stalker. She says we mistrust her because of what her sister did. That’s true. But my eyes are open, and I won’t go back.”

Published: Dec 5, 2010
Length: 17 minutes (4,397 words)

Jamie Dimon: America’s Least-Hated Banker

At Bank One, Dimon had ceased buying mortgages from outside brokers because their performance was poor. At Chase, he bought them. When I asked why, Dimon said underlings convinced him they were exercising proper caution, adding, “It was a huge business, packaging and selling [the loans] to Fannie Mae.” Turning silent, Dimon rotated his palms face up — as if nothing could excuse his error. “I bought that crap,” he concluded.

Published: Dec 1, 2010
Length: 32 minutes (8,094 words)

A Bully Finds a Pulpit on the Web

Not only has a heap of customer complaints failed to deter DecorMyEyes, but as an all-too-cursory Google search demonstrated, the company can show up in the most coveted place on the Internet’s most powerful site. Which means the owner of DecorMyEyes might be more than just a combustible bully with a mean streak and a potty mouth. He might also be a pioneer of a new brand of anti-salesmanship — utterly noxious retail — that is facilitated by the quirks and shortcomings of Internet commerce and that tramples long-cherished traditions of customer service, like deference and charm.

Published: Nov 28, 2010
Length: 23 minutes (5,881 words)

The Incredible Flying Nonagenarian

Olga Kotelko, a 91-year-old track star, is considered one of the world’s greatest athletes, holding 23 world records, 17 in her current age category, 90 to 95. “Well, I still have the energy I had at 50,” she said. “More. Where is it coming from? Honestly, I don’t know. It’s a mystery even to me.”

Published: Nov 26, 2010
Length: 19 minutes (4,808 words)

Can China Discover the Urge to Splurge?

For the rest of the world, the Chinese consumer is one of the best hopes for future economic growth. In the years ahead, when the United States, Europe and Japan will have no choice but to slow their spending and pay off their debts, China could pick up the slack. Millions of Americans — yes, millions — could end up with jobs that exist, at least in part, to design, make or sell goods and services to China.

Published: Nov 24, 2010
Length: 32 minutes (8,029 words)

A Year at War: Between Firefights, Jokes, Sweat and Tedium

They tell stories about girlfriends, wives, drinking and sex. They wrestle and play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. They share music on iPods and check football scores on BlackBerrys. They debate evolution and chase chickens. They argue over comic-book heroes and then tell more stories about sex. During a six-day mission in Afghanistan with Delta Company, First Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, both sides of frontline life were on display. Firefights, truck-flipping mine explosions and earth-shaking mortar exchanges. And the pauses in between, when life in their encampment felt like a guys-only slumber party.

Author: James Dao
Published: Nov 21, 2010
Length: 10 minutes (2,687 words)

Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction

Teachers at Woodside commonly blame technology for students’ struggles to concentrate, but they are divided over whether embracing computers is the right solution. “It’s a catastrophe,” said Alan Eaton, a charismatic Latin teacher. He says that technology has led to a “balkanization of their focus and duration of stamina,” and that schools make the problem worse when they adopt the technology. “When rock ‘n’ roll came about, we didn’t start using it in classrooms like we’re doing with technology.”

Published: Nov 21, 2010
Length: 17 minutes (4,442 words)

All the Young Girls

“Being a new girl [in New York] is a lot to process. Your dopamine receptors are haywire from so much of what feels like the right kind of attention and you preen out of paranoia. Sometimes you tap-dance about books, music, movies, food and politics for complete strangers. For hours. You mind-meld with people you hope to never see again because they scare you a little. You get sick from the options and the sleep deprivation and the vodka. Your friends from home tell you you’ve changed and you’re convinced that envy’s poisoned their flabby, docile minds. If you’re lucky, you snap out of it.”

Published: Nov 17, 2010
Length: 5 minutes (1,473 words)

Epilepsy’s Big, Fat Miracle

How a high-fat diet is saving the author’s 9-year-old son, who once had as many as 130 seizures per day. “In an average week, Sam consumes a quart and a third of heavy cream, nearly a stick and a half of butter, 13 teaspoons of coconut oil, 20 slices of bacon and 9 eggs. Sam’s diet is just shy of 90 percent fat.”

Published: Nov 18, 2010
Length: 19 minutes (4,847 words)

The Palin Network

His voice dripping with exasperation, the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said to me one July afternoon in his office: “If I would have told you that I could open up a Facebook account or a Twitter account, simply post quotes, and have the White House asked about those, and to have the entire White House press corps focused on your quote of the day on Facebook — that’s Sarah Palin. She tweets one thing, and all of a sudden you’ve got a room full of people that want to know. …”

Published: Nov 17, 2010
Length: 32 minutes (8,074 words)